.NDgz.NjQ4
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via [steamer] Scotia 4th St[reet] [New York, NY] Monday night 10 Aug[us]t 1863
Dear Ann
The above will shew you our weather & the conse= =quent large increase of mortality in the past week.
Today the Greenwood Vault-builder [Green-wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY] called; & Matthew & he had a long talk. All was arranged between them, except putting down things in black & white, which will be done to-morrow. The cost of making the vault in one of the 2 lots, to admit of 22 inter- =ments, will be $550, & the iron fence (of galvanized iron, so as not to rust, & not require painting) will be $150. All all is to be completed & ready for use, not later than 1 Oct[obe]r.
On Saturday Mr. Mather called, & took up much of my time, but I felt he had a right to it, & so manifested no impatience. He said that he did not expect David [Spence] here before Monday, & that David [Spence] had decided not to go with him on the [steamer] Scotia, but to remain a while longer on this side. Imprimis, I asked him to dine with us on Sunday, though I would much prefer having the day to myself. He accepted & lo & behold, when I went down stairs to receive him yester =day, I find David [Spence] with him, which I was glad of, as it was easier to entertain two than one; & the dinner went off all the more cheerfully & mirthfully (for the young [underscored] people) in consequence.
Mather
After Mr. H [struck-through] ^ had left the office on Saturday, I had to finish reading a long letter I had rec[eive]d from Mrs. Pollard, in
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August Mini[mu]m Maxi[mu]m
4 80 85 5 76 1/2 86 6 76 86 7 74 1/2 85 8 76 84 9 76 88 1/2 10 78 88 1/2 11 81 ½
Mortality week end[in]g 1 Aug[us]t – 722 8 – d[itt]o – 970
Aug[us]t 5 & under chol[era] [inft?] 1st 486 189 8th 538 180
Comparison with same week in previous y[ea]rs
Date Whole No. 5 & under chol[era] [inft?] Aug[us]t 8 [18]63 970 538 180 “ 9 [18]62 568 342 136 “ 10 [18]61 698 not stated “ 11 [18]60 654 389 132 “ 13 [18]59 661 448 127 “ 7 [18]58 679 195 “ 8 [18]57 551 363 115 “ 9 [18]56 627 463 “ 11 [18]55 592 --- 114 “ 12 [18]54 1050 --- 50
Of this week’s mortality 134 are from Sun-stroke [‘134...stroke’ underscored] The increase over last week is not [underscored] mostly in children or those of 5 & under, but in older [underscored] persons. – In [18]54 at this time Asiatic cholera was epidemic here. – The present week’s mortality now that we have no epidemic is under such circumstances quite unprecedented.
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which she enclosed one for her nephew, William Adams, the surviving brother, which I put into the P[ost] O[ffice] (via John Russell) & 2 letters of 26 & 28 June from her daughter Virginia, evidently written at Richmond [VA]. Had the weather been cooler, I would have liked to have made a copy of Virginia’s 2 letters, before I sent off (as desired) the originals to Sam: - She alone had come in to Richmond [VA]. Ellen having remained with her Aunt in Alab[am]a. – She had already gone to work, writing from 9 a.m. till 9 p.m. at a Salary of $900. \ W[illia]m says this writing is filling up the blanks in the C[onfederate] S[tates] currency \ Of course this $900 is wretchedly poor pay – much on a par with the $1.50 p[er] week in pay to John Russell: for I observed lately that at Mobile [AL] the price of a shirt is $ 2 1/2 in Greenbacks, but $25 in C[onfederate] S[tates] currency! – Old Mrs. Richardson was quite well – brisk & lively. Mrs. Gwathmey had been staying with her, but had gone into the country before Virg[ini]a had arrived. Theo= =dore Gwathmey is sick; his brother Rob[er]t has grown up into a fine handsome young man. – Mrs. Doswell is keeping house in Richmond, but was then away in the country. No mention made of her husband or children. Mrs. J. P. Taylor is very [underscored] little, if any, [underscored] better mentally. She & Mr. T[aylor] had gone up the Country as they did last summer. Edward Pollard had resigned his post, as Surgeon I presume, in the So[uthern] Army, to enable him to go to Mobile & look after his Mother. But she seems indisposed to cross [tho-?]
