Philadelphia, 03.14.1864

Most honored Sir!

Your esteemed letter reaches me unfortunately in the hospital again, which I had to enter due to a light sabre wound, which I received during the recently failed campaign against Richmond under Kilpatrick. The better I now have time to answer. It is with great pleasure that I fulfill the wishes of my fallen friend's next of kin.

Your brother died at a field hospital during the second half of July, several weeks after the battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, on July 1st, as a result of a shot through the abdomen. His remains are interred in the cemetery subsequently created by the state near this city.

Although he suffered great pain, he bore it with great patience. He was fully conscious up until his death. Before his death, which he naturally expected, he thought often of his loved ones in the old country. Even before, he very much liked to tell about his fate in life. Unfortunately, he had, among all his good characteristics, a very great predelection for telling "tall tales", which is probably not news for you, and his words were often contradictory. I for my part forbade him to do this towards me. Only that much am I certain to believe, that he left his father not a small amount of debt when he left [Germany]. Please pardon me, dear Sir, if I should have erred here, my words are those of a friend, not a blackballer.

He landed in Philadelphia and lived here for a time. Then he moved to New York, where we found ourselves in the same Company as privates, and became close friends. By and by, we advanced through the ranks, and, up to our wounding, almost always shared our tent.

Here in Philadelphia now, when he ran low on money, he pawned a fairly large suitcase full of clothes, personal effects and papers for a loan of 25 Dollars. He always spoke of this suitcase, and had planned to claim it on the first occasion, when death overcame him. Should you and your loved ones have an interest in obtaining this suitcase, I beg you to inform me.

I will be happy to pick it up and send it to you by packet steamer. Maybe it contains a few mementos for you, and I would consider the careful discharge of your commission a last service rendered to my late friend.

In pay and bounty, Julius has claims to the United States for 140 Dollars, which your father can claim through the Embassy or the Consulate General. Unfortunately, due to the slow American pace of business, it often takes years before the next of kin receive the outstanding pay of fallen soldiers. You will, however, surely receive the money, and after all, the sum is not quite unimportant.

You may rest assured, dear Sir, that it will always be my cordial pleasure to provide you or your family with any information regarding your brother that you may request in the future.

Looking forward to a speedy reply, I sign

With respect, your most devoted

Otto v. Nebelsieck

Address is still
O. v. N. care of Mr. Otto Schaettle 10 N. 7 St.
West Philadelphia, PA Nord Amerika.

P.S. : I am sending the letter via Liverpool, for fear the German steamers may not be safe from the Danes.

Translator's note: In 1864, Prussia was briefly at war with Denmark