Unmarried soldiers carried on correspondence with sweethearts at home. Owing to the restrained usages characteristic of 19th century America, these letters usually were stereotyped and revealed little depth of feeling.

Occasionally gay young blades would write vividly to boon companions at home about their amorous exploits in Richmond, Petersburg, Washington, or Nashville. But these comments are hardly printable. An Alabama soldier whose feminine associations were of the more admirable type wrote boastfully of his achievements among the Virginia belles: ``They thout I was a saint. I told them some sweet lies and they believed it all. I would tell them I got a letter from home stating that five of my Negroes had run away and ten of Pappies But I wold say I recond he did not mind it for he had a plenty more left and then they would lean to me like a sore eyd kitten to a basin of milk.''

Some of the letters were pungently expressive. An Ohio soldier who, from a comrade just returned from leave, received an unfavorable comment on the conduct of his sister, took pen in hand and delivered himself thus: ``[Dear Sis] Alf sed he heard that you and hardy was a runing together all the time and he though he wod gust quit having any thing mor to doo with you for he thought it was no more yuse. I think you made a dam good chouise to turn off as nise a feler as Alf dyer and let that orney thefin, drunkard, damed card playing Sun of a bich com to Sea you, the god damed theaf and lop yeard pigen tode helion, he is too orney for hel. i will Shute him as shore as i Sea him.''