Portsmouth Va October 30,1836

My dear Lydia,

I rec’d your letter last evening, & wish it

had been longer. I am very well & studying very dilligently.

I am getting more accustomed to the change, in comfort

& living & hope to get through the winter very well. The

Frigate Macedonian is to be launched on Tuesday next, & all

the beauties, & every one else for miles around, will be in

the yard to witness it, we of the Navy will be on board,

of course some ladies also, those who have courage enough

to visit, I anticipate quite a lively time for that day,

other times I am a perfect Anchorite. The North Carolina 74

is out in the stream, almost ready for sea, she wants more

men & it is difficult to procure them. I do not think she

can sail for a month or two yet, her destination will be the

Pacific, by the way I wish some of you would tell Mr. Jenkins

that if he will forward immediately endorsed to me at Ports-

mouth a letter for Hubly, I can send it by an officer going

to the Mediteranean, but it must come very soon, I will

write myself to him. I left at home the seal Miss Seaman

gave me, in the wafer box of Father’s desk, take care of it.

I should consider it very strange, very improper,

malicious, unladylike, ungentlemanly, in any one to say,

from seeing youwith Miss Krug that her & I were engaged.

Why Good God its absurd to think of such a thing, no one

would say so, & if they did, why then what matter who

would believe them on such a foundation. No, it will be very

wrong with you to shun her on that account – do not do so.

Idle & busy as some folks are in Lancaster, it must be a

curious state of things, if from two young ladies, who have

been neighbors all their lives, being together they could

come to the conclusion that the brother of one, was engaged

to the other, again I say, do not shun her on that account.

I wrote to Sam the other day, write me a very

long answer to this, & be sure you remember me to all the

young ladies who may ask for me, town & country The mail

closes early this morning & must conclude with my love

to you all, Hal & Ellie included.

I am your most affectionate brother

Wm. Reynolds

Lydia Reynolds

I must again tell you, not to direct to me as

Midshipman W.R. but “Wm. Reynolds, U.S. Navy, Portsmouth,

Virginia” of course I shall pay Cyrus. (This much I write to

you openly, of course you will not let anyone else see the

enclosed)