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[1]
via [Steamer] Africa 4th St[reet] [New York, NY] Sunday night 2nd Aug[us]t [18]63
Dear Ann – I enclose copies of letters I rec[eive]d yesterday from Miss Lippett & Louisa, & the letter itself that I rec[eive]d today from V[irgini]a Draper.
Today has been decidedly our warmest this simmer – my 2 thermometers reaching 89 [degrees] by the mercury & 90 by the spirit. –
We were late at breakfast this morn[in]g – after 9 - & so when we dined at 1 3/4, I abstained
& wine
from meat ^ , & partook only of potatoes, toma- =toes & cucumbers; & as usual when the tem- =perature is very high I found no difficulty in digesting the cucumber. –
Walker did not go off anywhere into the country yesterday; but today he went after dinner to Brooklyn [NY], to call on Dr. Minor, & he told Sarah he should perhaps spend the night at Brooklyn: so he has not come back, & as it is now past midnight, he won’t.
After T[ea] Sarah & W[illia]m went to the St. Nicholas [church] & paid a long (& hot) visit to Maria Gregory. W[illia]m has not told me yet when he intends to start for St. Louis [MO]. –
I have not left our own premises today, except to go with Sarah to S[ain]t. Tho[ma]s [Church] – Both Dr. Morgan & his Assistant seemed very much overcome by by the heat; & I felt sorry for the former, by reason if his Wig [underscored]. – The Assistant preached a short sermon of but 20 to 25 minutes; on which he spoke of the weather today as “inclement!”
[2]
Mr. Lincoln’s
The services on the 6th - ^ Thanksgiving Day – are to begin at 9 1/2 a.m. at S[ain]t. Tho[ma]s [church] – How the young people will spend that day – not knowing , can’t say.
Matthew told me yesterday that he is to see some one on Monday as to building a Vault in our purchased lot at Greenwood.
We hear nothing further since May as to the sale of S[ain]t Tho[ma]s [church]; & Matthew has never sent any reply yet to Dr. Morgan’s letter on the subject.
July & Aug.[ust] Min[imu]m Maximum
J[uly] 29 75 80 1/2 30 74 1/2 82 31 74 1/2 82 A[ugust] 1 75 84 2 78 89 3 80 90 1/2 4 80
Mortality in week ending 1 Aug[us]t [18]63 – 722 2 d[itt]o [18]62 – 457 3 d[itt]o [18]61 – 585 4 d[itt]o [18]60 – 497 6 d[itt]o [18]59 – 625
This week for 5 years & less 486 & [?]; infant – 189
3rd Aug[us]t – 5 Hanover St[reet] [New York, NY] – Matthew is here today
& brings me a few lines from Elizabeth. All well, but
there as elsewhere, all complaining of the heat
yesterday. – I have written a note & posted it this
afternoon to John Barter 104 Harrison St[reet], Brooklyn [NY],
asking him to call here between 11 & 1 to=
=morrow as we want to arrange with him to
build us a Vault at Greenwood. – Matthew
has a letter from Mrs. H. D. Gilpin this afternoon,
dated yesterday at Long Branch [NJ], the main
object of which is to say that Mr. Macalister has
remitted to Mrs. Gilpin a check of $1250 for her
yearly income ( I posted the letter for Mrs. G[ilpin] on
Saturday) that she herself & party are to leave
L[ong] B[ranch] [NJ] on Wed[nesday] intending to go up the Hudson [River] in the
even[in]g boat of Wednesday for Albany [NY], en route for
Saratoga [NY] & she wants him to send one of his young
men to engage in her name 3 State Rooms on said
evening boat, & to advise her of the fact so
[3]
Walker is now writing at M[atthew]’s dictation a note to this troublesome sister in law of his. –
I enclose another Stillwater [MN] letter of 27th ulto [27 July] from Harriet. I fear she will find S[ain]t Louis [MO] very hot, but her journey will have been accomplished I trust, during the cooler weather last week.
Very unexpectedly I have this morning your long letter of 20/21 ulto. [20/21 July] (via Southampton st[eame]r “America” of 22nd) when you were on the point of starting for Salisbury. [UK] – I hope you may have succeeded in your object in this troublesome & painful mis= =sion, & found your journey in other respects pleasurable, & that you saw Stonehenge.
I think some earwig [struck-through] ear-wig must have been at work upon M[atthew] F[ontaine] [Maury] to prevent his coming to see you in Chester Square [London, UK]. But perhaps it was simply his own conscience [underscored]. – I can only feel very sorry for him; as I must look upon him as a ruined man, allied as he is to a cause that must end in ruin. –
I am rather surprised at your taking no notice of the news of the surrender of Vicks =burg [MS] that has produced so great a sensation all over England. – But I suppose you were so busy preparing for your journey that you had not looked at the newspapers.
4th Aug[us]t – Office – After 2 cups of T[ea], I took a quiet stroll to 23rd St[reet] & back, & then another cup, cold. I was so wringing wet from head to food, which oper =ated on me like setting the bulb of the Therm[omete]r, that ‘ere long, I had to change all my garments. At mid= =night before going up stairs to bed I went into the porch & found the Therm[omete]r 85 [degrees] & that in the house under the Barometer was 87 or 88 [degrees]; yet I slept very soundly, with only one nap, until 6. - I slept under a single sheet for the first time this year. – The wind has changed today to N[orth] E[east]. There is a delightful out of doors, tho’ not in this hot office, & it is 5 [degrees] cooler than at this hour yesterday. There were
[4]
were 30 cases of sun-stroke in this city yesterday.
