Engineer Depot            Washington D.C.

                                                                                             Oct 28^th 1863

 

                                                            Dear Agnes

 

                                                this beautiful afternoon I take the pleasure to write you in answer to your last welcome missive which I have just read Dear Agnes I need not tell you it was welcomed by one but will say it is more than welcome I trust by this time you have received my last which was written on sunday last. now Dear Agnes you asked to be excused for not writing longer letters though I love to send long letters. you are quite excusible and let me say do not sit up to late at nights to write to me. when your letters does not come regular I know you are tired or some reason which you cannot avoid is the cause and I will not scold I know you would write to me when you could do so/

 

I am well and enjoying my self pretty well though I do not have the enjoyment that I wish to possess yet I am determined to persevere and pray on if I could meet you. Dear Agnes I could tell you more than I can write you on paper but as I cannot have such a pleasure I will content me and feel thankful that I enjoy what I do. this is a beautiful day not very warm and yet warm enough for comfort the reason why I am answering this afternoon is we are out of lumber in my apartment of the shop and as work is not hurrying I left a corporal in charge of the shop and spend part of this afternoon in writing to one with whom I am hoping to meet in days to come. Dear Agnes I almost imagine I feel the warm press of your hand when I think of our meeting now I am alone here this afternoon in my tent and can give full vent to my feelings Oh it is sometimes a pleasure for me to be alone and think of those that I love now I have very many friends here and many that I have been absent from for a long time but there is one whom I deem nearer to me now than a friend can you tell me who this one is now this would be a question for you to answer but let me answer it for you. the person is your self/

 

I love you more than a friend can love the promise which binds our hearts I trust will dayly strenthen until we are as one personage. if I can make it suit to get a pass some time this winter I will come to see you but do not look for me for it does seem almost impossible for me to come. I am very sorry to hear that Maggie is not well. now when I was at your house as a boarder and when Maggie came there to spend the evenings with you the thought very often entered my mind what a happy life could be hers if she was to get some one who would love her as she deserved to be loved for a husband. now I thought a greatdeal of her as a friend for I thought she was true yet my love was set on another and as time has passed on my love for that one is passed and rests now where it is truly set and returned. I am sorry to think Maggies husband treats her cold I do not think he has a cause to do so. I often thought Brooks would have made her a suitable companion and I think she rather liked him to but it is all past and we are now left as the mutual lovers may god strenthen our love for each other and help us to love him more than any thing earthly give my love to your mother Dan Aunt and others does Aunt C know we are engaged yet I now bid you adieu for this time except the love of him who loves you truly                   Frank C Miller

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