Head Quarters __
	Dist. of Memphis
	    Memphis Tenn April 21
				   1863
				Scratch _
scratch _ scratch _ nothing but
the scribble of the pen from
morning until night _ or the quick 
business answer of the Adjutant
General _ to the importunities
of Citizens who throng our Office
in hopes to receive redress for
some fancied grievance _ But
Dear Emma I Can give you 
the assurance they receive but
little satisfaction _ from these
Headquarters _ For our business
is fighting Traytors _ Not giving
them “Aid and Comfort.”
			      Dearest
you say you write to me regularly
every week _ Positively I receive or

recently received on an aver-
=age one letter in three weeks
it seems very strange _ I am
also of the opinion you dont
receive over one half of my letters
     Darling much Loved Emma
I am of your mind in regard
to our “love”. I dont imagine there
are One in Five Thousand
that love with that deep true
firm _ affection which marks
our Courtship _ O Dear and
Fondly Loved One. I would give
a great deal to see you this
afternoon _ to press you to
my heart to gaze into your
deep expressive eyes and endeavor
to read your thoughts _ and the
feelings _ and promptings of your 
heart. It was too bad that the
Condition of our Country was
such as to Compell me to leave
my Emma _ Just as we had learned
to love so fondly _ But dearest


as a Nation Compelled to fight
and undergo a vast amount of
suffering to Establish its Freedom
and Independance appreciates
those liberties _ when finally obtained
So indeed will our love grow
stronger by passing through
the firey Ordeal of a danger=
=ous separation, Yes, distance
“lends Enchantment” to the brave
true heart.
	      Emma Dearest One
‘tis strange my affections were
not bestowed upon another long
before I made your aquaintance
for when I say I have ever
been thrown among the beautiful
and accomplished it is no
Empty boast: but none of then
Could win my love _ no. I
Could not love those whose
minds were bound up in
fashions, or dollars and Cents _
     But when Emma came on

to the docket Marks heart
Could not stand the seige and
was finally surrendered “Con-
ditionally” Those Conditions
you understand were as follows
     Viz: I was to receive your
heart _ your love _ and your-
-self _ And I Know the victory 
was mine _ for what am I
compared with Emma _ and
all her inocence _ Nothing.
	Then Mrs. Frank Gowdy is of
the opinion Emma loves Jim
stronger than Mark. Ha, ha! Well
Emma I'm not Jealous. Jim has
many noble traits of character
and I think when married will
become a steady man and
always a Kind and affection=
=ate husband.
	No I never belonged to the
“Good Templars” _ for I have ever
prefered being free _ Knowing
at the same time that I could 

		   [1863, April 21]

be a man _ discharging every obligation
to Society without obeying the rules
of any association ¬ preferring to
give my loose change to some
more charitable Institutions. Emma
I fancy I have sufficient Con=
trole of myself to shake of any very
bad habit which I may posess _
	Still I consider the “Good Temp=
=lars in the main _ a very good Institu=
=tion _ although _ at Aurora it was
productive of a vast amount of
evil _ I will tell you how some day.	
	Give my love to your Mother
Respects to [Jon.?] and family &.
all friends _
		I Remain as ever.
	        Your Own Promised
			        Mark

Miss Emma