I received your last eavening of the 2' of Apr In that you wrot that you had no news of any importence I have although you will hear it before this reaches you The news of yesterday was quite exciteing it was this that Old Abe [i.e., President Abraham Lincoln] was assassinated in a theatre was shot and died and this morning it is said to be false That there was a reb got possession of the wires between here and Morehead city

I do not know which is right This is a very nice town I think it is the prettiest place I have seen in the south It is not very large but has a nice State house and the best of Washington in the court yard I understand that Genls Sherman & Johnson [i.e., General Joseph E. Johnston] have agreed on cessation of hostilities for a few days and we are looking for him to surrender every day I wish he might There is something up or we would be on the moove we have had orders to moove twice since I came here and they have been countermanded

As often Day before yesterday Sherman went out to see him between the lines This whole army is laying still and going into general camp which does not signify a moove very soon Some say that our A C is to guard a wagon train through to Richmond Va I hope so My brigade guarded our whole train through from Goldsboro and the guerillas pitched in and burned a few our regt was back about 1 1/2 miles from there at the time so you see that there is some of them about most all of the time There was nothing by cavilry fighting all of the way from Goldsboro

I heard that old Jeff [i.e., President Jefferson Davis] was out here with the army but I do not know I will close good by write soon and the news

H E Randall