No 21 Cottage Home, Iowa Sabbath evening, April 16th 1865 Dear Husband, Although I wrote you this morning, the sad events of the last few days press so heavily on my mind, that I must unburden it to you, although it may be weeks before this reaches you.  The words that I have listened to, and the scenes that I have witnessed today will remain fresh in my mind as long as memory is unimpaired, years will not, can not erase the impression from it.  The meeting convened at the Court House at 2 P.M. and I heard it remarked by several, that they had never seen, a more orderly, intelligent concourse of people, the multitude crowded into the Court House yard and on the steps of the North front was numbered by the thousands, I will not pretend to say how many.  Most every business house in the city was draped in morning and indeed almost every dwelling house; The State House, was trimed very heavily in black and white, with a larg Flag at half mast, trimmed also in black waving over it.  O, I couldn't keep back the tears, and I am sure, I assure you I did not desire to hide
