I think this is about a young Irish lad who was fighting for the CSA in the Civil War writing his family in Syracuse. I imagine his family had immigrated in the early 1860s after he had come (earlier) to some southern port and been recruited to fight for the CSA. Recruiters for both sides met the immigrant boats in their ports promising a bounty and automatic citizenship. Note the reference to continued retreat and the author's admonition to his brother not to join (from Syracuse) lest he face his (the author's) gun. The author lies to his family that he's alright so as to comfort them...a sad, melancholy Irish style ballad (written in 1972).