Latest revision as of 16:29, 11 August 2017

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via Persia 365 Fourth St. 13th June [18]63 Saturday night

Dear Ann I am beginning betimes to prepare for the Persia – tho’ her letter-bag I see is not to close until the comfortable & convenient hour of 1/2 past 12 [‘1/2 past 12’ underscored] in the day, [underscored] on Wednesday, & will thus I hope enable me to answer a letter from you, now on the way via Scotia, 6th June.

I enclose you copy of a note I rec[eive]d this morn =ing from Miss Virginia [Draper], but had not the time to read until I had sent off my letter to you by the Edinburgh: - & I also enclose my reply. I had rather an imperfect press copy of the man =uscript copy of the “Lines on a Skeleton” that I lately sent to Mrs. Cox, & after restoring with a pencil all parts that were not readily legible, I thought it might be an acceptable present to my intended niece. – As I read her note to me, I was struck much by the contrast between her delicacy of character & comportment, & the manners of those two other girls as exhibited to me last night.

I did not succeed in making a very good press copy of Sarah’s copy (enclosed to you via Ed =inburgh) of the letter of 11th ulto., [11 May] that she rec[eive]d from Nan yesterday afternoon; but after resto= =ring with my pencil a few illegible words, I laid it before Matthew, & observed to him, that the Miss Mary whom Nan names as on a visit to Ra =leigh [North Carolina] with the view to becoming a Teacher in St. Marys Seminary there, is doubtless Miss M[ary]. S. Gilpin; [underscored] & that it would be pleasant news for him to carry home; for Miss Mary, if she gets that post will be “in clover,” so long as she can be content to

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conduct herself peaceably & amiably, & that there was the more room for hope now, after the lessons she has had of the consequences of contrary beha= =viour in Richmond etc. –

I then, after dispatching my note to Miss V[irgini]a, turned to & wrote a full quarto page to Rutson by a steamer whose bag closed at 2 p. m.

After that I made the copy of the note from Miss Virginia, & put my manuscript copy of it under enveloped to Harriet, that is to be mailed to-morrow, & will contain your letter to me of 28/29 ulto. [28/29 May] (which I gave to Matthew today for the edi= =fication of the ladies at No. 62) & will also contain press copy of Nan’s of 11th ulto., [11 May] & a note from me that I completed ‘ere I left the office at 1/2 past 4 to walk home to dinner. –

Sarah had only just come in before I got home, & still had her bonnet on, when I went up stairs to wash my beard & paws before dinner.

She afterwards told me that she had been over to Hawkshirst [Hawkhurst?] to enquire after Mrs. Duer. She did not see her, but had a chat with Sarah Duer, who reported no change in her mother’s con= =dition. –

I remarked to Sarah that I hoped she would take an early opportunity of going up to Colum =bia College to report tidings, thro’ Nan, as to Mrs Martin. – She said she had already named these tidings in her conversation with Sarah Duer, & as there was daily intercourse between Hawshirst [Hawkshirst] & the College, that that would answer. – I observed that when we considered how much we were in[struck-through] indebted to Mrs. Martin, there seems to me

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a call for a direct [underscored] communication to the family at the College. – Sarah rejoined that it had seemed to her that her visits there on former occasions were never welcome, so she did not like to go, but that she would write a note to Mrs. Cha[rle]s King; & I agreed that that would answer quite as well as a call, if not better. –

We had a large dish of Strawberries to breakfast this morning, as is my desire & request every morn= =ing as long as they are in season & can be had by the venders passing our door. And as I was about to distribute them at the commencement of break =fast in 4 equal portions, William was beginning to attack a jar of preserves, which seemed to me a superfluity,& called forth the remark (which I had perhaps better have kept to myself) that one of my objects in requesting an abundant supply of fresh Strawberries for breakfast, was to prevent all of the preserves being “gobbled up” before your return. Like your remark about the outside [underscored] of the Loaf, he took offense at it, saying nothing however in reply, but refusing to touch either the Strawberries or the Preserves. – But his wrath did not last long.

