.NDg4.NjUz
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via [steamer] China [underscored] Fourth St[reet], [New York, New York] 22 Aug[us]t [18]63 – Saturday night
Dear Ann
I enclose the copy of an interesting & touching letter from our worthy friend Miss Lippett. – I put the original inside of a basket of fine Peaches, with a card outside – “Mr. Walker Maury for the entertainment of himself & friends – from Uncle Rutson.”
It would be an incalculable blessing if this calamity were the means of awakening proper feelings in Walker’s mind on the subject of Re= =ligion. That long talk that he & I had, a fortnight ago, was in part on this subject, - & what he then said was by no means satisfactory.
I wrote a short reply to Miss Lippett at noon, after dispatching my letters for the N[ew] Orleans [Louisiana] steamer at 11 a.m. – I then wrote a letter to Harriet. – Whilst I was engaged on the latter, about 2 1/2 p.m., one of Walkers friends, a Mr. J de Jonge (who lodges at 59 Laight St[reet], [New York, New York]) called to ask me if I had any commands to send him, as he was then going over to Orange [New Jersey] to see him for the first time since his accident. – I have felt vexed with myself ever since that I did not try to prevent his going, by saying – “If you want to render him a real service, you will best do it by not going to see him yet, or for “several days to come.” but I had not my wits about me at the moment, & in fact I was yearning [underscored] for later intelligence [‘later intelligence’ underscored]. It was agreed between Mr. de Jonge & me, that if here was anything of importance, he was to call & see me this evening, or night, on his return from Orange, but if all was going on well, he was not to call. – It is now 1/4 to 11, & as he has not called, the inference is that all’s well:” & I have dismissed the servants to bed, after desiring them to wake me, if I am not up, at 7 to 1/2 past 7, as I always like to breakfast early on Sunday, if only from motives of bodily [underscored] health.
all
I told both Sarah & David [Spence] this morning, that if ^ was well, I did not wish W[illia]m to come to town this afternoon simply to tell me so; but that I do [underscored] wish to have a telegram any how [‘any how’ underscored], dispatched to me either to night or tomorrow morning, thus superceding the necessi
ity (as I would hope) of any of their coming to town before Mon
=day; & I have already given Mary $1, to provide (if necessary) for prompt payment for said telegram. –
I had to ride down town this morning, for want of time to walk & have half an hour to spare before the [steamer] Saxonia’s mails closed at 1/2 past 10. – I left my empty ba-asket with the peach-merchant
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in W[illia]m St[reet] [New York, New York] to be filled before the finest of his wares had been disposed of, & I got it back at 11. – Tho’ I only walked from the Park to our office, I did so at so brisk a pace, that I was wringing wet; [‘wringing wet’ underscored] & I put on a dry coat to absorb moisture & prevent my being too much chilled by the fine breeze. – I was on my feet writing standing at the desk al day – a position that keep the blood in the proper place. – At last I quit the office at 1/4 or 20 minutes past 3; but when I got to the P[ost] O[ffice], I found that I had left the letter to Harriet in the pocket of my office coat & other letters too; so I went back, & thus lost 12 hours [‘lost 12 hours’ underscored] in the transmission of my letter to H[arriet]. – I was bent on walking home, despite of heat & fatigue, & transpiration; and like John Gilpin, I “carried weight.” [‘carried weight’ underscored] – First I exchanged, near the Park, an empty Cigar box for a full one; & when I got to the Central market I fell in love with 2 firm musk-melons & bo[ugh]t them for 15¢ each, & tied them up in a spare pocket h[and]k[erchie]f; & having also my umbrella with me, I was certainly well weighted for the rest of the walk, & glad to be relieved when I got to No. 365 [4th Street, New York, New York] But my walking was not yet done. Armed only with the umbrella, I went on to Mr. Papham’s near 23rd St[reet] & ordered 2 tons of hard coal to come here on Monday morn[in]g: - & near his place I bo[ugh]t, on my return, a small [underscored] ba-asket of peaches, for which I paid a big [underscored] price (& as might be ex= =pected, when one buys a “pig in a pok[e].” = I find I have been cheated; as the mass of them are poor & immature.) It was about 1/2 past 5 when I got home again from this second [underscored] walk of 2 miles, spliced upon the first one, & I was fairly [straining?], [double underscored] & very tired, but fresh enough after scrubbing with rough towels, washing & ex= =changing my wringing [underscored] wet garments for clean & dry [underscored] ones: so when at last, I sat down, like an old horse cooled & rubbed down, I quite enjoyed my provender, especially the vegetable part thereof & the bottle of [Sagn?] Beer. – I left 4 nice peaches on the plate for the Misses Nugent & then I settled down in Mr. Hutchison’s chair with a closed window behind me, my legs in L position, & a 3rd chair beside me for snuff-box, h[an]k[erchie]f & newspapers; & I said to my= =self – “Now I know I am in for a nap until 9 o’clock at least.”
