Daniel's maternal family, the MacDonalds, emmigrated from Paisley, Scotland and settled in Perth, Ontario, Canada. I believe during the summer of 1863, Catherine Kemp took her daughters to visit the family in Perth.
Daniel no longer has the support of his group of friends from Buffalo. Leopold Snyder is dead and John Fox is on the hospital ship. This letter show a very human side to Daniel.
Gunboat Choctaw,
Mississippi River
June 28/ [18]63
Dear Mother & Sisters,
I received your letters a few days ago and you may be sure that they were welcome ones for I wanted to know if you had heard whether I was safe or not, for I knew how anxious you would be until you had heard from me. I could not keep from crying when I read your letters, but for the life of me I could not tell what I was crying about. John Fox is on the U. S. N. Hospital Boat, Red River. 
This is the hospital to which all sick or wounded men of the squadron are taken. He is well now and looks better than he ever did before. He was wounded but slightly being struck by splinters which tore the skin from one of his shoulders in several places. I have got that letter his father sent and am going to send it with a quire of my writing paper the first chance. It would be useless for me to give you the names of the missing and killed of the Cincinnati for you are familiar with none but Snyder’s. There was no prisoners taken but one [sic] and he was half foolish, who floated down to Vicksburg on a bale of hay. He was sent back on parole the next day. Leopold Snyder could not have been taken prisoner if he reached shore for he was within our own lines at the time.
I have no news to tell you. Vicksburg still remains untaken but Gen Grant still keeps them hemmed in. Our monitors and flats are still shelling the city. The rebels are beginning to answer back now once in while for a shell burst directly over our heads one day last week, when we were down on the flat. These fellows don’t waste their ammunition for when they fire at anything they usually have a good range of the object they are going to fire at.
I did not lose your book Miss Jenny, but I got it somewhat soiled. I took very good care of it for I had it covered with paper and then wrapped it in a cloth and stowed away in my bag, but the book got wet when the Cincinnati went down.
I am very sorry to hear the George is so sick. What does the doctor say is the matter with him? I hope, however, that at the present time he is perfectly well. He seems to be troubled a great deal by sickness this year. I am sorry that you have been sick, Maggie, but I am glad you are well again. I have but two months and a half to stay in this navy, and if anything should befall me during that time I do not wish you to give way to grief, but it would be the submission to the will of God. God grant, however, that I may return safely. Give my love to all at home and to Mrs. Lander.
Jenny seems to think I am not prompt in answering her letters, but I answer what I get from her immediately. I wrote to Mrs. Lander after the Cincinnati was sunk, but I did not have time since to write again. If I am not very prompt hereafter, you needn’t be surprised, Miss Jenny.
Yours affectionately
Dan.
Image: Davis, Theodore. The floating hospital on the Mississippi. Line Engraving. NH59651. U.S. Naval Historical Center. http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h59000/h59651.jpg
