AFTER GETTYSBURG, RICHARD WAS PROMOTED TO SERGT. AND CONTINUED MOVING WITH THE 2^ND CORPS INTO CONFEDERATE COUNTRY. HISTORY SHOWS US THAT THE 111TH FOUGHT IN MANY BATTLES AS THE UNION ARMY MOVED SOUTH. RICHARD'S LAST BATTLE WAS AT THE SIEGE OF PETERSBURG, VA.  IN JUNE OF 1864.

ON JUNE 16, 1864, RICHARD WAS WOUNDED IN THE RIGHT LEG, BY GUNFIRE, AND SENT TO THE COLUMBIAN DIVISION MILITARY HOSPITAL IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

WHILE IN THE HOSPITAL, HE WROTE THE FOLLOWING:

JANUARY 15^TH, 1865
THIS WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY. VERY MILD AND STILL. WE HAD A VERY GOOD DINNER TODAY. WE HAD BREAD, BUTTER AND TEA. THE BUTTER WOULD OUTRANK GEN. GRANT.

APRIL 15^TH, 1865
THIS MORNING AS SOON AS I WOKE UP, I HEARD THAT THE PRESIDENT HAD BEEN MURDERED AND SECTY. SEWARD AND HIS TWO SONS HAD BEEN ASSASSINATED.  WE DID NOT GET THE PAPERS VERY EARLY BUT I LEARNED THAT PRESIDENT LINCOLN WAS SHOT AT FORDS THEATER AND DIED THIS MORNING AT 7:30. SECTY. SEWARD AND SON ARE VERY LOW. THE VICE PRESIDENT WAS INAUGURATED TODAY.

APRIL 16^TH, 1865
IT HAS BEEN VERY COLD ALL DAY ALTHOUGH THE SUN HAS BEEN BRIGHT. THERE WASN'T MUCH NEWS IN THE PAPERS BUT THEY GAVE AN ACCOUNT OF THE ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN. SECTY. SEWARD AND SON ARE VERY LOW AND IT IS DOUBTFUL THEY WILL RECOVER.

APRIL 17^TH, 1865
THERE IS A GREAT EXCITEMENT YET ABOUT THE DEATH OF THE PRESIDENT. THE AUTHORITIES ARE ARRESTING A GOOD MANY SYMPATHIZERS.

APRIL 18^TH, 1865
THE PAPERS TODAY STATED THAT THE PRESIDENT WOULD LAY IN STATE TODAY IN THE EAST WING OF THE WHITE HOUSE. I GOT A PASS TO THE CITY AND GOT DOWN THERE ABOUT 10 O'CLOCK. I TRIED TO GET IN TO SEE THE PRESIDENT BUT THE CROWD WAS SO GREAT THAT I COULD NOT GET INTO THE GATES. THERE WERE ABOUT 8,000 PEOPLE WHO COULD NOT GET INTO THE WHITE HOUSE.

APRIL 19^TH, 1865
THIS MORNING COLUMBIA DIVISION GOT INTO LINE AND MARCHED TO THE CITY WITH THE MT. PLEASANT DIVISION AND WENT TO 9^TH STREET. AFTER WE FORMED IN PROCESSION WE WENT TO 15^TH ST. WHERE WE WAITED UNTIL AFTER THE FUNERAL SERVICES WERE OVER. THEN THE PROCESSION MOVED UP TO THE CAPITAL AND LEFT THE BODY THERE. THEN THE PROCESSION MARCHED AROUND THE CAPITAL AND EACH ORDER WENT TO THEIR OWN HOMES. IT WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST GATHERINGS THAT I EVER SAW.

APRIL 20^TH, 1865
THE PRESIDENTS BODY LIES IN THE ROTUNDA OF THE CAPITAL.

APRIL 26^TH, 1865
WE GOT THE WORD TODAY THAT GRANT HAD GIVEN GENERAL JOHNSON 24 HOURS TO SURRENDER. THIS AFTERNOON THE PAPERS REPORTED THE CAPTURE OF BOOTH, THE ASSASSIN OF THE PRESIDENT.

MAY 25^TH, 1865
WE HAD MUSH FOR BREAKFAST THIS MORNING AND THE MEN MADE A FUSS ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT WAS BURNED. ABOUT NINE O'CLOCK I WAS NOTIFIED TO GO UP AND GET MY DISCHARGE WHICH I GOT ABOUT ELEVEN AND THEN WENT DOWN TO THE SANITARY COMMISSION AND GOT MY PAY AND WAS EXAMINED FOR A PENSION. THEN I WENT BACK TO THE HEADQUARTERS. STARTED FOR HOME AT 7:30 PM.

MAY 31^ST, 1865
"TODAY I AM 25 YEARS OLD".