But oh! the vanity of human calculations! for I was cru= =elly roused before 8 – perhaps at 1/2 past 7 – by a visit from a lady & gentleman, who proved to be none other than Cousin
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Jody & wife [Sally], just returned from their Canadian tour, & both looking & feeling greatly rejuvenated thereby. – They are staying at the S[ain]t Nicholas, & as you may suppose, I did not [underscored] ask them, under present circumstances, to resume their quarters in 4the St[reet] – After I had told them all about poor Walker, I lighted the gas, found it was 8, & made T[ea] for them. Unhappily the Milk was sour (as is too often the case in an even =ing) so neither of them followed my example in taking a second cup. – But I had plenty of good Peaches on a dish, & tho’ Jody, Spani= =ard like, declined them, his wife seemed (as I was glad to see) to relish them exceedingly. [‘relish...ingly’ underscored] After they had gone I had the curiosity to count the stones on her plate, & saw there were 5! Somewhat like Miss Twenty- =man, she made a sort of apology (wholly needless) that having been in Canada these were the first Peaches that had been set before her. During T[ea] the talk ran on you & your travels. They asked about Nan & I gave them Miss Mordecai’s report of 14 July, whereat they ex= =pressed themselves pleased. At parting I told Jody now M[atthew] F[ontaine] [Maury] had decided it was best that you & he should not meet now, lest you should find yourselves like flint & steel. [‘flint & steel’ underscored] – I also named the now forwarding of letters from Nan to [Captain William] Lewis [Maury], & the reasons therefor. – They at last took leave of me at 9; & I then, like poor Walker, solaced my =self with a cigar & remained on the premises for the chance of a visit from Mr. de Jonge: - else I would have taken a stroll of a v mile or so, whilst smoking said cigar. But I have really had walk enough (under the burthen of melons, cigar box, & peaches) having accomplished 5 miles. And now I am off to bed for, I hope, a good sound sleep, at the close of this most eventful week! [‘most...week’ underscored]
I have hardly looked at the newspapers all week, as all my time & thoughts have been so much absorbed in matters relating to poor Walker. \\ After all, the Therm[omete]r , today did not mark over 84 [degrees] & there was a good breeze all day – wind W[est] & W[est] S[outh] W[est]. But the Barome= =ter sinks, & thus betokens increasing heat. – I slept under a single sheet last night, & yet my night shirt, believe me, was very wet [‘very wet’ underscored] when I awoke at 7 1/2 & went (soon afterwards) into David’s [Spence] room & up stairs at awaken Sarah.