                        to

At dinner today, he took ^ his quota of the Straw =berries as kindly as the rest of us. And when I passed a full decanter of Port to Walker who sat at my left for him to help Sarah thereto (it was not the old decanter, but one of these ponder= =ous new ones) – I had to administer a rebuke to him for his laziness & want of good manners for he merely passed the decanter to her without of= =fering his aid, or even looking at her as he

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moved it within her reach. She made a motion towards helping herself, evidently disliking the effort of lifting so heavy a bottle; when I at once broke out – “Why don’t you act like a gentleman, & help your Sister to the wine?” – This remark was well rec[eive]d all round; & he, in good humour [‘good humour’ underscored] at once jumped on his feet, & did as I desired. –

When I came down stairs to dinner Walker & W[illia]m were in the front parlour, & one or other of them gave me the letter from James which had been left for me at the house today. I read it before I sat down to dinner; & the request it contained, that I would go & see, at once, Mr. Mager at the N[ew] York Hotel, did not please me; for I felt averse to doing so, & partly because I felt tired with my day’s work, & disinclined to turn out until I had had T[ea], & then I wanted to call in Irving Place to get back your letter. I also felt some little annoyed at the fate of Louisa’s bottle of Peppers; - & the weather was dismal & dispiriting, dark & inclined to drizzle, so that we had the gas lighted for dinner; the Therm[omete]r -62, at sunrise had not risen above 63. –

After dinner I put on a light overcoat for warmth, & unobserved by the rest, I went up stairs to my room & ensconced myself comfortably in the easy chair. -so comfortably indeed, that being wholly undis =turbed, I slept there (wholly in the dark) & did not wake up until Nature refused further sleep. I then lighted a candle & was shocked to find it was within 5 or 10 minutes of 10! – But I at once determined I would act on James’ request, & go

[last 2 lines are from bottom of page 2]

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(5) late as it was, to the N[ew] Y[ork] Hotel, for the chance of finding Mr. Mager. – I looked at the people out= =side & within the hall of the Hotel, & seeing no one I knew, I went to the office, where they said he was staying at the house, but was not within at pres- -ent; so I left my card. – As I was passing out again a gentleman whom I had observed seated on one of the sofas in the Hall as I went in, rose & accosted me, & it was Mr. Mager. – He is wearing his beard in full like myself, but every part of his is as white as snow! - & his physi- -ognomy is more changed by this appendage than my own; but he is looking very well. – We had a friendly talk for upwards of 1/2 an hour -& in the course of it I asked him to dine with us tomorrow, but he said he was engaged.

He arrived in the steamer “Mississippi” yester =day, which had the unprecedentedly short pass -age of 5 days & 17 hours [‘5...hours’ underscored] (but brought no mail -only a few newspapers;) and he is going off on Wed[nesday] in the Persia. – I learnt from him who this Mr. Adams is – or at least some little about him – who is Rutson’s “silent partner.” Mr Ma= =ger says he is a pleasant, “decent” [underscored] person (rather an odd phrase) & is the son in law of old Mr. Frelsen, whom I remember by name as a Cotton factor, I sometimes bo[ugh]t cotton from

Altogether my interview with Mr. Mager was pleasant enough – perhaps the more so from my long nap having put me into a good humour, & I am glad I had the opportunity of doing the civil thing. – I told him that David Spence is here with Mr. Mather (who returned from Boston today.) And he in turn told me that James had given him a letter to Mr. E. H. Hodgson.

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14th Sunday night. – I am mistaken as to Mr. Dennis Foley: - for he wrote the note yesterday in

                                               to do so

this room, [‘this room’ underscored] Ann inviting him ^ or he asking for writing materials, because she was either unwilling or unable to charge her memory with the verbal message.

This morn[in]g, we were not assembled at prayers until 1/2 past 8, or later, which was my fault, as I was the last to come down, & directly after breakfast I walked to Irving Place & back, to get your letter of 28/29 ulto [28/29 May] to enclose to Harriet; & I accomplished it in time for the two W’s [William and Walker] to take down to the P[ost] O[ffice], when they went to Trinity Church. –

It has been a beautiful bright day, the very opposite of yesterday in all respects. – Sarah & I went together in the morn[in]g to St. Tho[ma]s [church], & had the pew to ourselves, & we sat with Matthew during the Communion Service, & the attendance was numerous.

On Friday morn[in]g, I began to mow our grass plot with the round-of-bag knife, but did not accomplish quite 1/4th of the task; & during part of the trim I was thus occupied, the 2 W’s [William & Walker] were idly smoking their pipes. But I did not ask them, nor did I [struck-through] either of them offer to relieve me of the task. – This morning when I went out, I observed that the rest of the task had been completed by some one; & I presume it was done after dinner yesterday. – I afterwards learnt that William had been the operator, & thanked him accordingly.