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[Robison?]. – Bob is West of the Missi[ssippi] – doing Guerilla The Richardson’s were very very kind to her, & so was “cousin R,” whom I infer to be Mr. Randolph, who married the widow you wanted me to marry. - & his is the only [underscored] person V[irgini]a talks with who does not urge Mrs. P[ollard] to leave N[ew] O[rleans] [LA] at once & come into Dixie. – He says there is trouble everywhere, & that she had better remain in N[ew] O[rleans] [LA] -& that advice was given when people in Richmond [VA] were expecting a different termination to [General Robert E.] Lee’s invasion, & that Vicksburg [MS] & Port Hudson [LA] wound continue to bid defiance to [General U.S.] Grant and [General Nathaniel P.] Banks.
After I had got thro’ with Virginia’s & her Mother’s letters, I turned to & wrote in reply to Sam; giving him , with pain & grief to me 4 pages which along with his sisters’s 2 letters & the bills for his 6 mo[nth]s subscri [ption] to Weekly Herald $1-, & [“La Coonica”?] (a Spanish paper here) $5.50; left me just $60 in Greenbacks, which
him
I told ^ I should remit this week to his Mother.
Last night I wrote to her “fully, freely &c” – and on second thoughts, instead of the $60 only, I added $40 of my own, & thus sent her today $100.-
Today I have been writing to James 4 pages which I posted on my way to dinner, & filled for the most part with the result of your investigations at Salisbury [England] & my own com =ments thereon. – I urge him not to speak to Louisa on this subject until her confinement is over & she has recovered.
11 Aug[us]t – Tuesday night – I enclose a characteristic note from Mrs. Turner, of 2 pages in return for 8 [underscored] or more from me.
copy of
-also ^ Miss Caroline E. Morrill’s acknowledgment of the $50 Loan. – She seems a good specimen of the Yankee [underscored] race – or combination of good feeling & good sense, with no small spice o f sturdy independence. – Of course I make no reply to her present note.
There are letters for you from Elizabeth & Mary, written under the alluring temptation of a “private hand,” thro’ Mr. Spence as they imagined. – Mr. Mather would take this letter very willingly, but I have contented myself with make him useful only for 1d letter
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to Rob[er]t Such, & 1d envelope to you containing a printed docu =ment for Rev[eren]d Mytton Maury, which was left at our Office 1 week ago or less. - \\ Matthew got the black & white from the Vault con= =struction today. – The fence may not be ready by 1 Oct[obe]r, but the Vault itself will be. \\ - At the Office, which I did not reach until past noon, I found your Worthing letter of 25/27 ulto. [25/27 July] via [steamer] Saxonia - containing your letter for Mrs. Arthur, & a little note from Mytton to William. –
It was monstrously hot & stifling in our office until at last a thunderstorm bust on us at 2 p.m. – I never saw a greater fall of rain in 1/2 an hour. – all I did at the office was to reply to your Miss Morrill’s note, & to write 1 page to Rob[er]t such. – He says in his letter of 28 July that he lately addressed a newspaper to you by way of showing you his whereabouts – “12 Portland Place, Leamington” [England] – it is a house he has bought [underscored] with a garden at= =tached ot it. –
I hope you would soon be recl [struck-through] relieved of your anxieties as to the Riot by receiving my letter via steamer of 15 July.
The [steamer] China arrived this afternoon, was to be up to the city by 5 & her letters to be delivered between 6 1/2 & 7: - so I rode down town after dinner; but had my journey for nothing, as the letters won’t be delivered until tomorrow morn[in]g. – I managed however to get inside of Mr. Arthur’s law office – 82 Nassau St[reet] – as it was being sought by a woman, & I left your note in one of the desks. – I did not know his address until Sarah told me at dinner, else I w[oul]d have sent your letter there during business hours today. – After this visit down town I stretched out at full length in my bed, clad in a night shirt & a light p[ai]r drawers, & had a magnificent sleep of 2 hours. –
Our cousin M[atthew] F[ontaine] M[aury]’s note to you is unsatisfactory. You might tell him, as I did Sam Pollard 3 days ago – “Your views are Sectional: [underscored] - mine are National.”[underscored] –
It is not usual to find a talent both for Science & for Statesmanship in the same individual. – I have always thought M[atthew] F[ontaine] [Maury] decidedly deficient in the latter, ever since.