23rd Sunday night – I woke & rose at 7, & breakfasted soon after 8, read some of extracts from D[octo]r Arnold’s discourses, & was in church some time before the service began. We were dismissed at 1/4 past 12, & on coming home I found the expected telegram. –
“Newark, N[ew] J[ersey] 23rd Aug[us]t. Walker was a little feverish the early por= =tion of the night, but it soon passed off; & the Doctor this morning reports him as going on favorably. – David Spence. “ –
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I at once made a copy & put it under envelope, with a few lines of my own, to Harriet, & then rode down to the P[ost] O[ffice], where I had about 20 minutes to spare, which enabled me to add in pencil an extract from the fore part of the following letter from James. “N[ew] O[rleans] [LA], 15 Aug[us]t. Dear Uncle Rutson. D[octo]r Adler has just left, & says Louisa is decidedly better than he has yet found her, & may, if all goes on well till then, be moved to the sofa tomorrow, while her bed is being made. She has still a very nervous & excited pulse: therefore little Sarah is not yet allowed to come home. She has been staying at Rutson’s since the event occurred. Alto- =gether I feel much less anxiety than I have done during the last 10 days. – Until this morning the state of affairs was not at all promising, owing mostly to the very hot sultry weather, accompanied with thunderstorms, which gave Louisa almost incessant violent head-aches. – As to the young gentleman himself, he is doing finely. All his evils are relieved by my catnip bed. – I had an examination of him yesterday. There is no hole, or hollow, on the top of his head: on the contrary there is a ridge, owing to the edges of the skull overlapping one another. D[octo]r Adler says this will all pass away, & the head be a very fine one – I hope with plenty in it. The chest is firm & round as a barrel: - back long - & legs bowed. It is Breakfast & Dinner-time \ I do not have any news at all. \ Don’t buy a new glass “(bee-hive glass)” for me on any account. I was offered a dozen here of larger size than the one I sent to you for $1 each. – If I could any way bore a hole in each of them, they would do admirably, provided I had “the needful” to spare. \ In course of next week, I shall write you in answer to all your letters. If I can get the Sugar into Baton Rouge [Louisiana], it is possible I may go with it to Cincinnati [Ohio] for sale. If so, I would then proceed to New York, & try to make some arrangement with Mr. Taylor and Dun= =can Sherman & Co[mpany]. But in case I do not make the trip I will write to them on the subject of release next week, & send you copy of the letters $250 will cover all I owe him” \ Note: [V.R.?] is sure [underscored] it won’ts[underscored] ) “no, $300 [struck-through] 350 I mean; for there is $100 to be paid Barriere & Co[mpany], the dry-goods men, for things bought by Louisa at his “(whose? I suppose Rutson’s - [underscored])” request when he he went to Galveston [Texas]. Yours Aff[ectionate]ly James Maury. “
24th – Hanover St[reet], [New York, New York] – Monday afternoon – All well at Orange [New Jersey] up to 9 a.m. today. \ Please proceed now to the bake of the copy of the letter from Miss Lippett where you will find my 5th & 6th pages. to yourself.
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24th Aug[us]t – 5 Hanover St[reet] [New York, New York] – Monday afternoon
I woke up of myself & rose at 7 – the back of my night-shirt wringing wet, tho’ I had slept under a single sheet. – I was at break -fast soon after 8. After breakfast I had a call from young Mr. Henop, who had only just heard of Walker’s accident. I gave him the narrative, as he & I sat in the front parlour. – He asked as to the propriety of his going to Orange [New Jersey] to see Walker; when I beg= =ged him by all means not [underscored] to do so at present, & to make the same request of any other friends of W[alker’s] whom he knows. He has been at the office twice since: first before I had seen W[illia]m or David [Spence], & then after I had seen the former, & had written the substance of what he told me on a slip of paper as P[ost] S[cript] to a long letter I wrote last night to V[irgini]a Draper, in answer to he note of 19th. – I gave Mr. Henop that slip to read; & he said that with my per= =mission, he would call here every day; & I said, “by all means, but don’t go, or let any one else go to Orange [New Jersey] before I say so.”
I walked down Broadway with an um- =brella & 2 empty ba-askets, one of which is
now
filled with peaches & ^ on its way to Orange [New Jersey].
The walk did me a power of good, & this from the very excess of perspiration it produced for it poured [underscored] from me in streams! down my back & chest & all down my legs!
I remained at the office some time before Matthew came in a little before noon & it was
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past 1 before W[illia]m finally presented himself & relieved my increasing [underscored] anxiety before [struck-through] by telling me all was well. – I filled up the interval by making a long extract from your letter of 5/6th as to you[r] visit to Gen[era]l & Mrs. Clarke; - which I sent her today along with the latest bulletin from Orange [New Jersey]. – W[illia]m told me he had seen me walking down Broad =way at 1/2 past 10; but he was riding in an Omnibus, & did not think it worth while to stop! – whereat I was vexed.
