On or about July 19, 1864, John H. Patterson wrote a short letter to his mother providing her an update on his activities since his last letter.
In this letter, John writes about being a guard/escort for Union stragglers. He seems to enjoy the escort duty and hopes to escort stragglers to New York or some place interesting. He goes on to write about a recent trip to Washington, D.C. with his friend Willie Phelps — Washington, D.C. is his favorite place to visit. On his last trip he visited a variety of places including the White House, the Treasury Department, the Smithsonian Institute, and the Navy Yard.
He closes by indicating that he may need some money, as the cost of going to different cities is expensive. He also notes that she doesn’t need to send him his “citizens clothes,” as can wear his uniform most places. (Transcript of John H. Patterson letter, July 1864)
