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Sunday July 17th:1864 Dear Son Again I seat myself to pen a few lines whether with any better success than formerly or not remains to be seen I have written regularly all along and for the last few weeks more frequently than before on the 4th I mailed a letter to you then on the 7th another containing $5 dollars then on the 11th I started a duster coat to you all of which may reach you or none of them may I am unable to tell yet I hope they will all come safe to hand in good time it is really discourageing that no effort of mine to reach you by letter will avail everything the last your last of July 3rd or June 27th I believe was the date inside the letter reached us on the 7th your Father was almost on the point of starting down there we all felt so bad about your not hearing from us we could not bear to think of your Joining the U S Army but all unseen our fates in silence move