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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 past 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 through 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 & [?] on the other are making inroads in our ranks. If we lose faith & pride in the past we may give up hopes for the future.

[Page 3] May I venture to allude to a matter which though private to you concerns me as warm friend of yours! I have heard that you were under the impress- ion that Mr Davis had sent in to Con- gress a message during the last days of the Confdcy reflecting on you & that such a document has been exhibited. I have the assurance of Mr Davis himself that nothing of this sort was done. I hope you will pardon me for saying that I feel sure no good could come in any way by any publication by you raising an issue on this point. Any con- triving between Mr Davis & yourself would jar open the feelings of thousands who are friendly to both of you & would [tend?] to [their?] discredit on our cause. You already occupy a position in the history of that

[Page 4] great struggle inferior to that of no other soldier & you are firmly fixed not only in the esteem but the hearts of our [unfortunate?] people. Your Reports which I hope you will prepare for publication will furnish I am convinced ample indication of your conduct & justification of your [?]. Do not allow yourself to be drawn into any personal altercation but have your public ready to justify your motives & your actions. I presume in a long & warm friendship to speak on these subjects to you & I hope you will understand & appreciate the the motive that induced me to do so. Wade left here today to visit his sister. We are all well except Mrs Hampton who had a pretty sharp attack of ill- ness as we were coming from Miss. Do give my kindest regards to Mrs Johnston & believe me to be

Very sincerely yrs Wade Hampton

Gen. Johnston