6th Maine Infantry - NEW
Item LTR-10802Description
Original Civil War soldier's letter. 3 pages, written in period ink.
Camp Lyons
Georgetown Heights, DC
August 17, 1861
Miss Merrill,
I suppose that you will be greatly surprised to get a letter from me. But I hope that you will excuse the liberty I take in addressing you without your permission. I have been thinking about writing you a great while to ask you a few questions and tell you a few treads I have often repeated to you before. And that is that when you and I were children, that I loved you then with all my heart and as I have grown to be a man in years so my love for you has grown to be the leading star of my life. In which all my hopes and thoughts are centered and for months and years. How my thoughts ever been with you many things have passed. So, to be separate as and rend the friendship that once existed between us. But it was not because I desired it to be. For I have ever loved you under all circumstances and believe me, I never sought to injure you nor any of your friends and if I have done it in any way, it was done unintentionally and I ask you to forgive me. Oh, how many hours of bitter anguish and despair have I spent thinking of you and it makes me desperate and I have tried to make people think that I was the happiest of any living thing. And tried to make my life as splendid as possible and tried to forget my first and only love. But it has all been in vain. I am dreaming each night of the happy hours that I have spent when you were near. To cheer my life in my long and lonely watch. I forge the danger that surrounds me and my fellow soldiers and my thoughts are with thee, thinking of thine own sweet image. Oh, Miranda, if you knew with what a pure and holy love I bear toward you. I trust you would not look upon me as you have. I have hoped but perhaps in vain that my love might be returned hundreds of times have I taken my pen to write and tell you my thoughts and then I have thought with what a scornful laugh you might cast it aside after glancing over its content. But I have come to conclusion to write and tell you all and ask you if there is any hope for me now that I am about to go to face danger in its most dreadful form. And thinking that I might be among the many that must surely fall. I thought that I would write and if possible, find out what your feelings are toward me and, if possible, get one word of encouragement. Oh, will you not say one word that I may hope for. I shall ever love you with all my heart and shall never love another. But if you cannot give me one word, you will for our old friendship’s sake, keep this a secret. But if you pity me, you will forget and forgive and tell just what you think and I shall still keep hoping until I hear from you.
In haste, yours as ever,
Justin H. Trudy
My address is:
Company E, 6th Maine Regiment
Washington, DC