The 3 cent envelope decorated with patriotic imagery containing a single page letter addressed to Mr. & Mrs. Crawford, Forest Mound , Minnesota from  B. Bartley Blair  dated July 5, 1864 informing them of the death of their step-son, Thomas B. Giles of Delaware's 2nd. Regiment.

Transcription as follows:

“ Thomas B. Giles  was born near Greencastle, Ind Nov 10 left an orphan at the early age of eighteen months and adopted by his father’s only sister and her  husband O.P. Crawford with whom he came to Minnesota in 1856. In early boyhood he embraced religion and joined the ME Church in whose communion he  _______ continued till bidden to the church above. His soldier life began amid the severity of last New Year’s storm. In February, he married Miss Jennie Bright of Mazeppa County and soon after left for the south. To his friends he wrote “I expect to die soon, and when I die I shall go to heaven. Meet me there.” He died of typhoid fever in the General Hospital in Mound City, Ill.  May 6, 1864 and his funeral was attended June 26 at Forest Mound, MN by a long concourse of friends. The service being preached by Rev John Quigley from Matt .XXOO Well done, thy good and faithful servant etc B Bartley Blair (?) July 5 1864

Thomas B. Giles and three companions in the Delaware Regiment were Southern sympathizers and plotted to steal an observation balloon for the Southern army. The plot was discovered by Brigadier General Lockwood and they were arrested October 21, 1861 and hustled to Northern prisons. Thomas Giles was released on November 4, 1861 after pledging allegiance to the Union.