He says that Friday night, whilst Sarah was in town, was the worst night by far that Walker had had since that Sat[urday] night (the 15th)
After Sarah had left the D[octo]r came & made some changes about the bandages, & pulled out 2 or 3, of the 5, stitches that hold the wound together. The wound itself had become painful with the excitation that immediately precedes, & for a while accompanies suppuration. The pain was not so very severe, & it was re =lieved in part (or considerably) by what the D[octo]r did. But Walker was restless at night & they had to give him (for the first time) some Morphine. This was followed by a Seidlitz
or Sunday
powder on Saturday ^ & he had 2 passages from the bowels during the day. – I asked W[illia]m if he had had any passage today before he left at 9 a.m. He said he had not, & added that the D[octo]r had said they were not to be uneasy on that score, so long as he had 1 passage in 48 hours. –
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(Copy) Providence [Rhode Island] 20 August 1863 Received 23 Aug[us]t
To Rutson Maury N[ew] York
My dear Friend
The sad intelligence contained in your letter of this morning, induces me to reply immediately, & express my deepest sympathy for my young friend Walker.
I should have hardly expected such [underscored] an act of imprudence from him; for one moment’s reflection must have convinced him that certain injury would follow such an imprudent act.
I trust in the Providence of God that should he recover he will feel grateful to God that his life was spared, tho’ he has lost so useful a member of his body. –
I am glad you were so kind as to let me know all the particulars of this sad event, as I shall wish to take him in the arms of Faith to my Saviour, and lay him there – and may this affliction by sanctified to his Soul.
When he is able, without injury, to receive this message will you covey it to him.
Will you write me when he is out of danger & able to return home.
You see that I am driven to the necessity of employing other hands to express my thoughts to you. My sight is grad= =ually & painfully declining. – One of the last efforts of my pencil was to reply to your kind letter while in Newport [Rhode Island].
What a shock this will be to my dear friend Miss [Ann] M[aury] & to his brother Mytton. –
When you write to your Sister, give my love, & tell her I hope to hear from her soon – My love to Sarah
Yours truly L. A. Lippett [signed in pencil]
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[18]63 Mini Maxi August mum mum 19 65 1/2 79 1/2 20 71 83 21 72 1/2 83 22 76 84 23 76 1/2 87 24 78 1/2 87 1/2 25 78 85 26 66 1/2
Mortality week ending
5 & less
15 Aug[us]t [18]63 – 859 \ 503 22 " " – 663 \ 408 23 " [18]62 – 520 ------ 24 " [18]61 – 522 ------ 25 " [18]60 – 549 \ 357 27 " [18]59 – 632 \ 414 21 " [18]58 – 638 \ 458
Chol[era]: [infant...?] in [18]63 week end[in]g 15th – 201
" " 22nd – 149
Obituary – On Sunday 23rd inst[ant] [23 August] at Middle- -town Point, N[ew] Jersey, D[octo]r John S. Bartlett formerly proprietor & editor of the N[ew] Y[ork] Albion (for 22 years) in the 73rd year of his age.
The friends of the family & members of S[ain]t Georges Society are respectfully invited to attend the funeral services at S[ain]t Paul’s Church, Broad =way at 11 a.m. on Tuesday 25th instant. [25 August]. The remains will be interred in the family vault at Boston [Massachusetts] \ NB This event will be in =teresting to Rob[er]t Such as holder of a Bond & Mortgage on a house of the D[octo]rs in Jersey City [New Jersey]
In the news from Charleston [South Carolina], I see that Capt[ain] (or Commodore) Rodgers in com= =mand of one of the Monitors was instantly killed by an iron splinter from the turret striking him as it was detached by a short from one of the Forts. – He was, I think, the husband of the late Commodore Perry’s oldest daughter. –
Monday night at home. – I walked up to dinner with a basket that I filled with Peaches gathered at 3 or 4 spots as I come along; & at the Central market I added a Melon to my burthen. – Since T[ea] – having previously had a fine nap until 9 p.m. – I have walked to 31st St[reet] & back, thus making 7 miles [‘7 miles’ underscored] of walking to day, which, despite of the heat, I have found pleasant exercise, inasmuch as there has been a stiff breeze – almost a gale – from S[outh] W[est] & S[outh] S[outh] W[est] – ever since I rose at 7 this morning. Yesterday was not quite so warm, but infinitely more oppressive, because it was a dead calm morn=
ing , noon & night; & it was that stifling atmosphere that gave me (after re
=ceipt of Mr. Spence’s dispatch of 23rd) much anxiety & misgiving as to Walker.
