My dear cousin Maggie

Yours as
you request shall receive
my early attention.  You will
not I hope cousin Maggie think
that I have failed at any time to appreciate your corres
pondence, if I tell you it is
more interesting now than ever.
My correspondence has grown
quite limited; confined now
to yourself, cousin Kate and
Mr.Repass, all possessing my
warmest friendship, and more
than worthy of my highest regard.
You have no idea cousin Maggie
how painful it is to be deprived of communication with home; es
pecially when the privation is
occasioned by the occupation of
our county by the Federals.
I  received a letter from home
this evening; the first I have

[page 2]
had from there for several
weeks, and the last I expect
to get for a long time.  It was
mailed at Staunton by my broth
er (Abram) who left home with some forces for
some point outside of Yankee
occupation. I expect to hear
from him in a short time.
Our county is represented
as being in a deplorable situ-
ation.  The Yankees had arrested
quite a number of persons
among them uncle Abram, but
released him after retaining
him a short time.  They were
all well at  home except sister Kate.
She has been unwell for
sometime. It is very hard
cousin Maggie to be compelled
to remain inactive, and so
far from home, under such
circumstances; but I must

[page 3]
submit with fortitude.
“While we bear we conquer
fate;”  otherwise it conquers us.
I received a letter
a week ago from Mr. Repass.
His address is Williamsburg,
James City Co, Va.    He was well
when he wrote.  I am glad
your Ma has a partiality
for that dear boy; for I am
sure no one of her acquaint
ance is more deserving of
her esteem————–
Your sweethearts regi-
ment is on the Peninsula
I suppose he will share
the glories of the anticipated
battle.  You can blush, cousin
Maggie, with honest pride to
tell of his deeds of valor;
and of fame earned “near
the flashing of the guns.”

[page 4]
And you have not heard from
him for so long!  But this
does not seem strange to
me, when I consider that
he bears to you the relation
of “sweetheart.”  Who that pre-
sumes to judge of the nature
of the “tender  thought,” consid-
ersit otherwise, than incoon-
stant, vaccillating, and unreal?
Were it a requisition of that
pure feeling of the heart, the
only real approach to that
mythical passion denominated
Love–the joy of life–Friendship
that he failed to comply with,
I should then think it strange.
But never cousin Maggie need
you expect when friendship
is overshadowed by that pro-
fessed warmer passion; to find
ought else in the human
heart than inconstancy;
O, excuse me my dear cousin;
perhaps I have been presuming

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too much.  I do not correspond with your amant
Please give
my warmest
love to your
Ma & Pa and
that dear
little girl
Katie. Will
you not
write to
me soon
cousin Mag-
gie?
Good night
my dear cousin
Yours Truly
John

MSS 14953