North Carolina, April 24, 1865

I wrote to you five days ago as an answer on your letter of April 2nd, so I have not much to write about this time.

Everything is quiet. Peace conditions are written by the Rebel and U.S. Generals and sent to Washington, and we are anxiously waiting for the reply.

General Sherman says in his order that he hopes in a few days to be able to lead the best army in the world on the way to their homes.

By adding a few weeks to that, we live in hope.

The soldiers’ belief is that the war is over and are glad to be alive. The daily talk is, which way can we go. Some believe that we will go by water to New York, other believe we will go on foot to Richmond, and I hope the railroad will be in order so we can use that to Richmond.

Rebel soldiers are daily streaming through our lines to their homes. Horses and mules we give away by the hundreds to the farmers here, they are such as we have no use for.

It is said that the Rebel army here have nothing to eat. General Sherman and Sherman are sending provisions on the railroad to them so they will not starve to death before the peace documents are ready.

I wrote to you from Goldsboro, North Carolina, and then I believed to be home by harvest, it still seems likely.

If any of your acquaintances should come from Norway and wish to live there, they can rent or buy my land and I could help them build a house.

I am waiting for a letter from Norway. Ask at the post office for a letter once in a while.

We are about twenty miles from Raleigh, North Carolina. We are well, the weather is comfortable, the woods and land are green.

Folks of both sexes are streaming into our camp to see Northern soldiers and to hear our music.

Many girls would be happy if the soldiers would take them with them to the promised land, although they before have said that they would not speak to a Northern soldier.

An order was given a week ago not to take or destroy anything for the people here. Today many soldiers have to split rails for breaking the law. They can use old rails for firewood if they make new ones in their stead, but very few new rails are made in a day.