On Saturday William must have felt uneasy as to Walker, after that bad night; for after D[octo]r Pearson had seen him, he had a private [underscored] talk with the D[octo]r as to the present state of affairs, who assured him that Walker was going on very well - & added, “very much better than I expected.” –
William says the wound is discharging from 3 places, 2 of which the D[octo]r says may heal soon; but the 3rd spot (below the point of the elbow) is on a part where the flesh & tendons were much mangled by the wheel, & this may be a long [underscored] time in healing up. The other two are where the knife made a clean [underscored] cut in parts that were quite sound & uninjured. [‘sound & uninjured’ underscored] No doubt it was the mangling by the wheel in the other part that made it expedient to make the amputation so high up from the wrist.
David Spence left Orange [New Jersey] today nearly 2 hours after W[illia]m – say at 1/4 before 11. He did no watching last night between 10 p.m. & 5 a.m. But he was with Walker from 5 a.m. whilst W[illia]m took a nap before breakfast, and he says that Walker had altogether a much better night than on Saturday night, & without any anodyne to promote sleep. Walker had a proper natural [underscored] passage from his bowels [underscored] this morning (without any aperient) before David left, & was doing very well in all respects. He waited for the chance of the D[octo]r coming to see Walker this morning; but the D[octo]r had not been, nor was his presence needed.
William ascribed Walkers restlessness in the fore part of Saturday night in part to his having seen too much company [‘too..pany’ underscored] in the evening. Another friend
[Marginalia]
Last week we raised John Russell’s wages to $2 p[er] week. – Therm[omete]r 26th still 66 1/2 at 8 1/4 a.m.
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had been with him before Mr. de Jonge called: & W[illia]m & Sarah were opposed to Mr. de Jonge being admitted; but Walker insisted [underscored] on seeing him. –
It was Walker himself who asked David [Spence] to give him some Morphine on Saturday night, about 11, when it had so happy an effect. –
I give you all these details, because I know you would wish to have them. – When I had shewn Matthew this morning David’s dispatch of yesterday, & told him that, coupled with the heat of yesterday, it made
yet
me uneasy, especially as William had not been ^ here, [struck-through] he remarked that he saw no cause for my anxiety. – If he had been your corres= =pondent instead of me, you would have had perhaps but one word [‘one word’ underscored] instead of one page [‘one page’ underscored] that I have sent to you. –
I told Matthew of my interview with his 2 servants last evening, pre= =pratory to Anne Nugent being summand to Orange [New Jersey] to aid & assist. –
William this morning arranged all for Anne to go to Orange tomorrow, & put down all in writing for her, which she shewed to me after din =ner, whilst Matthew was in the front parlour; & he also read the memorandum. – She is to leave this house at 1/2 past 10, either by Broadway bus or Bowery Car, so as to cross from the ferry at the foot of Courtlandt S[treet] in time to take a train from Jersey City [New Jersey] at 1/2 past 11, & she is to remain in the Car of that train until it stops at No[rth] Orange [New Jersey], & then find her way on foot to the “No[rth] Orange House” (the Hotel). She is to take a return ticket for Newark [New Jersey] & back: [Newark...back’ underscored] & I suppose to pay some trifle besides for the 3 miles ride on the Morris & Essex R[ail] R[oad] to No[rth] Orange.