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Copy [ underscored] Chicago [IL] 7th 11[struck-through] Aug[us]t [18]63 Rec[eive]d 11th [underscored]
Mr. Maury Dear Sir
I am very much obliged to you for your prompt & kindly reply – Your letter & the accompanying fifty dollars were received this morning – most opportunely, as I have just learned that my brother is in S[ain]t Louis [MO], seriously wounded, & I am anx= =ious to go to him.
It has indeed proved unfortunate for me that I did not sooner dispose of my Confederate money. – I suppose we must all lose something through this mournful War: and I shall be most happy if my share [struck-through] loss is nothing more precious than money.
With two brothers in the U[nited] S[tates] Army, & many valued friends on both sides, it is hardly to be expected.
I have a $50 Note of the Bank of the Valley, Winchester, V[irgini]a, some dollars in Alexandria Corporation Notes, & a few Virginia Treasury Notes, that I hope may at some time be of some value.
I had no thought of casting the slightest imputation upon Mr. Jesse
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Maury in any way. – I have never blamed him, even in thought. – He did the best he could for me, & only lamented it was not more; - though he was far from thinking my funds would be quite so valueless. He has always shewn himself the kindest & most generous of friends to me; & endeavored to provide for my future wants by giving me the benefit of his credit with his New York rela= =tives, begging me to use it when =ever I needed, & engaging to refund any sums I might draw. – This, however, I never mean to allow, if Heaven spares my health & strength.
For the Loan & the kind letter accompanying it, I am none the less grateful because it is only what Mr. Maury’s reputation among his kinsfolk had led me to expect. – very respectfully (signed) Caroline E. Morrill
To Mr. Rutson Maury New York
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Cornwall [NY] August 9th (1863)
My dear Ann
Mary has written you a nice description of her visit to Hattie Jones (Wyndcliffe) but the paper is so thin I fear you will scarcely be able to make it out. – We are all well – my mother keeps in good health though we have a much warmer summer than we had last year, the thermometer between 80 & 90 for days together and our bed rooms are very small – Our fellow boarders are as nice & pleasant as could be. Mrs. Curtis is delightful and Mr. Curtis always [underscored] courteous, gentleman like and good tempered. Mrs. Hoffman and he talk for hours about the old [residents ?] of N[ew] York [‘old...York’ underscored] – Mrs. [Heainey?] Rogers and he daughters are charming – the two Miss Harvey’s & Miss [...bel?] Rogers are here for two weeks, but in another house as we have no more rooms in ours. We thought Sarah would enjoy being here with the latter as she knows [struck-through] knew her at Miss
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[Haynes?] and Mary offered to share her bed & room with her for a week. We sent the invitation thro’ [underscored] Rutson as we did not wish to interfere with his convenience – he left it to her & he wrote me a very nice letter declining as she had promised you she w[oul]d not [spent?] a night away from home during your absence except at Miss Dunning’s –
I see Mary has forgotten to ask you (if you do not object to the trouble) to bring us [?][struck-through] a new “Writing Pad or Solid Blotter” – the one we have [?] [struck-through] here has been wet so many times by sudden showers [‘sudden showers’ underscored] pouring into our open windows night and a day, it is warped terribly and very uncomfortable to write upon. –
I have cut out a piece from our paper [‘our paper’ underscored] giving an insight into our Cousin T B; doing, which makes me feel that our cousins on both sides of the Atlantic are no longer congenial to us - that he is the owner [underscored] of the Vessel is I suppose not true or only in part, but that his is doing all he can
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to forward the rebel cause is I have no doubt entirely the case.
I think our cause is fast gaining ground – Vicksburg [MS] & Port Hudson [LA] in our hands – the Mississippi [River] free and they seem to be going steadily on at Charleston [SC], slowly but surely. You [underscored] must keep up a good heart all the time and never [underscored] believe the great false hoods the secessionists always get up ready for each steamer [‘always...steamer’ underscored] as it sails or else concoct in England – it must be rather hard not to give some credit to what every one around you is asserting as true – but do not [‘do not’ underscored] believe the bad accounts unless you hear them from Rutson or us – the ingenious falsehoods we read in the English papers are wonderful. With love from us all believe me my dear Ann Your affectionate E[lizabeth] M[aury]
Our love to all you Cousins [underscored]
My quaker cousins are showing their true patriotism – Mrs. [Wistars’?] five sons are in the army – and Mrs. Fisher of Wakefield tho’ a widow has parted with most of her sons for the war. –
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[Envelope]
Miss Maury England
