This is the last letter in the collection. Daniel was not discharged from the Navy until December 23, 1863. While he certainly did not make it home in time for Christmas, I hope he celebrated the New Year with his family.

Shortly after his return to Buffalo, Daniel was drafted by the Army (not Navy). Despite the financial difficulties the family was experiencing, his Father paid $50.00 to hire an alternate, a legal option, thus saving Daniel from a return to combat.

Gunboat Choctaw
Mouth of Red River
Nov 15th, 1863

Dear Parents,

In your last letter you seem to be quite willing that I should stay until our accounts come if it was six months from now. If you only know how much I despise the officers who rule over me and how much I wish to see my friends once more you would not wish me to wait. I have no desire to spend the remainder of my days in eating “salt horse and hard tack”. If they would only set some day that they will discharge us I would feel satisfied, but this being in doubt all the time is what troubles me. If I had a son in the same fix as I am in I would go and see some Lawyer about his case, and if his terms did not suit me I’d write myself to the Secretary of Navy about it. You say it would bother me a great deal about the trouble I would have in getting my money. Now it wouldn’t trouble me a bit if it didn’t trouble you. They may keep the money if they want it. All I ask is my discharge.

The New National will be down here in a few days and I’ll write again so you had better not go to any lawyer about me until you hear from me again. If ever you write to James W. Stewart just tell him the reason why I don’t write to him is because I’ve neither the time nor heart to write. If it wasn’t to let you know that I am alive and well I wouldn’t write home. I write to no one but those at home since I came aboard the Choctaw. Its enough to dishearten any one to be kept over their time as we are. I have no news to tell you. Lying at the mouth of this river we hear nothing – except now and then reports come to us which gives me to know that the war is about as far from an end as ever. Tell Jenny that I don’t wish to hear anything about Mrs. Williams. I would like very much to be home by the holidays but it don’t seem as if that were possible. Jenny may consider this as an answer to her letter. Give my love to all at home.

Your Affectionate Son,

Daniel