Kiss the little ones                                                      

I dont forget them                                                       

    

I have got some postage stamps now

 

Kiss Sissy till her head aches for me

She is a good girl

 

U.S.S. "Morning Light"

Off Sabine Bar Jany 10^th 1863

 

My Dear Wife             (let Sissy write to me soon

            I have recd your letters over again and must say I think they are splendid letters I want 4 more just like them by the next mail I dont know what to advise you about Freddy I am very sorry to hear that he is such a bad boy. I hoped he would grow up to be good the same as that little Lady Bird Mary D She is a good girl, and tell her she pleases me very much. I hope she will continue to grow good as she grows older. I wish I could be home with her this winter. does she have rubber boots to wear to school in bad weather if she does let her take them off when she gets in school or else she will have sore feet besides it will affect her health. she is rather more delicate than Fred and requires more attention if Fred does not behave take his boots away from him and make him stay up garrett days with his old shoes on. I wont have my boy wear boots if he is not good and dont mind his mother. I have no objections to your living on a lower floor. I much rather you would. more particularly if C. Bentley lives upstairs. Get as good a place as possible in a good neighborhood. / I suppose you will be as careful about a high rent as I would myself. we know not how long the world will prosper with us as it has done for these 12 months past and it will do me no good to talk to you about econemy you will use your own judgement. being on the spot you can tell better than I can what is best for you to do. I would like to be home now for a short time just to see how you would act see whether I was right in saying that it spoilt you for a year to have a baby in the house. how is it as near as you can judge? am I right or wrong? When I will come home I know not neither does any one else seem to know. you are not a bit more anxious than I am about my remaining out here I expect that it looks gloomy around home in the streets but not as much so as some of the towns out South. you ask when will this horrid war end. I know as little about it as you do from the manner it is conducted by the Government at Washington or the officers in charge I suppose it looks as if it would end in about 5 years in the South gaining the day. our people do not seem to be in earnest in anything except getting large contracts to make money out of the Government. the Northern troops have large stores of everything when they move while the Southern troops have very little of their own consequently the Southerners fight hard for something to eat / as well as clothes to wear. I am satisfied in my own mind that unless the war is conducted with more vigor by the North it will end in a Southern Confederacy. the North has all the advantages and the troops can fight as well as the South if the politicians would let the army alone. there is the trouble. those who are at home safe and afraid to fight want those who are doing the work to be governed by the views of a few cowardly scoundrels who lay back making money off of the lives of the soldiers & sailors, although the sailors have the advantage of the soldiers Still everything must be done according to the ideas of a few who are trying to feather their nest by getting office or a good fat contract say for shoes for the sailors I bought 3 pairs neither of them lasted 3 weeks paid $1.77^¢ a pair the soldiers shoes are as bad or worse if they are like those I saw at Ship Island

 

I have said enough about war & warriors, now I will change to my own affairs. here we are at anchor with a good look out for the Rebels both sides to keep them from running out with cotton and to prevent their coming near us to attack us, which I hardly think they will do very soon our provisions are getting low down once in a while we get a little from some steamer passing by, salt mostly, and I am getting tired of ships provisions. I really would like some of your good grub /

 

Our Paymaster has gone to New Orleans for a medical survey. he is sickly and now as he is a regular navy paymaster he thinks of getting married his prospect for life is good steady employment but I rather not be confined to the Navy. in some 20 years from now he will repent his bargain. this being at home a few weeks once in 2 or 3 years would not suit me very well. he paid away all his money before he left and as I was smart enough to draw some before it was too late I will keep it so as not to run out entirely. I can not send you any more till the ship has some more as I may have to use all I have to buy provisions & clothing. you can soon get all our debts paid with your allotment and then you can be laying by some for the farm we have talked of so much of. I would like to hear that you have paid up all our debts and that you have got some money in the savings bank drawing interest. I suppose in a few months you can write that you have put some money in the bank. if you want any advice for any thing ask my F our friend R J Kimball dont be ashamed to put a small amount in the bank put all you have to spare if it is only three dollars at a time. all will count in the end I hope in your next you will write that you are clear of debt /

 

            I would like to have the miniatures of all 4 of you

 

Pay C M Middleton as soon as you can and every one else let C.M. put the money amount on the bill every time you pay him anything. do the best you can and dont fear that I will not be satisfied. if you do make a poor use of the money the worse for you for it will put off my staying home in proportion as the money goes. I always trusted you in all money matters before this and I shall still do so. I dont think you will be very extravagant. I want you to have all the comforts necessary for yourself and children even if I suffer myself. All I ever feared was that you would listen to the advise of those who have their own ends to serve the same as they did when you was in Mrs Destins I think you learned a lesson in those days and also in the year we lived with in Mrs Greys house. times with both have altered since then. now we know who would be likely to be friends with us, who we can depend upon and I hope to pay every one in the same way before I die. all I hope is to be able some day to treat others as they treated us. every one who ever done me a favor I remember as well as those who would not when they could, and my disposition is such as to lead me to treat them the same as I & mine were treated You must do as you think best about moving but do try to get into a house to please me where the neighbors are as respectable as can be and into a house where you can live more than one year I hate this moving every year. I dont blame / you for wanting to  get on a lower floor I want you to do so. I dont think your present place is very good for you neither do I think the landlord as good as some others in some respects. I always thought it was a quiet place and Mrs Smith a nice woman but it is not as convenient as it should be for the money we pay a lower floor with the same room for $70 is cheaper what would we have said a few years ago if any one had said $65 ot $70 a year for a tenement do as well as you can for as low a rent as you can. my situation will not last always and it will be harder coming down to a small rent than ever it was before. We must not be puffed up too much with pride for we may slip after all. get into a respectable and good neighborhood is all I ask. just think once in a while that I may be taken away from you and you left to yourself. then my being away from you so much may be of some use in learning to take care of yourself & little ones. you must not trust too much to me to look out for you. bring up your children to obey you the same as if I was gone. dont let that boy think you are waiting for me to come home to train him up make him mind you now at all hasards as he grows older it will be easier if you are strict now

                       

God Bless You My Dear Wife is the prayer of

Acting Master                                    

Henry W Washburn U.S.N.

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