Letter from Rufus Dawes to his wife, Mary, July 13, 1864

Before Petersburg

July 13^th, 1864

We are busy making the papers for the muster out of our men, whose terms of service expire, and they are nearly wild at the prospect of seeing once more their long separated families and their homes.  The men who go now were not on the veteran furlough, and few of them have seen their homes for more than three years.  Some have passed through twenty battles and nearly all have marks of wounds received in battle.  I am myself the only man who as passed unharmed through every battle and skirmish of the regiment. 


Peggy's comments:
Tomorrow, the entries in Julia Cutler's journal resume.

Despite his promotion to Colonel, Rufus expected to be mustered out within the month.  His brother, Ephraim, continued to stay at the Old Stone House with the Cutlers while he recovered from the wound to his jaw.