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Private Columbia June 23d 1870

My Dear General If the condition of our country does not improve I may accept an offer to enter service with the [?] Rez of Egypt in command of a corps of cavalry. Should I do this it would be of great ad- vantage to me in my new field of service to have the endorsement of my [?] career as a soldier by the officers under whom I served. You who were my first & my last commander are competent to speak on this subject & a recommendation if you can give one would not only carry the weight of your great reputation but would be peculiarly agreeable to me. May I ask you then to give me such a general letter of introduction as you [feel?] authorized

[Page 2] to write. I do not wish anything said about this matter at present as my plans are not fixed.

How are you getting on? Suc- cessfully I hear & hope. I regret not having seen you as we passed [?] [Ga.?] last fall as there was much I wished to talk to you about. Our affairs seem to be growing desperate & I fear some of our people are letting down under the pressure. My only hope of the ultimate [redemption?] of our country was in the indomitable spirit of the people. If they will but re- main true to their old principles all hope is not yet lost: but I fear trials are the one side