New Orleans. May 4 [1862]

Dear Mother
	Last Friday I received
three letters from you, dated re-
spectively March 2d and 11, and 
April 2. We had just been assign-
ed our quarters in the Branch
Mint of the United States. And
now, I will commence where
I left off in my last letter. We
got on board the ship Great 
Republic Tuesday, April 15, and
started on our way the next after-
noon. (Before leaving I gave a letter
to Capt Cogswell to deliver to you)
Friday 18th our ship anchored off
the mouth of the Mississippi riv-
er in the Southwest pass. There
we laid until the 30th, at which
time, the men and stored were
transferred to small boats, and
taken to New Orleans. Meantime 

were made to get the Great Republic
Several ineffectual attempts ^ to get
       the bar
over ^ but they all failed. But pre-
vious, the ship had retraced part of
her course and gone around on 
the land side of Fort Jackson. There
we stayed until the news came that
Fort Jackson had surrendered. When
we went back to the South west
pass, the troops were put on small
steamboats and taken to New Or-
leans.
   There we arrived, as I have said,
May 2, Friday. We certainly expected
some hostile demonstration, but
	                  to us.
nothing was said ^ All the places
of business were closed, and but
few people in the streets.
   We got no pay at Newport News
although we certainly expected it.
At present, there is just six months
pay coming to us.
   I will write to Mr. Burrows as soon
as I can get some writing materials.
At present I am unable to get them. I have no money, [but expect to be paid soon. – bottom of page 3]

   From what I have seen and
heard here, I should judge that
the laboring class were in a very
poor condition indeed. There is
hardly any money in circulation
except Confederate notes which a
number of the business men refuse
to take. They will not take them
at the markets.
   The Mint is a large stone building
surrounded with shady walks,
and lighted with gas. Water is close
at hand, and there are conveniences
for bathing &c.
   I do not think we shall stay here
long. The yellow fever season will
be here in two months or more.
I think we will go up the river.
Baton Rouge has been mentioned.
As we came up to our quarters I
noticed a lot of carriages for field
pieces burnt. They were in front of some
public building.
[but expect to be paid soon – from bottom of page 2]

   Gen. Butler has taken possession of the public
buildings, and the St. Charles Hotel. The people
seem to be resigned to our occupation of
the city. The city papers seem to take it very
coolly, but the poorer class are the ones
that feel this state of things most. They are
suffering for food. All means of communi-
cation are cut off. There are two brigades here
of Europeans, one French and the other Eng-
lish. They are acting as city police guards.
Sunday 4. A battery of four pieces of
artillery came in this afternoon. One
is posted at each corner of the [yard?] 
It looked a good deal like war to see
the men dragging their own pieces 
along the streets.
Provisions are decidedly high here.
Beef is 80 dollars per barrel. Sugar is
10 cts for small quantities, and by the
wholesale 3 ½ Common Molasses [40?] cts
per gallon.
I had nearly forgotten to answer your
inquiry as to how I liked being on a ship.
You say you used to be very fond of it. Well
I suppose, where one can take the cabin
passage and have access to all the con-
veniences and good living generally found
on ship board, it is a grand ting, but
where a lot of soldiers are packed like
hogs on board ship in the hold, on the up-
per deck and every conceivable space it 
is neither pleasant for them or any one else.
But still this thing of packing 3,000 soldiers
where there is not room for 1,000 is a very
common thing.
		Your affectionate son
			H Bostock