Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2011, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================== From John H. Dixon to his brother ========================================================================== Rowlandville June 2nd 1865 Dear Brother I now take this opportunity of writing these few lines to you hoping that they will find you well as they Have all but me well and i have a heavy cold and a Cough that torments me at night i hope that it will soon be better as we can not afford to lose a moment if we can help it but we must put our trust in the Lord who will do all things right you ought to see our strawberries they are the first that we ever raised i think they are as numerous as any crop that we have had i expect it will take us all day tomorrow as hard as we can pick we picked a tub of Cherries yesterday and the trees are fuller than they have ever been yet. Father & Mother is well but verry tired they have to go to market 2 days a week and have no trouble to dispose of it yet the 2 companys of the 114th P.V.I.R [page 2] has got home they got home on thursday night they had quite a reception the station house bell was rung and the band was out there was many hearts rejoiced and many that was sad because their friends did not come home the calimities of war is fearful there is many a fireside is deserted by Fathers, sons, husbands, brothers, that will be no more seen on earth until that great meeting when the earth and seas shall be commanded to give up their dead and come to judgment ** that we may all have a part in the first ressurrection which will be to Life Eternal. Tusday June 4th has been a verry warm day and my cough is not much better we have preaching in the Schoolhouse to night and i am left at home to keep house and i thought i would finish this letter i told you that we would be busy on Saturday we picked 120 quarts and it was verry hot we will have it pretty hard until strawberries is done [page 3] 2 more companys came home to day they belong to the 121st P.V. they are pretty well burnt with the sun we will be glad when they boys all get home again the pleasures of peace will be better enjoyed now than ever before. and Foreign nations will consider well what they are doing before they provoke the American eagle for this Rebellion as brought us to be the most powerful nation in the world. We have a navy that can whip the fleet of any nation that could be brought against it and material to raise the most powerful Armies the world ever gazed on and resources almost inexhaustible when i look forward to the future of our bounty what a great responsibility rest on us as a people we ought to praise the Lord for he has been so good unto us i intend dear brother to try to live to his honor and glory so that when we shall be called to depart we may depart in peace it is now time for me to bring my letter to a close hoping [page 4] that we may soon meet to separate to go to war no more but that we may be long blessed in the peaceful pursuits of industry and happiness. enclosed i will send you 1$ which i think is enough to risk in a letter at a time so no more at present we all send our love to you hoping that we may soon meet you again on earth if not here that we may meet in heaven where parting shall be no more your brother John H. Dixon N.B. since writing the above i have seen in the paper that the troops belong ing to the 5 Corps would be home on or by next thursday and i concluded not to send the money as you may leave before it arrives and you would not get neither the money or letter if you are still going to stay write right away as soon as you get this and i will send it John H. Dixon ========================================================================== NOTE: The letter talks of Pennsylvania troops coming home however Rowlandsville (P.O.) is located in Cecil County, MD, just across the river from Pennsylvania. The nearest major town is Conowingo, MD. GPS Coordinates are N 39.66455 and W -76.14773 The above information was obtained from the United States Geographical Survey map USGS Conowingo Dam quad.