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Amherst, Massachusetts. Sunday, January 23rd, 1870.

Dear General.

       I have been a good deal troubled by the fact that you have not written to me for more than four months.  On the 18th of September I received two letters from you dates respectively Sept. 3rd and 8th.   I wrote you quite a long letter September 22nd and another about the 28th of October, and know from Woodward that both of them reached you, but I have no reply.
    I well know how constantly your must have been occupied but think you might have written had you felt inclined, and your long silence leads me to fear that you are displeased at the course I have taken.  Consequently I want to again assure you that I have endeavored to act uprightly in this matter and that instead of leaving the Tenth willingly, I have been expelled from the regiment by the force of circumstances and the action of the powers that be."
    When I left Camp Witchita in May, I was aware that there might be reasons for my not returning and I therefore sold off all my cumbersome property, but had I felt at all certain of leaving the Tenth I should not have left as id did, six chests of valuable goods so far from available lines of transportation.  My only thought then in relation to not returning was that I might decide to resign and retire to civil pursuits.  Of the gradual change in my conclusions, caused by changing circumstances I from time to time informed you.   I never contemplated acting as I have finally been obliged to and am honest in saying that had I foreseen all this I would not have come East in 1869.