Both the W’s [William & Walker] dined with us today; the dinner con= =sisting of roasted fore q[uarte]r of lamb, mint sauce, browned potatoes, green peas & salad – of all which I par

took – but I set aside my share of the rice pud

=ding & put it in the refrigerator for my tea. All was harmonious at dinner. – After dinner I took a seat L position, in Mr. Hutchison’s arm chair,

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with another chair beside me, “(Champs Elysees” fashion) on which I placed [?], snuff box, the volume of the County Parsons “graver thoughts,” 2 letters yet unopened that the 2 W’s [William & Walker] had brought up for me when they came to dinner. They were by a steamer that left N[ew] O[leans] on the 7th & arrived last night; & I then read them at my leisure & a page or two of the Gra= =ver Thoughts, when I fell asleep & did not wake up until 1/4 to 5. Soon after 5, I took a walk, court- =ing the shade as much as possible, for the 12 [degree] higher temperature, than yesterday & the occasional exposure to the sunshine made me feel hot & feverish, for want of perspiration. I walked to 32nd St; & on my way back, I called at Irving Place & sat 1/2 an hour, mostly with Miss Gilpin & her Mother, with the window wide open close beside us. Eliza =beth was occupied up stairs, as I afterwards found, writing a letter to Mary at her uncle Richard’s, -there having been 2 letters from Mary yesterday, the burden of which I know nothing about. When Eliza =abeth came down, she gave to her Sister what she written to read; & being approved of, it was put into the envelope, & I was requested to post it at the Bible House on my way home, or before 9 p. m. They pressed me to take T[ea], but I declined. Not being satisfied that Station D, was the right spot for posting letters on Sunday, I br[ough]t the letter here first & consulted that printed P[ost] O[ffice] statement in your large envelope box. – It left me in the dark, except that it said that on Sundays there was but one [underscored] collection of letters from the Lamp-posts, [underscored] & that that is at 8.15 p.m. Aunt E[lizabeth] said you had told here [second ‘e’ struck-through] that letters put in at Station D at [struck-through] before 9 p. m. on Sundays would go just

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the same as if posted at the principal office down town. – On my asking Sarah, she said it was so.

I accordingly took the letter there after our T[ea]; but before posting it, I observed a person belong- =ing to an adjoining shop, trying the fasten- =ings of doors & windows; so I asked him; & he at once told me that on Sunday [underscored] evenings, the Lamp-posts [underscored] were the only [underscored] places for posting letters inasmuch as nobody ever came to Station D office, to reopen it, until Monday. I therefore did as he directed, & posted the letter at the lamp post at the S[outh] W[est] corner of the Bible House.

That momentous business concluded, I pursued my walk & entered the enclosure in Union Square intending to proceed to Irving Place, & report progress. But I thought I would go first & make a short [underscored] call upon Mr. & Mrs. Kennedy; & I did so. The “short call” proved a very long [‘very long’ underscored] one; for when I left & got into the St[reet], I pulled out my watch & was shocked to find it was 1/2 past 10!!!

We got to talking about No[rth] & So[uth] - & Negro Slavery. – Mr. K[ennedy] said that the slaves at the So[uth] were in a condition infinitely superior to the Slaves in Africa. I said, “no doubt [‘no doubt’ underscored] they are.” He said that in physical comforts they were better off than many, if not the mass, of the labouring population in England Scotland or Ireland. – I said, “if we admit this, still I am satisfied you could not find a man [‘you...man’ underscored] in England Scotland or Ireland, willing to exchange places with them! [‘willing...them’ underscored] He admitted that the Slaves ought to be so far educated as to become

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(9) susceptible of religious instruction. –

I learnt from him, what I had not known before, that the father of Bradish Johnson

                               many years ago

had, like Ja[me]s H. Shepherd, introduced ^ the system of “task-work,” & pay[men]t for over-work, on his L[ouisian]a Sugar Estate, & that it had worked very well. – I said that I considered that [underscored] the only safe & sure method of reaching emanci= =pation with benefit either to the Slaves or their masters.