As David [Spence] tells me, her services are not needed for the night [underscored]; in consequence of the deficiency of sleeping accommodation; for she would only be in the way, & of no use at night, for that reason. – She is to aid in the day only [‘day only’ underscored] – in cleaning up, making the beds &c. – and especially in a hunt after bugs! [‘hunt...bugs’ underscored] – Under all the circumstances -her want of capacity, her never having been there before, the probability that William my not accompany her in the train, & the unimportant objects to be accomplished – I much doubt the expediency of her going at all, as I apprehend she will get quite quite [struck-through] bewildered! But I have endeavored to make all smooth to her, & shall give her money enough to find her way home against the risk of her getting lost, “carried past” &c. After her talk with me in Matthew’s presence – he aiding her with some remarks – he observed to me that tomorrow is washing-day [‘washing-day’ underscored] at Irving Place, & so Anne (from that household) could not come in the morning [underscored] to aid Mary, but could be here, to remain from 4 till 7 in, the afternoon which he suppose would answer all the purpose, & I suppose he will instruct her accordingly. – After he had left, Mary came up stairs, partly to get David to reckon up her marketing &c;, which
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he kindly did, & partly to talk with me in reference to Ann’s journey, where I repeated to her what I had already told Ann on the subject. – Mary then told me, that according to my request last evening, Ann (the grenadier) had called at noon, and on learning the programme for tomorrow as to Ann Nugent, she had said that it would be impossible for either her
self or the cook to come here to render aid before Thursday, [underscored] in conse
=quence of Tuesday & Wed[nesday] being devoted to their washing & ironing. – I felt vexed at hearing this, but made no comments except to tell Mary that in that case Mr. Spence & I could manage very well at dinner, without any one to wait upon us – as no doubt we can - & that Ann could lay the cloth &c. for dinner in the mor[n]ing before she left. – What vexed mw was the apparent disinclination of the 2 domestics in Irving Place to go one inch out of their ordinary routine, in order to save us on such an occasion. –
When Mary let me in, on my coming to diner, she told me that Mrs. McLane had called & left a basket & note for me, which she handed to me. – I enclose the note, & will send over the baasket by Ann, when she goes on her grand expedition tomorrow.
When Matthew went home after dinner David also left at the same time to pay a visit, & said he should not return before T[ea].
I was waked up at a little before 9 by a visit from cousin Jody. He had brought back a book that, with Sarah’s consent, his wife had borrowed out of your private Library, to read during their travels. – “The Record of a Good Man’s Life.” – They have changed their plans -instead of remaining at the S[ain]t Nicholas [Hotel] until Thursday, they will start for home tomorrow morning, & will thus miss seeing William here: - which would not have been the case if W[illia]m had taken the trouble to get out of the Omnibus to speak to me, when he saw me walking down Broadway this morning with the 2 empty baskets on my arm. – I gave Jody the tidings of yesterday & today from Orange, & I also gave him, in a paper bag, some 1/2 dozen or so, of nice peaches for “Cousin Sally.” – At parting I enjoined him to write to me whenever he got later news than that sent by Miss Mordecai on 14 July. – And when he left, I soon afterwards set out on my final 3 mile’s walk.
David had gone up to his room, before my return, to get a long night’s comfortable sleep; but as he had not got into bed, I went up to say I wished to be up tomorrow by 7 & to breakfast at 8.
Old Mr. Ludlow has not yet turned up. – W[illia]m left a little note with me to hand him if I should see him before he did. – It is nearly a week since the last letters came from St. Louis. [Missouri] – I sent Harriet to- -day’s bulletin from Orange by 3 1/2 p.m. mail, & at the same time had my letters posted to V[irgini]a Draper and Mrs. Greene.
It I were at James’ elbow in N[ew] O[rleans] [Louisiana], I should suggest that if the permission is obtained for that Sugar to come into Baton Rouge [Louisiana]
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it were better to sell it in N[ew] O[rleans] than ship it up the river or any where else. – James’ letter seems to me to indicate that he now has quite changed his notions as to the commercial results from the reopening of the Missi[ssippi] [River]
Gold has been selling today at 123 1/2.
