C .S. Steamer Virginia
James River
Feb 6 1864
Dear Parents
I recived your
welcome and long looked
for letter of Jan 19th this
morning it gave me great
pleasure to lern that you
all were well I have bin
in tolerable good health ever
since I left Hospital with
the exception of of a chill
which I am sorry to Say we
all have a turn at pretty
often. the wether has bin
verry cold here for they
last month the rive has
bin frozen over up to the
last five days so that
we had no communication
with Richmond by Boat
we have just returned from
[page 2]
down they river we had a
fite with the yankee Monitors
and Battery in which I am
sorry to say we came out
second best in going through
their blockade in front of
their battery we got a ground
where we had to lay for
five hours waiting for the
tied to rise in which time
their Batterys fired at us
constantly striking us 80
times just as we were getting
of their monitors came up
and struck us twice their
shotts passing through
our gun deck killin one
man and wounding twelve 12
our Ship being dissabled
so badelly we had to
turn and run also one
of our gun boats the
[page 3]
Drury was blown up she
was struck by a shell
which passed clean through
hir and exploded in her
mag azine fortinatly all of
hir men were on one of
our Iron Ships so that
no lives were lost we
are now under rep airs
which I think will take
us two months we expect
as soon as we fitted up
to pay them a nother visit
I am going to try hard
for a furlough of 10 or 15
days but I have to wait
a week or so for there
to return who now
absent you must not
be dissapointed if I
do not come for it
is doubtful whither I succeed in
[page 4]
getting one or not I blive
I have told you all the
newse give my love to all
my Brothers and Sisters
and my respects to all
Friends I remain Dear
Father & Mother your
Affectinate Son
Isac Copland
[????] Copland
Dear Sir
with the request
of your Son Isac I seat
my self with pleasure to
write to you for him he
is so glad to hear from you
if you will will but write
him I shall always take
a pleasure in answering
your letters for him I remain
sir your Respectfully
H. J. Aldrichs