I learnt from Mr. K[ennedy] that since my visit to them on Thursday night, she had had one from a lady who arrived from N[ew] O[rleans] in the fast st[eame]r, along with Mr. Mager; & that from her she had rec[eive]d confirmation of what Mrs. Pollard had written to her as to their son Duncan being induced to leave N[ew] O[rleans], & that when he went he expected to live at Mobile. [Alabama] – She said that the last letter from him announced the death of his only son, aged 10, & that this lady had attended the funeral after that date. He said nothing in his letter as to being ordered to leave. His Sister in law was still living, but sinking under pul= =monary consumption. His wife is as fat as ever, indeed morer Mrs. K[ennedy] said. She is much fatter than Mrs. K[ennedy] herself.

And now for my 2 letters today. One of them is a page of “words,” [underscored] but barren of ideas, from Rutson, dated 6th inst.; [6 June] & the other from Mrs. Cox, dated Oakwood 5th inst. [5 June] – R[utson] says “How we are as dull as possible [struck-through] can be; no news of any description \ whereas the letters from both Ja[me]s & Mrs. Cox, and the newspapers all shew that N[ew] O[rleans] was then

                       true or false

teeming [underscored] with news, ^ but it was of that nature that R[utson] did not, as I suppose, think fit to write about. \

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His concluding paragraph is; “Ja[me]s & family all well” \ which don’t tally with James’ report of Lou= =isa \ “I have had another spell of pleurisy; but am daily getting free from pain. Weather very hot. No news from the river.” \ per-contru [contra]: - Mr. Mager reported him very well, & I presume that with his habit of exaggerating any ailment to himself or others, R[utson]’s “pleurisy” was an ordinary cold. \

                              to me recently 

Mrs. Cox speaks of a letter from her ^ that contained one for Mrs. Lewis; and it has never reached me, - just as in the case of James’ long letter written about a week before that of the 5th inst. [5 June] – And W[illia]m suggests tampering [underscored] at the P[ost] O[ffice] at N[ew] York; but if anywhere I should suppose it was at N[ew] Orleans [underscored]

She acknowledges my photograph, which neither of the lads do. – Mr. [underscored] C[ox] approves of the beard, & Mrs. C[ox] thinks I ought to make it all of one & the same colour, either all dark or all white. Of course I shall not dye the white, nor shall I interfere with nature’s own work in allowing other parts to remain of the darker hue; - for it will all turn white (like Mr. Mager’s) quite fast enough.

The most interesting part of her letter is the following, & it vexes me: - [‘it...me’ underscored] “We have nothing “from Mr. R[utson] M[aury] J[unio]r since the letter to Mr. Cox, which “astonished us so much. – Mr. Cox did not reply “to it; & we know not if he has brought suit, or not; - neither do we care, except on his own account. If you have any curiosity on

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the subject, Mr. Cox or I will give you a statement of the business from first to last. “ –

I shall not [underscored] ak[struck-through] ask for any statement from either of the litigants; but I am sorry he has been acting in this foolish way; & like enough he is too, & this may account for his 31 days silence.

Perhaps he is vexed that Mrs. C[ox] did not (for I understood from her that she did not) return his wife’s call. – He has a most unhappy knack of quarrelling with his best friends.

Mr. Kennedy tells me that he believes Mr. W. M. Montgomery is still at N[ew] O[rleans], & he things Johnathan is there too. He says that R[utson] & Shepherd left N[ew] O[rleans] several years ago, & took up his abode at Shepherdstown in Virginia. –

15th – Noon – 5 Hanover St – It is a decidedly warmer day than yesterday, but I feel far more comfortable, having walked down, & thus brought out the cooling [underscored] perspiration,

This morning’s papers contain an account of the first depredations of the Confederate st[eame]r “Georgia” (alias Ja= =pan “Capt[ain] [William Lewis] Maury.” – I could not but contrast it with the long & peaceable career of the ship [underscored] “Georgia” named by our Father & afterwards by Andrew Low & Co. – Matthew tells me that at an Insurance Office this morning, he fell in with the Master of the vessel that brings this report from Bahia [Brazil] of the doings of the “Georgia.” He says that she had begun to coal there from a vessel purposely sent out from England to supply her & the Alabama, which was also then at Bahia [Brazil], & that the American Consul at that port having protested & applied the local authorities, as well as to the Brazil Gov[ernmen]t, these authorities had removed the coaling ship from alongside of the Georgia, & placed a gun boat between the two, until an answer to the Consul’s application should come from head quarters. No answer had come before he sailed, & meanwhile both Georgia & Alabama remained in port.