The opinion here gathers strength every day that the Rebellion is on its last legs. – And as the same opinion shall extend in England, so shall be [struck-through] we find more energy in her Government in real [underscored] attempts to put a stop to further additions to the C[onferate] S[tates] privateers. –
25th Tuesday Night – We had rain 5 to 6 this this afternoon & 10% [‘%’ struck-through] [degree] drop in the Therm[omete]r with the change of wind from S[outh] S[outh] W[est] to N[orth]. This, & detention at the office in writing till past 5, prevented my walking [underscored] home to dinner; but after a nap before T[ea] I took a walk after T[ea] to 36 [‘5’ by ‘6’overwritten] St[reet] & so made up 5 1/2 miles walking for the day, David is writing on one side of the oval table (for the [steamer] China) & I at the other, opposite to him. – Ann left at 10 1/2 a.m. & returned shortly before I got home to dinner. Her journey cost altogether $1, & she had no difficulty. [‘had no difficulty’ underscored] Sarah told her to come again on Thursday, by which time they will pro =bably be in possession of a 3rd room adjoining the other 2. – She left at 4 p.m. Walker sent his love to me by her, & thanks for the baasket. –
The D[octo]r called whilst Ann was there, & had some examination of the wound; & said all was going on very well indeed. [‘very...indeed’ underscored] – W[illia]m who left then at 9 a.m. did not go back before the 3 1/2 p.m. train. He had waited for the delivery of the Western mail (after 3) & took back a letter from Har= =riet to Walker enclosed in hers of the 20th, which I hand to you now along with a copy of a characteristic, pious, & kind letter of 24th from Mrs. Greene.
W[illia]m told me that yesterday the D[octo]r looked at the wound & pronounced it it [struck-through] very healthy [‘very healthy’ underscored] – saying it was healing [underscored] “by first intention” [‘first intention’ underscored] even on the point that he had apprehended would be the most tedious & troublesome.
Walker slept uninterruptedly [underscored] last night from soon after 11 till 6. – We certainly have great cause for thankfulness in his good & promising con= =dition, now that the critical period has so nearly expired. [‘critical...expired’ underscored] At the outsett D[octo[r Wilkes told me that by ordinary rule it would last for 10 or 12 days [’10...days’ underscored] . So I trust we may consider that with common prudence, & under God’s blessing, all danger of life is at an end. [‘all...end’ underscored] – W[illia]m tells me that there is a talk of Sarah & Walker going together to Dunnington [underscored] to recuperate; which is a plan I do not fancy, for several reasons Like Mr. Lincoln, who deems one [underscored] War quite enough at one time; so I think that one invalid at a time is quite enough for Sarah to attend to properly [underscored]: but I suppose she goes for “killing the 2 birds with the 1 stone.” I would advocate their going to lodgings if they can find good ones in or near Orange [New Jersey], for about 2 weeks from 1 Sept[ember], & then returning to town, if it be fit for Walker to do so. – After W[illia]m has seen them installed in such lodg =gings, I say to him, there will be no hindrance to his going at once to St. Louis [Missouri]
[Marginalia – left side of page]
On enquiry of Mary I find that neither the 2 servants from [struck-through] at Irving Place have shewn their faces in
4th St[reet] today. So much for
active sympathy!
[Marginalia – right side of page] I shall send Mrs. Greenes letter of 24th (the original) for Sarah & Walker to read tomorrow Yours affectionately R[utson] Maury
[12]
P[ost] S[cript] 25th – Tuesday night –
I have omitted to say that this morning I rec[eive]d your Bexley [England] letter of 10/11 instant [10/11 August] enclosing a note for Sarah as to the Misses Charlton (which I took the liberty of reading & was much interested in it) & one for Mary – which I also read.
As usual, I gave your letter to me to Matthew to read on his way home on board the [Hudson River Steamboat] M[ary] Powell, & likewise for the edification of the others at Cornwall. [New York]
I also gave him, for the latter object, James’ 15 Aug[us]t letter, to be in part [‘in part’ underscored] read by the family. And I wrote a note of 4 pages as to Walker to Eliza =beth; but I said nothing about my
a
application for aid to the “gren^diers” in Irving Place. And as usual Mat- =thew took up from me upwards of 20 beautiful, selected [‘beautiful, selected’ underscored] peaches in =side of his little carpet-bag.
