Hampton Roads

 

US Frigate Minnesota May 16^th 63

 

Dear cousin,

                        I received your kind letter of consolation. truly I have cause to mourn he was my darling brother Steve the gap cannot be filled. I can somehow or other stave off my feelings in the day but as the still night watches draw on its aufull, but yet Sylvester seems to me he cant be realy dead. his chum wrote me a letter it was exactly word for word what he wrote to Fannie Now he must be a fair weather chum to leave Steve in such a fix. Seems to me if I had a friend in the same situation I / would have brought him off or fell with him. Tell the folks never to call him "Poor Steve. it sounds to pitifull, and he is not to be pitied he died in a good cause and if not in the hour of victory it was not his fault. Our side are having a hard streak of luck but eventualy the God of battles will set things right. if he is realy gone when the oportunity arrives I will fight the harder

                                               

Your aff Cousin

Charley

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