Paducah, KyApril 18th 1865 Dear Eliza  I at last sit down to write you a few lines hoping this may find you all well I  cant say that I am well I have the nuraligy  a 19th century term for migraine  in my head it is very painful though it is giting  better I have had it since last Firday I would have writen sooner but thair has binso much excitement hear since the Death of the Pressident on Firday night the night he was killed thair was a gread luminai-on-  below  hear and the next day we got the news that he was killed it was a terrible thing the city  is all in morening and I sopose the whole country is   back   I injoyed that butter very much that you sent me it was very nice I wish I could be at home and drink some milk I was in hopes I would get to  come home this summer but the thinkg lookes very dark just now but I hope it will not last long I dit not know any thing about Brewers comming home untill he got back I wish I had I wanted to sent some things home with him you may look at the  express office for a box with som things that is in my way hear So no more at pressent give my love to all your affectionate husband   J. G. Burggraf 
         inside     left  and yesterday we had a gread excitement hear again thair was about 20 reble officers com in the City up to Gen  Solomon  Merrideths  with a flag of headquaters before he knew any  Truse thing about it the Pigits ware some of the Wisconsin Rigement that is stasioned hear and thay  them com right through without stoping them then the Generel gave them thair dinner and all thay could drink and fed thair horses and wrote all over the  city with them and sent a wagon with cakes and ligqure for the gard that com with them which stayed out side  of the pigitline and the reble woman was so glad to see them that thay dit hug and kiss som of them right in the street one reble major had a horse he stole from a union   inside     right  and the man saw the horse  and knew him and the major and wanted to get his horse and the Gen sent him to the gard house for it for wanting to git his horse and about 4 O Clock in the evning he secorted them out of the lines thair is a gread excitement about it and then last night the trups what is heare was cept out in line all night and we ware  ordert up and get the government stock in rediness to move in case any thing should happen thair was two rebles com in last night that decirted and reported that Gen Lian? was about five miles off with about 2000 horseman and said he would have Paducah or blead and so we dont know what will grow out of it yet evry body in the City is down on Merrideth for the strange proceedings