Auburn Feb 28 1847
My dear Child,
I am glad to hear of your
continued health – we too have had very
cold weather – two days last week the thermometer
fell below zero for the first this winter
Your father left here for Washington a
week ago I have not heard of him since
he passed through Utica – he was detained
there a day by the snow on the rail
road – Your father will be absent two or
three weeks if the sn river is open will
visit the Orange County before he comes
home – Grandpa Seward is very
anxious to see him in relation to his
business which still occupies all his
time and engages all his thoughts –
Julia is rather better than when we were
there – Before your father left he
met with quite an accident – fortunately
escaped without injury – We have a
nice little covered sleigh and Dennis
a young man (John's Brother) for driver –
he is not more than 20 and not much
accustomed to horses though less afraid

of them than John – Your father went to Judge
Conklings on business taking with him for a
drive Miss Darling – – When they came
away Dennis attempted to drive around
the circle in front of the house – the
drifted snow concealed the road so
that he drove off the terrace and upset
the sleigh – all were thrown out instantly
that was fortunate for our inexperienced
driver was so frightened that he let the
lines go the horses ran dragging the
sleigh to the gate when one of them leaped
over – a five barred gate – in doing
this he cut his leg badly – but the
harness remaining sound one horse was
suspended on one side of the gate and
the other on the opposite – by this time
your father was there to assist in unharnessing
and releasing the horses the wounded one
was obliged to be left there until the
next morning his wound bleeding profusely –
he is still at the farriers – will be
unfit for use for weeks to come – the
sleigh was considerably injured – the gate
broken and one fine tree destroyed –
Aurelian Conkling brought your father
and Miss Darling home – Dennis
led the other horse – he was so much

mortified by the accident that he was
not seen for two or three days after –
My drives about the village are performed
with the little horse and a new cutter
of Grandpa's the chief merit of which
consists in its capacity for accommodating
large people –
Grandpa has had a slight attack of
gout but is better – William Henry reads
for him much of the time when he
is in the house –
I have not had a line from Fred since
I wrote you before – more than a month
it is [ not ] kind – I hope he is well
indeed Mr Weed wrote us that he was
at Albany about a week go and spent
Sunday with them –
Clarence wants to know if you have
time to answer a letter from him –
Willie and Fanny are well – Aunty
and Frances do not come out – I have
no letter this week – Mrs Pitney
is very ill I watched with her twice
last week – Lent has commenced
and increased the dulness of the gay
part of the soci[ e ] ty which was not before
very animated – We are without a
clergyman – May God bless you prayers
your Mother

Cadet Seward
U.S. Military Academy
West Point
AUBURN N.Y.
MAR 1