Nan will feel unhappy when she hears of these doings of the Georgia – far more so than you or I do. –

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Jody will, I fancy, now feel an additional cause for caution & reserve –

              (the 10th)

Last week for one day ^ , Gold was down to 40. On Saturday it opened at 42 & closed at 43. this morning it opened at 44, & at noon had risen to 46 X Last week’s rise was from the delay on capturing Vicksburg & Port Hud =son, & the supposed risk of Grant’s & Banks’ forces being at =tacked in the rear & compelled to raise the siege. Today’s advance is produced by intelligence from another quarter – vizt. the advance of Lee’s army with the intent, apparently of crossing the upper Potomac, to invade Pennsylvania! [‘invade Pennsylvania’ underscored] So we are on the eve of another great battle between Lee & Hooker; - & the Pennsylvanians are bestirring them =selves to do what they can to repel invasion. – Thus it seems that the summer is to be spent like the last one, in cutting throats! - & all to shew “which is the best man” [which...man’ underscored] – the Northerner or the Southerner.

                                night

As I walked home from 16th Str. last ^ the current of by conversation there with Mr. & Mrs. Kennedy had me to philosophising upon the War; and I came to the conclusion that Peace & War were like Good & Evil, and that in order to set a proper value upon the former we much have experience of the latter. – The same also must be said of Union & Disunion. – It is of the very essence of Human Nature to be ever try= =ing experiments; if we could be content to let well alone Adam & Eve would have remained in Paradise.

[Marginalia left side]

 X  & in the afternoon to 47

[Marginalia – bottom of page]

June Minimum Maximum 10 62 1/2 79 1/2 11 67 75 1/2 12 66 74 1/2 13 62 63 14 59 75 15 64 1/2 84 16 66 1/2 77 1/2 17 63

deaths for week ending in 1863 June 6th – 350

“    13 – 406 

and last year June 7th – 315

     14 – 335 

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4th St Monday night [4...night’ underscored] Altho’ there was no special cause; yet as I had nothing else to do, I began a reply to Mrs. Cox’s letter of the 5th, about 4 p. m., whilst the matters she treats of are fresh in my memory & dismissing John [Russell] at 1/2 past 4, I remained at the office, thus employed until past 5, & then rode home to dinner. The 2 W’s [William & Walker] were amusing themselves in bathing & in rigging themselves out in light summer toggery. – Walker looked somewhat like a harlequin, with some old pants on that fitted

             were

him once, but ^ now tight to the skin; & it was an

                                      at & after dinner

endless source of mirth to all 3 of these juveniles ^ It was thus past 6 when we sat down to dinner.

After dinner Sarah told me that she was at No. 62 Irving Place today, & remained there a long time, waiting to see Miss Gilpin, but left without seeing her. – After Miss G[ilpin] had gone out, a letter came for her from Miss Mary Henrietta; & Aunt E[lizabeth] was so impatient to learn its contents, that she open =ed it. – Mary said in it that Miss Helen Fisher being still an invalid, tho’ not seriously [struck-through] dangerously, she had determined not to return to the Fishers, but to come direct [underscored] home from Houghton [Pennsylvania] in the latter part of the week. – Aunt E[lizabeth] observed to Sarah that this determination chimed in well with their own plans, for that with the view of carrying out the original design of a trip to the Falls of St. Anthony, [Minnesota] it had been resolved to order Mary home on Friday, but that the letter to this effect had not yet been written. –

After receiving this communication, & having some little other talk with Sarah, I read the paper a while & dropped into a nap, from which I was awakened about 8 or so, by Matthew using his stick to [administer?] a [greatle?] bastinado; & when I was well awake (tho’ not pleased thereat); he took a seat beside me, & informed me that he

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                          at 7 o clock

had made up his mind to set out ^ tomorrow morn =ing [‘tomorrow morning’ underscored] for Houghton [Pennsylvania], to bring Mary home: & having summoned Walker into the room for the purpose of having what he told me as to certain business matters requiring attention tomorrow & on Wednes= =day, he stated these, & took his leave. He said