All are well in 4th St[reet] [New York, NY], except Ann Nugent; about 4 p.m. yesterday she was taken sick – English sick – “vomito,” but Sarah prescribed for her, & the prescription answered, & she is greatly better, all but well today. –
4.50 p.m. – Matthew has left for Corn =well [NY] to return on Friday. – The Vault- -builder from Brooklyn [NY] has not called today. – If he calls tomorrow he will be requested to come on Monday, as Matthew will be too busy to talk with him on Fri= =day. –
Cotton advances. The 200 bales we sold 8 days ago at 61¢ would now bring 64¢. – Gold today is at 128.
Cha[rle]s V[an] Ness took T[ea] with us last ev[en]ing. He said his sister had left Saratoga [NY], & is at or near Albany [NY]. –
The [steamer] Arabia’s news, to 25th ulto. [25 July] is in this mornings papers, but I suppose she won’t bring me any letter from you.
I have been writing some business letters & that disqualifies me for writing to you. – I sent up a long note by M[atthew] to Elizabeth telling her if she wants a private hand [‘private hand’ underscored] for England, Mr. D[avid] Spence & Mr. Mather are going back via [steamer] Scotia, 12th inst. [12 August] Y[ou]rs affectionately R[utson] Maury
[5]
via [steamer] Morning Star (rec[eive]d 1st Aug[us]t) [‘(...)’ underscored] N[ew] Orleans 24 July 1863
Dear Uncle Rutson – I am your debtor for two letters, received by the two last steamers – the last enclosing $50, for which I hardly know how to thank you. – It would be almost impossi =ble for it to arrive at a time when it was more needed, or better appreciated. – Your letter with the enclosure was received one day, when, on account of bad news, and (I am ashamed to confess it) of a very melancholy dream, I felt in very low spirits. But I no sooner read your kind wishes & discovered your great practical kindness, than my despondency was changed to cheerfulness.
My own family being limited to two members besides myself, it gives me great pleasure to be treated as one of my husbands fam= =ily. Mrs. Macmurdo has heard several times from Mr. Macmurdo since I wrote: he was improving in health; - but she appre= =ciated your kindness none the less.
My Brother’s wound proved very slight. He was well in a few days. – I have heard nothing from his Regiment since the bat= =tle at Winchester [VA]. He was then safe.
This evening’s paper mentions Harry Maury as being badly wounded at Jackson [MS]. (William tells me it was only a very slight [‘very slight’ underscored] wound, by a ball grazing his neck or
shoulder. –
I suppose you know that Dabney Maury is in command at Mobile [AL]. He has issued an order calling upon the citizens to arm themselves in anticipation of an attack from [General U.S.] Grant, who, he says, has displayed celerity & skill.
In regard to selling Honey, the truth is that people have no money to spend in luxuries of any sort. Persons, who, one year ago, would have taken 10 tbs [tablespoons], now deny themselves even 1 tbs [tablespoon]
Mrs. Pollard & Mary are still here. – The health of the former is very poor indeed, & I think she will soon have to make some change. The effects of the great fatigue she underwent during Mr. Pollard’s long sickness, are now becoming visible: - but I think a change of air would soon restore her.
Please tell William that I will write in a few days to him, & that I am in hopes of being able to send his Clothes soon.
I would not now be surprised to hear of his being in St. Louis [MO] now that the [Mississippi] River is open \ My little girl is quite well & very lively. She is greatly delighted with a doll’s bed which James has made her, & which , if it does not display much artistic finish, answers the purpose of amusing her \ Remember me most kindly to the different members of the family, & with many, many thanks for your great kindness, believe me yours affectionately Louisa Maury.
[6]
Newport [RI] July 31 Rec[eive]d 1 Aug[us]t
My dear friend Your most kind letter has been forwarded to me, and I cannot wait for a more convenient sea= =son, as regards eyes [underscored], to thank you for it & the tempting invitation to come to 4th St[reet] [New York, NY] & be a partaker of your hospitality.
From the generous gift of dear Miss Maury’s friend I have been induced to try a change of air & scene & diet for my health. – Thus far, of 10 days, I have experienced no benefit, on account of the dampness; but shall con= =tinue a few days longer, with the hope of realising some improvement in strength & weather. [underscored] –
You very kindly offer to allow me to keep your invi= =tation to the Autumn; and should my poor eyes hold out to see, [underscored] I may hope for such enjoyment as you pro= =pose to me. – It is well under the continued depression of ill health to have a future of hope [underscored] to gild the inter= =vening time. – The better [underscored] hope of an eternal future I want to fill all my heart; & if that hope is not always bright, yet its dimness is better than to have it quite des= =troyed.
My regards to Sarah & Walker & William – the latter of whom I have only seen once, and with much love & gratitude to yourself & Sister I am your sincere friend L. A. Lippett
