Page 4 July 20, 1863

rice of invading free soil, and p-
erhaps it did, at the loath to ent-
er Maryland and Penn for fear th-
at it would prove dissatrous. Jeff
made him go, but Jeff was soon he-
ard crying for Lee's return. I think Gen.
Meade did not do his duty, or Lee w-
ould never have recrossed the Potomac.
I think Hooker is the man for the
Army of the Potomac. Meade did n-
othing more in gaining the victo-
ry than carry out Hooker's plans; and
it is said that as soon as Meade
relied on his own judgement, he utterly
failed. Hooker is the man for the
eastern army. Freemont would be
the best, but Government wont g-
ive him a chance.

How our part our fighting is
virtually over. I do not think that
we will have any more hard fig-
hting to do. Well, I, for one, should
be content, if it should prove so, as I
think we have done our share of f-
ighting.

We are about to be paid. I wi-
ll send you twenty-five dollars,
if I get a chance.

Send me the "Flag of Our Unio-
n", a good weekly paper. Read it at
home, and then send it. Take the New
York Tribune for yourselves.

Yours,

R. Allen

[P.S. Direct to Murfreesboro.]