Near Durham Station, North Carolina
Monday, April 17, 1865

Dear Diary,

How I hate to make this entry - we thought 
the War was pretty much over, since we 
received news yesterday that Johnston had 
agreed to surrender his army.  But, one 
great Tragedy still had to occur.  We've
just received news that our beloved 
President, Abraham Lincoln, was shot
and killed while visiting the theater last 
Friday. We don't have any details - just 
the barest news.  Apparently, the murderer 
is that famous actor, John Booth.  Some of 
the conspirators have already been captured,
and I'm sure they'll talk.  As for Booth, if 
it was him, we'll hunt him down to the ends 
of the Earth!

They formed us up in ranks to give us the 
news.  What with all the celebrating  over 
the past couple of days, we surely weren't 
ready for this.  After the regimental 
commander read the dispatch, there was a
ghastly, unbelieving silence in the ranks.  
Then, some men just broke down and cried.  
It took a bit to get some order back into 
the ranks, but after four long years, 
responding to orders gets to be pretty much
second nature.  On command, we shouldered 
arms and marched off in silence.  We only 
went about another mile, and started setting 
up camp. It looks like we might be here 
awhile, waiting on developments.  No one
doubts that Johnston's army will actually 
surrender, even after this.  They really 
have no choice.  Some are talking about 
vengeance against anyone who still bears 
arms against the best government on earth, 
but most are still dealing with their own 
thoughts, in their own way.

I don't see how anyone still loyal to the 
South could have done this.  Lincoln was, 
without doubt, one of the few voices of 
reason left in Washington.  We all read in 
the newspapers his address on inauguration -
he was talking about "binding up the Nation's 
wounds".  

After this, how can that ever really happen?