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Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott
for the U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/
======================================================================
From Albert E. Swap to miss Sarah E. Watson, Mendota, IL
*enlisted Aug 25, 1862 pvt. Co. C, 6th ILL Cavalry
 mustered out July 12, 1865
======================================================================
                         Memphis July 31st 1864
               
                    Affectionate Cousin (as you call
                    yourself, and I can asure you I have
                    no objections)  Again I attempt
                    to write you a few lines this ple
                    asant Sundays morning in answer
                    to your very welcome favor of July
                    24th which come to hand in due
                    time and was perused with much
                    interest to me for I never enjoy
                    myself as well when I am
                    reading kind words of some
                    of my friends at Home and it
                    is a pleasure to me to write
                    to such of my friends as I
                    feel the most interested in
                    and you can judge who they 
                    are by the tenor of the letters
                    for if I had a corraspondent
                    who I did not feel free with
                    
                    [page 2]
                    I asure you I could not
                    write them more than one
                    letter and then I would give them
                    to understand that there letters
                    were not very welcome.  When 
                    I was in Illinois I was so verry
                    backward in the company of
                    young ladies that I could not
                    enjoy my self at all but I can
                    begin to see where I have lost
                    many a happy hour by not having
                    confidence in myself but I
                    find that will not do.
                    I was very sorry to hear that
                    you did not enjoy yourself better
                    on the Forth and I am in hopes
                    you will see happyer days in
                    the future although this is a
                    world of trouble and disapoint
                    ment we must not set our
                    affections to much upon any one
                    object or we may be disapointed
                    and thus our happyness blighted
                                           forever
                                           
                    [page 3]
                    I am surprised to hear that you
                    do not attend Sunday school
                    as you used to bee the first
                    one in the class and was always
                    in your seat I could never see
                    your seat vacated and now to 
                    hear that you do not attend at all
                    I am supprised you wished to know
                    what time Charles Dewey arrived
                    in camp he was only this day
                    coming from Mendota he is well
                    and all of the Boys in this company
                    of your acquaintances are well and
                    anxious to get home but we can
                    not leave our banner until
                    in honor we can come.  When 
                    the Boys come into service in
                    1862, we were enlisted for the term
                    of two years and our time would
                    be out of the 18th of August
                    but I think we will have to
                    stay one year longer our Govern
                    ment does not see fit to do as they
                                         agree with us
                                         
                    [page 4]
                    We have Inspection every
                    Sunday morning and they have
                    blown fall in now so I will
                    have to close I apreciate your
                    Kiss very much and send you 
                    a dozen in return.
                    in regard to the Picture I have
                    not had a chance to get any yet
                    but as soon as I can you will
                    not be forgotten we was ordered
                    to LaGrange yesterday and
                    packed up our things and sent
                    them to the Depo and
                    then the order was counterman
                    ded and we was sent back
                    to camp I have to go to Inspection
                    and must close
                       From your affectionate Cousin
                       A. E. Swap