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Gowanda Jan 17^th 1855
Dear Cousin
If [illegible] has not
written you lately, you will
not wonder what I am doing
in Va. Now dont be in a hurry
and I will tell you presently.
I have your letter before
me but as it is not dated I
can imagine it was written
but a short time ago, and
consequently this is written
in due time.
Now friend Robert you
asked some hard questions
in your letter but I will
try to answer some of them.
In regard to the buy
you spoke of, I can only say
I dont know what buy you
mean, without it is [illegible] - buy.
As to ^the Engineering corps. the
expenses too of tin Equal or Exceed