On Board The Phil^a Oct 19^th/63

 

Sis.

            I received your letters of the third & tenth along with the batch of papers yesterday. You speak in boath of them of not receiveing any from me which I think must be the fault of the mail, which might easly hapen for it is hard to tell when a mail is going & if you miss one there may not another go for a week, which will make at a half of a month before you get it. the same with your letter of the third I did not get it untill yesterday the 18^th making fifteen days, and I received your letter of the tenth in the same mail, only eight days 

 

Any how if you do not receive one weekly or two every mail you must not think it strange for I am not so paticular since I have come on board here for I think in regard to health I am as safe here as any where I can get, and as writeing is the bigest job I have got I generally put it off to the last. Since I last wrote we have gone to Port Royal stoped a day and night. While there Gen. Gillmore came to see the Admiral and sarinaded him with a band, and after talking in general conversation with each other, and some Officers that where with him, about an hour, they drenched down the conversation with some prime nature, and the Gen. left. / The next day we came back, and have been laying here among the fleet ever since except a couple of days that was storming we moved in to the Inlet. While there Gen. Gillmore came again to see the Admiral and had a private conversation of about an hour. On last fryday or Saturday there was a French Capt. here to see the Admiral. He was received in the best style they could on here, and to make it as showey as possible they had us turned out under arms. There has nothing been going on since then of any account untill yesterday. there was three refugees brought on board that escaped the / the night before in a small boat. They are very well dressed for the company they have been keeping. I see one of them supports a watch, and they seem to of provided them selves bowl and comb and look as though they might be trusted at good riffle range. The other fellow that was trying to blow up the Iron Sides is walking about deck, a privlaged carecture, nothing to do but to fish, and the saylors has given him clothes. The officer that was wounded is dead. He makes the second one of that kind on board here now. Which looks prety well as long as you can think the tayles of Libby Prison are exagirated. The / fleet is not doing any thing yet and all is quiet. I am still well, and will now close wishing to be remembered to all inquireing friends and much love to all.

 

Charley

 

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Oct 19/63

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