When M[atthew] returns to the city on Thursday – if there be no special hindrance – I think I shall run off to Orange [New Jersey] to see Walker & return to dinner by the same train that Ann did this evening.
[13]
Gold fell this afternoon to 122 1/2 or so, under the intelligence of Fort Sumpter [Sumter] having surrendered (af= =ter one side of it – the landward side – had been battered down) – It seems but too probable that the City of Charleston [South Carolina] must undergo bombardment [underscored] & some =thing very like utter destruction [‘utter destruction’ underlined] ‘ere it will surrender too. – But I do not look on the capture of Charleston as of anything like the importance of that of Vicksburg [Mississippi] or P[or]t Hudson [Louisiana]; nor do I consider it as tending at all to induce the South to lay down their arms & make Peace by returning to the Union: but the capture of Mobile [Alabama] would [underscored] have that tendency.
There are now it is said, 25,000 [underscored] U[nited] S[tates] troops in the city &suburbs of N[ew] York, which are 5 fold more than needful to the preser =vation of order in carrying out the draft;
is
& it therefor ^ supposed there is some other aim in concentrating so large a force here – e.g. some expedition to the South.
All the public squares &c are now oc= =cupied by these troops; & to me it is a painful sight, as illustrating that superior -ity of the Military on the Civil power, that is an inevitable [underscored] result of prolonged Civil War. \ There is no news of the [steamer] Persia yet. \
[14]
Tuesday night – 25th August – [‘Tuesday...August’ underscored]
To relieve all anxiety on your opening this letter – I have the supreme satis= =faction to tell you at once [‘at once] underscored] that up to 4 p.m. today, Walker has been going on as well as heart could desire.
Had W[illia]m known that the hour of closing the mails for the [steamer] China tomorrow has been changed from 10 to 11 [underscored] a.m., he would have been certain to steer first for 5 Hanover street [‘5...Street’ underscored] tomorrow morning to give me \over\
[15]
his report, instead of coming first (as is his wont & as is most conveni= =ent to himself) straight up to 4th St[reet] -where he undergoes a daily ablution in the bath, & executes commissions of one kind or another for Sarah & him =self before he goes down town. – I am sorry I did not know of the alteration of hour for the mails via [steamer] China until after he had left for Orange [New Jersey] this afternoon.
[Marginalia] I trust you will not [underscored] leave England before 7 Nov[ember] [‘7 Nov’ underscored]
[16]
(Copy) Narragansett Ferry R[hode] I[sland] Rec[eive]d 25th 24 August [18]63
My dear Mr. Maury
I am greatly distressed & shocked to hear of your dear nephew’s sad accident – spreading anxiety & suffering so far & wide. The loss of his hand is most grievous, but he might have been killed on the spot. – God in mercy spared his precious life. –
I thank you most cordially, my dear Sir, for giving me a detailed account of the sad affair. You will add to the obligation by letting me know how he is progressing, & when you may hope to remove him home. –
Dear Miss Maury, it will be a sad shock to her, & will, I fear, hasten her return. X My cordial & affectionate sympa- -thy goes forth to her, your nieces, nephews & most generous & benevolent self. –
Oh! my god – how little we know what a day, even an hour, may bring forth, & how necessary to be prepared, in the strength of the
[Marginalia]
X I trust, not [underscored] R[utson] Maury –
[17]
Lord, for every emergency.
Poor dear Walker: he has purchased experience dearly. I trust his nervous system has not received too sever a shock to rise speedily about the difficulties. – Say to him & your dear Sarah, how deeply I feel for them. And to your energetic, disinterested Sister, say all that love & sympathy can dictate.
The heat is most trying, even here. I fear you suffer much in New York. – I am writing for the Steamer of the 26th, & can only add – God bless, comfort & sustain you all.
I am, my dear Sir, with the highest esteem. very truly your obliged M. Greene.
To Miss Maury
My letter of yesterday to Mrs. Greene, giving the extracts from yours, relative to your visit to Gen[era]l & Mrs. Clarke, would cross hers (as above) on the way. to me [‘to me’ struck-through]
R[utson] Maury
