#tiredofhardtack

(From @tiredofhardtack )

   It has been months since I last saw you, but it feels like years. Every moment drags on at an unbearably slow pace, whether I am on watch or below deck in my hammock. I often thought of perhaps writing to you, only to push the thought from my mind. Your new commission is one that takes up much time, and even if I did write, then the letter wouldn’t get to you for months, if at all. That unknown would drive me to madness, of that I am sure. 

  But now I do write to you. I write to you about a good few things, as well as imparting various news that you’ve likely heard already, and one you won’t have. For one thing, there’s been rumour that there’ll soon be peace, which brings both good and bad. On the one hand, we likely won’t be risking our lives in as many battles. On the other, a peacetime navy needs a much smaller quantity of men than a wartime one. I hear tell that if peace is declared then many of the older ships, and those captured and refitted, will be broken up. That’ll change the face of the whole navy, especially if there’ll be a lack of commissioning new ones in peace.

  Other news includes the first of my nephews. John, my brother, managed to have a child out of wedlock with some woman he met while serving. The whole family seems to be taking sides in the debate of what to do. Of course, Samual has adopted a holier than thou attitude to it, spouting all sorts about what happens to a child brought into the world through sin. Pretty much everything is a sin though, isn’t it? If you read through that blasted book and try to follow everything that’s said then you’ll live a rather dull life. Don’t know how Samual stomachs it. Anyway, the boy is called Jobling. Don’t ask, I have no clue why they’d do that either.

  In my final, and most important piece of news in my vain view, I took my Lieutenant’s examination once again a few month ago when my ship made port in Portsmouth. Today the ship received many papers, one of which was confirmation of my promotion to Lieutenant.With poor Lieutenant Balder succumbing to infection from a splinter, not the most impressive way to go but the way he went none the less, the Captain seems to be debating whether to request I be kept on as fourth Lieutenant here, or whether my commision shall be on another ship.

Maybe if I am moved to another ship I’ll find myself on one which crosses paths with you.

 I miss you.

Always, and faithfully, Your obedient,

Lieutenant Henry Wellard

Vianca in big shirts !

@tiredofhardtack​