Camp of the 83rd Regiment, PA Volunteers, at Burksville, VA, April 19th, 1865, Abraham Lincoln funeral.

My Dear Parents,

I write this our nation's saddest day for years....on account of the funeral ceremonies of Abraham Lincoln taking place today.

It is a sad sad thing for that noble man to die after years of hard labor just being completed, but undoubtedly it is for the best for the nation or it would not have been permitted by Our All Wise Ruler.

Mr. Lincoln is taken away by the hands of a traitor assassin, and Mr. Johnson will fill his place: a man with all the fire of the South and all the patriotism of the North combined. What may we not look for at his hands when we read in his speeches where he says "had I the power I would hang every traitor to the old flag!"

I can not place confidence in Andie as I could in Abraham, but I know that it is all for the best, someway, though we can not see it now and perhaps never will in this world. I am in favor of granting pardon to all traitors except the leaders ....There has been bloodshed enough already.

Your affectionate Son, D. B. Foote