Office Commissary of Subsistence,
		    Memphis, Tenn., March 2d. 1863.
     My Promised Emma.
			    Your letter of the 23d
Ultimo Came safely to hand this evening.
     You can most probibly, dear Emma Judge
of the Joy your letters. Cause me to experience,
     I am feeling very unwell this evening;
Yet notwithstanding that I am resolved
to be prompt, and respond like a true
[illegible in original]
	Confinement to my Office in
this Climate dont seem to produce the
best of results _ when health is under
Consideration _ yet I am in hopes I will
soon become “Buoyant” with health.
	I am willing to Confess dear Emma
to you and only you; that before I became
aquainted with you I had been to some
small extent Guilty of “Flirtation”. But as
soon as I made your aquaintance. I Con=
=Cluded you were worthy _ and although I
had _ previously been informed by some
person that you were Coquettish _ I believed
You Capable of the strongest affection. so
soon as you might find some worthy
object upon which to bestow it boundless

treasures.
	      Darling Emma would to
God I Knew myself worthy of your
pure, and boundless affection. You
Know I never asked you to pledge
your love to me _ I Knew you were
young _ You had seen less of this
World than I _ and for these reas-
=ons _ left you free (So far as exacting any
promise) As the winds of Heaven.
	Should you find “One” more worthy _
“One” better suited for your Companion
oer the [illegible in original] path of life _ God alone
Knows what Mark would do.      Life certainly
could no longer posess charms.
	Dearly Dearly Loved Emma had
I been Contemptible enough in my own
sight to have bound you to me by any
vough not freely given    I never would have
Considered myself half worthy of you.
	But now I am positive I have at least
done what is right.
		       Oh! Emma tonight
as I Gaze from my Office window upon
the moons bright face, and feel that it
sheds its silvery light down upon your Cottage
as when we promised to look upon it there-
-after as the beacon light of our affection
   I feel like flying to you.   How happy would

2d Edw				[1863, March 2]

	I [be?] Could, I but see you dear
One for only One hour _
			     There has been some
talk of my gooing to Saint Louis on
Business for the Office next week. If I
am sent I shall try to obtain a Furlough
for ten days _ In which Event I should
visit you _ But Dear Emma do not look
for me for most probibly the Captain would
not allow me to go any further than
Saint Louis for we are Crowded with
Business in the Office Continually.
					I
have not time to write more this time
will however write again ere long
	Give my Love to your Mother
Respects to John and family
		Write soon.
			        And believe me
			      Ever Your Affectionate _
					Mark

My Address
	            Box 185 Care of Capt
D. P. Allen Commissary of Subsistence
Memphis Tenn.
			Your Own
				        Mark