                            the

nothing, neither did I , as to ^ Falls of St. Anthony [Minnesota] scheme; but remarked that it was unfit for Mary to be retuning alone, at the present time of hub= bub & excitement & confusion with this invasion of Pennsylvania. – Altho’ he said nothing to me on the subject, I suppose he had already pretty well

                   before he left the office

made up his mind to leave tomorrow ^ as he had made various preparations contingent thereon, & was in a fume at the continued absence of both Walker & John [Russell]; as at 2 p. m., he wanted $100 [underscored] of money (suitable for travelling) drawn from the Bank, which was done. – And I suppose when he got home, & learnt the contents of Mary’s letter & then talked with the ladies as to the squally aspect of affairs in P[ennsylvani]a as exhibited in this evenings papers, this plan for tomorrow was at once de- =termined upon. – No doubt it is today’s news, [‘today’s news’ underscored] & not any Falls of St. Anthony scheme that led do this decision, for with only the latter object in view, he would have remained here until the Persia had sailed & he had seen the Scotia’s letters; & so if he

        for Mary

went at all ^ it would have been on Thursday [underscored] morning, instead of Tuesday morning. – I quite approve of his decision, if only to remove any anxieties in Irving Place, where they would naturally recall to mind that most exciting time of the Harpers Ferry Insurrection, when Miss Gilpin & Mary were the guests of Mr. Horsey.

I have had a walk of over 2 miles since T[ea]

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to make up for 1 1/2 mile of riding [underscored] home to din= =ner; & it was during this walk, that I was remind =ed of that Harpers Ferry excitement.

I have now a double motive for an early break= =fast tomorrow; - for I have an appointment with young Dr. Parmley for 8 a. m. & have accordingly requested of all round, up stairs & down stairs, that breakfast shall be all ready not later than 1/4 past 7. –

William was at the office today twice, in quest of letters from St. Louis, & observed to me that he felt “rather [underscored] anxious” (which I interpreted as very [underscored] anxious) to hear from there; but he did not tell me why. [underscored]

Since Walker resumed has post – it is now just 1 week – he has not spent as much of his time within [underscored] the office as he ought to do, & has apparently been gadding about in matters that do not concern Maury Bro[ther]s. No doubt this arises more or less from the way he has spent his time in the last 5 mo[nth]s, & the habits of independence thus acquired. He has also acquired a still stronger taste for ugly & slovenly penmanship. – But I have not had any talk with him on these matters.

Tuesday noon – 16th – Office – I am now waiting for the letters via Scotia – she having arrived this morning. – I presume Matthew started this morn[in]g at 7, as he intended. –

Tuesday night – I had to stop after ending this last sentence, in order to read the letters via Scotia, including your long one, commenced 31 May & ended 5 June, which is truly pleasant & satisfactory in almost every respect with the exception of poor Mary Wakefield’s continued torture. – I wish I could devise any plan likely to afford relief to her – I am gratified with John Wakefield’s generosity, & think it may truly be said that Mytton

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is “in clover” – I like your plan of going with him to the Lakes, Edinburgh & Nairn. - & afterwards to Salis bury & Stonehenge; & I hope you won’t omit Winchester, [underscored] where you can spend a whole [underscore] day most delightfully. [‘most delightfully’ underscored]

The best inn at Salisbury is the White Hart, & at Winchester, & Winchester [‘& Winchester’ struck-through] I was struck with an enchant =ing ancient hostelry, called I forget what, but it was in the same street as the beautiful ancient fabric called the cross, or St. Mary’s cross. – If you should to Exeter, put up where Laura & I did, at the London [underscored] Hotel.

I had to wait at Dr. Parmley’s 20 or 25 minutes, be- =cause he had forgotten [underscored] his appointment! – I am to go to him again tomorrow morning at 8.

According to Matthew’s plan, he & Mary ought to reach Irving Place at 8 p. m. tomorrow, or thereabouts. Sarah, at my request, went there today, & she reported to me that Miss Gilpin was under great excitement & alarm. – I walked up there after T[ea] & spent over 1/2 an hour with them. – Miss Gilpin has made up mind that Harrisburg will be captured & the State House burnt! – It may be so; & I don’t consider it of any great consequence if it is. It would rouse the martial feeling in the State, & in the end react unfavorably upon the Rebel invaders. – Some half a dozen N[ew] Y[ork] State regiments are to start hence tomorrow for Pennsylvania, including the 7th. [‘the 7th’ underscored] One went to-day I believe. – Other States are active too, including N[ew] Jersey, I believe. There is a natural & my general desire to see McClellan reinstated; [‘McClellan reinstated’ underscored] seeing that Hooker’s generalship has so signally failed . But I do not think that Mr. Lincoln possesses the needful moral courage to do this. –

Vicksburg & Port Hudson are forgotten in the present excitement. It has stopped faction, I think, & im= =planted patriotism in its place. – If we could but have the cry of “McClellan to the rescue,” [‘Mc...rescue’ underscored] I think that crowds of soldiers recently returned home would flock to his standard. As a general rule all has gone on badly with the Union cause ever since Lincoln threw himself into the arms

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of the Abolitionists, & came out with that abom =inable Emancipation Proclamation. –

Gold opened today at 49 1/2, & by 1 p. m. or so was down to 47, when it rallied to 48 or more.

