Gunboat Cincinnati
Carondolet,
May 4th, 1963

Dear Parents,

Why don’t you write? I have been waiting impatiently for the last week for a letter and have not received one yet. Father, Mother, sister and brother, all seem to have forgotten that there is a youth on the gunboat Cincinnati, now lying at Carondolet, that is extremely anxious to hear from them. Now I am going to write one very short letter and it will be the last (unless I change my mind) until I get an answer.

Our boat is now safely seated on the weighs but it took five days of hard tugging to get her high enough for the caulkers to work on the bottom. We usually broke two or three of the chains at every pull but perseverance crowned our efforts with success. The carpenter, caulkers, painters, etc., are busily engaged in getting her ready to go down to the fleet again.

We have had fine times lately playing ball on a commons a short distance from the boat and going a-fishing down to a little creek just a little below here. But some of the crew couldn’t bear good treatment and used to wander off and get drunk, then come aboard and raise a row. The consequence is we are not allowed to go ashore without a pass and orders have been sent to Provost Marshal to arrest any of the crew that are found ashore without a pass, bring him aboard and he’ll receive five dollars. I went to church yesterday which, by the way, it was said that the pastor of said church was a rank secessionist.

I went there in the morning and listened to a very good sermon and got permission to go again in the evening. The preachers never uttered any secession sentiments while we were there, but on the contrary, offered up a prayer for the nation. But I imagined that the congregation did not display any kindly feeling towards us as none of them had the politeness to hand us a hymn book while they were singing. A Sunday school paper which was picked up in the seat probably put there by some mischievous boy had written on it “Carondolet -- Southern Confederacy”. This is the only evidence we have that this was a “secesh” Church. One thing is true, however, that more than one half of the people living here are secessionist or sympathizers with secession.

But I must close this letter and hope you will write soon. I may receive a letter from you before you receive this, as I am expecting one every day. If you have written, I’ve no doubt but that I’ll receive it as a mail arrives nearly every day. But strange to say, we get no newspapers. I suppose they may be detained at Cairo. I am in the best of health. Give my love to all at home, also to Mrs. Lander and family. I hope I may live to see her again.

Your affectionate son,

Daniel

 

P.S. I hope that some of the noted writers of the illustrious Kemp family will be so kind and condescending as to answer this letter. I’ll begin to think, by and by, that Miss Jenny is learning at Miss Nardin’s that lack of promptness is a virtue if she don’t write soon. Dan.