Late May 1861,

My letter of resignation has been approved.  By fall I will 
be in the services of the Confederate States of America.

Have heard from Winfield and Almira Hancock. They are hosting 
a going away party in June for their friends who will be heading 
back east.  It will be nice to see my friends again before 
leaving. Winnie has decided to stay with the US Army - a decision 
which I can not blame him for.  The army has been good to him and 
Mira.  Having been born and raised in Pennsylvania, his loyalty 
must lie there.  I admire him greatly for understanding the hard 
decisions the rest of us had to make...in choosing whether to 
stay with the US Army of go to the other side.  It is really nice 
of him and his wife to get all of us together for one last 
gathering.  I’m sure it will be a very emotional time together. 

Most of those who will attend have been friends for a long time, 
gone through a lot of hardships together.  I met Winnie in 1844 at 
Ft. Towson when he joined the 6th US Infantry fresh out of West 
Point.  We went through the Mexican war together and were stationed 
here in the west together.  He and Mira were there when my wife 
died to help make things easier for myself and the children.  Truer 
friends one could not ask for. I will miss them dearly, especially 
Almira.