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Start for the front 63

I soon got a letter that my wife was sick with the measles and I put in for a furlow to go to see hir and got it after a hard trial. I returned to Lewiston and found hir quite sick. Hir sister had returned and was able to care for hir. I staid with his as long as I could and she was geting quite smart. A number of the girls in the mill of our acquaintence had the same disease. At last I was obliged to return to camp, so I reported to camp Mason.

We lay in camp here for about ten days and then wer orderd to the front and Genl Grant had taken comand of the intire US forces and was bound to have every available man on duty.

We proceded direct to Washington then to Bellplains landing Va. We went ashore and detale was soon made from our provisional brigade to go aboard of a gunboat. About 20 men wer sent on board and I with the rest.