Washington
My dear Sister,
I was just about commencing a
letter to Aunt Clara to tell her that I have
heard from Augustus again– but as you are
I find in Auburn at this date I will write
to you both at one time. Augustus writes
from Clear Fork but whether I will copy
his letter– it is dated Clear Fork Dec 15^th
“We have settled down here and commence
building log houses (at a distance of about
250 miles from the Red River) which will
be finished sufficiently by the beginning of next
month to move into, so that we shall
have quarters before the Spring rains come on.
We must be 1 or 2000 feet higher than
the red River- The Country is entirely
prairie with the exception of a pond on
our right and the little timber along
the banks of the creek–

Our Regiment is divided into two parts
of five companies each– at a distance
of 70 miles apart– This is the commence-
ment of a line of Forts to extend from
the Red River in a South Westerly direction
to the borders of Mexico– Two more
regiments will be placed below us on
the line the 7^th and 8^th– