Dear Wife
I at last have a few moments of time at my command & I will use them in writing to you. I have not been very well for the last few days. But I hope I will soon get better. I have marched along all the time so far yet. Well you will wonder how close we are to Richmond by this time, well we are about twenty miles from it, we are crossing the James River & come on the rear of Richmond. We could take it from this side but it would be with a greater loss of men, than would pay. I have all Confidence & Grant & Meade & they will not fight them needlessly. There may be a terrible Battle fought yet. But I Don’t believe they will fight as hard as they have done.
I saw Daniel yesterday, he is well, only he had very sore feet, but as long as he is no worse off he can do. We are all out of tobacco here & that puts us out of humour too. I want you to send me a box of Wright’s pills as soon as you get this letter. You can send them by mail, the postmaster can put them up for you, if I had some now, I would be soon all right again. I have been looking for a letter from you for several days. The grain is getting yellow here, what little there is. There is a great deal of corn planted, but it is not very good. The last two days have been very quiet, no firing at all & I wish it was only God’s will that it might continue so & a Speedy.
A great many thought that by this time there would be an end of the war but I am afraid it will not end so soon, yet as some of them thought, but I hope & Pray to God that we may be Blessed with a speedy & an honorable Peace, soon for all time. We will soon be at Harrisons Landing. You can see that is on the James River. We passed Charles City Courthouse yesterday. There was a great maneuvering around of troops. They are turning them around. We crossed the Chickahominy night before last. I was never more tired in my life than I was at that time. I can tell you we get along pretty well considering all things.
Sometimes we have lots of rations & others we are pretty scant, we are short now of hardtack. I must now close my letter. I cannot write much to you. I hope this may find you well & may God keep us as a family & may He in his goodness & mercy return us to each other soon again is my prayer.
Please write soon
Your affectionate Husband
Jacob Bushey
To L.A. Bushey