Camp near falmoth virginia
                        Aprile the 13  1863

igot a leter from father last Knight and the box wat he Sent he 
Said he had not got a leter wat Said ihad gotit yet irote thre 
leters that ihad in it that i had gotit we expect to git paid 
this week yet for the pay master is in the Division and has paid 
to Riegements off last knight and is Paying off a gin to day 
again to  day after to morow we will git Paid i would as Soon 
wated til we got to harisburg it woon be more then 25 days eny more
til hour time is up  

Part of the Division went out on a reconnisuns to day we expect to 
march back to washington till about the 25 of this month  the roads 
is nice and dry here now but it looks as if it is going to rain today
it don't take much to make amud here and in to or thre days it is dry  
iam going to rite to father to knight yet to tell him not to Send 
eny more leters for my time is Soon out  ithink if they dont keep us 
over hour time this will be the last leter iwill rite  igot aleter wat 
William roten

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End Notes:

On April 28 the Brigade broke up Winter quarters and moved on the
Chancellorsville Campaign arriving May 1 at the Chancellor house. 
They were immediately put to fortifying, and then placed in support 
of artillery until moved into rifle pits to support infantry, and 
there they remained until the withdrawal across the Rappahannock 
River. 

The term of enlistment expired and John mustered out with his 
Company on May 23, 1863, in Harrisburg, PA. He had been last paid 
February 28, and had $35.54 in clothing charged to his account, which 
was deducted from his final pay, no total given in his Compiled 
Service Record.

After his service with the 131st Regiment, John returned to the family
farm. While he was at home, the great Battle of Gettysburg took place: 
July 1,2,3, 1863. I have no doubt that his family was glad he was home.

Something, perhaps word of how the war was going, perhaps his sense 
of patriotism and duty, or perhaps he just did not get along at home...
some of his letters give evidence that he and his father did not 
always get along...whatever the reason, John enlists in the 7th 
Pennsylvania Cavalry along with his older brother, William, on 
February 27, 1864, and is immediately shipped to Nashville, Tennessee, 
where he is assigned to Company A, and William to Company H.

Next time, we will begin John's adventure in the Cavalry.