This afternoon William asked me to give or lend him $12; & I did so at once, without any remark; but I thought it shewed very plainly that all his gold operations have ended as I expected, in an empty pocket! – I have observed, for nearly a week past, that he has not hurried down to the off [‘the off’ struck-through] W[illia]m St[reet],as he had been in the habit of doing al =most the instant after swallowing his breakfast, but has taken his pipe leisurely with Walker; & that looks as tho’ his speculations in Gold had come to an end. – But he still passes the day amid the throng in W[illiam] St[reet] or in Mr. Munn’s office, I think.

I asked Sarah tonight whether she knew of any special [underscored] cause for his anxiety for letters from St. Louis. She said she did not. – I asked her whether he feared any molestation of Harriet or Frank. “No’ – she said – “I suppose it is merely because ‘there has been a longer interval than usual with- “=out letters from St. Louis.” –

Miss Maria Gregory & her older brother called this evening, when I was in the midst of my nap, & were still here when I turned out at 1/2 past 9 to walk to Irving Place.

Sarah brought me the following note today from Miss Gilpin written last evening, or sometime yesterday. “Dear friend I have received the enclosed $2 50/100 “from Mr. Fisher for Ann, for postages paid by “her in England, & will tell her in my note that “I have paid it over to you. – Mr. Fisher says; “Miss Maury tells me she has spent 6 sterl =lings & 8 pence Sterling, in Postage, which I must beg you to return to her. For this I

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enclose $2 50/100 in our Currency, which may perhaps a little more than pay the Sterling Money; if so this surplus pence can be given by her to any beggar or object of charity.”

Will you say this to Ann & do what you think proper with the money. –

I have written to Mrs. Swift at West Point for for [struck-through] Miss Jane Steers’ directions \\ to allow me to for =ward a letter from Mrs. Cox to Miss Steers \\ & I will let you know as soon as I have a reply. I did not see Sarah this morn[in]g, but rec[eive]d the message from he when I came in, & wrote at once.

Believe me very truly Y[our]s [S. L.?] Gilpin Monday June 15th – 62 Irving Place.” –

Tonight I told Miss Gilpin that I would get Walker to enter in our Books the $2.50 to your C[redi]t & my D[ebi]t. –

On Sunday evening Miss Gilpin told me she was about to write you a letter, for the Persia, & would get me to enclose it in mine; but it seems you will have to wait until her present excitement cools down. – I thought that my visit there tonight might perhaps exercise a beneficial moral effort; & that was my only motive in going; else I should have extended my walk to 30th St. or so, - as I rode both up & down to-day, to save time.

Before I left the office I wrote all the business letters for the Persia that were needful in Matthew’s absence, writing more than he asked me.

I disposed of your 2 notes promptly, to Mrs. King & Mrs. V[an] Rensselaer, before entering upon the perusal of your letter via Persia. I put that for Mrs. V[an] R[ensselaer] under an envelope to the Dr. [Van Rensselaer] with a few lines as to St. Th[oma]s [church] saying that Matthew had yet to see several gentlemen vault owners to learn their present views, & so had not yet replied to the [struck-through] [Dr ch..gan’s?] letter, & that Matthew’s

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notions tallied very closely with his own.

A bothering letter came today to Maury Bros. from one of the Internal Tax Assessors, requesting to know whether we had yet rec[eive]d any reply from Wash[ingto]n to a letter M[atthew} addressed to the head of that Department as to Duty we had paid to the Custom House on our Cotton. – It is a matter of rival jurisdiction between Customs & Excise, & has given M[atthew] a world of bother & plaque. The letter today insinuates that in default of reply from Wash[ingto]n to the contrary, the Assessor here must direct the District Attorney to commence suit against us! – I told the Clerk, who bro[ugh]t the letter, that M[atthew] was the party who had sole management of the matter, & that he had gone to-day to Pennslv[ani]a to bring his daughter home, but would call & see him on his return.

