Letter #3

July 17,1865 
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Dear Alice,
     My love it has been a very long time since I have seen you and our children and I can not wait to see you all. It will be exciting to see how big the children have grown and have you by my side. As I have feared it seems that the North has won the war and that the negroes will be freed. How will life be without them working on our plantations. It has been hundreds of years since we have been working without them as slaves. Even when this country was started there were slaves used. This is a way that nobody knows because this has been our past and present. The future will definitely be difficult with having to let them go. I can just see them thinking that they are equal to us immediately as the shackles of slavery fall to the ground from their black bodies. I will now have to use my well earned money to pay for workers when I could get it done for free. The North will think that we will come back running to them but we will hold our ground and continue to succeed for centuries to come. I have definitely had some amazing experiences in the Navy. I got to meet many men that I would otherwise not  men who I will be friends with years to come, I look forward to introducing them to you. See you very soon sending my love :

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                               John oxoxox