I asked Walker to-day whether he had tested my entries by Balancing the Books up to 6th inst (6 June). He said he had, & found all right save an error of 1 cent! [‘1 cent’ underscored] – which I was pleased to hear; & I then asked him (partly for the purpose of keeping him employed) to draw out a fair copy of the Balance Sheet for that date. –

Cotton has risen since last week, but the ad =vance is scarcely half as much as that in Gold. – I wish this Cotton was all sold so that we might rest on our [?] during the summer months. –

17th – 11 3/4 a.m. Dr. Parml[e]y was punctual this morn[in]g, & he finished all that was to be done at an expense of $6. – I then went back to 4th St. to read paper etc. and left there at 10 where Sarah was busy at her sewing machine, & had no commands for me. – The 2 W’s [William and Walker] were leav =ing the house at 9 a.m. when I came in

[Marginalia] He (Walker) had detected this 1c error & had corrected it

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There is no letter yet from St. Louis.

I could not resist copying Miss Lippett’s

        & satisfactory 

most interesting [‘most interesting’ underscored] letter to me this morn[in]g to go to you along with her note to you. I am pleased that I did not act altogether towards [struck-through] like the Levite & Priest towards “Miss B_”; but Miss Lippett is the good Samaritan in this case – not I; and she must feel herself now most amply rewarded; - but it will one server to make her now romantic [underscored] than ever.

The excitement as to Penn[sylvania] invasion is rapidly evaporating, & Gold rapidly declining. Gold closed at 5 p.m. yester =day at 48 1/8; opened this morn[in]g at 9 at 47 3/4 & has now 12 noon sunk to 45 5/8.

Yours affectionately Rutson Maury

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New York 13 June 1863

My dear Miss Virginia

I have received your not of yester= =day.

I suppose you have, since you wrote it, received further “advices” from a certain gentle= =man, either by a steamer that left Liverpool on the 27th or by the Africa that left there on 30th ulto [30 May]

                                            both

The letter by the one[‘the one’ struck-through] ^ were delivered here two days ago, & by [‘& by’ struck-through] the one before 4 p.m. & the other 3 or 3 hours later; & I was favored by both; - first came a letter of 3 pages from that lazy young gentleman, [Matthew] Fontaine [Maury], enclosing notes from himself to W[illia]m & Walker, & a thick letter from him addressed to Mrs. Louisa Maury, care of James Maury N[ew] Orleans – also a letter from his [Roommer?] to me of 27 May, & a wee [underscored] note (which I now enclose) from his Aunt, of the 26th - & was the pilot-balloon of the voluminous dispatch from her to me of 28/29th which reached me a few hours later & is replete with varied & interesting matter.

I might perhaps enclose you this long letter also; but it has not yet gone the rounds of the family.

I am happy to tell you that she seems to have got over the trouble with her eyes. – She says (on 28th) “I took my eye-water in my bag & bathed my eyes much on the journey. – I still use the remedies, tho’ I am so much better that I believe it is unnecessary to I [struck-through] make any further application.” –

Perhaps you have never met with the enclosed lines. If I had time I would have presented you with a fairer or more legible copy. – They are copied from a slip I cut out of the

P.S. Sarah had a letter yesterday afternoon, of 2 pages from Nan dated [Milton? ] 11 May – One of her boys was rather unwell from intermittent [?], otherwise [?] [?] well

[Marginalia] N[ew] York Express 5 mo[nth]s ago. – I think they deserve to take rank with “Grays Elegy,” Y[our]s affectionately R[utson] Maury] Ann had had no reply from Mytton to his note of the 26th – but no doubt he will gladly accept the free & kind in= vitation.

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(Copy) Postmarked Hastings upon Hudson [New York] [‘Post...Hudson’ underscored] Friday June 12th. –

My dear Mr. Maury I received the letters safely, and hasten to return them with many thanks. – I am sorry to see that Miss Maury [Ann] must have suffered very much with her eye. – I hope however that long ‘ere this, she has regained her usual health. – Please do not think that I ever should be tired of reading any letter that you may write to me. – You will not mention such a thought again. – While writing to you I did feel a little timid about it, & feared being tiresome: - for we never have had any conver= =sation together, and I scarcely knew what you might think of me: - but I felt so glad to get a letter from you, & to see that you were interested in me, that I took courage.

I expect a letter today, & should have de= =ferred sending this until the latest news came; but I thought you might want the letters you sent, returned as soon as possible.

We shall look for you on the 27th.

Yours affectionately Virginia Draper

I write on only half a sheet, for fear of making the letter to heavy.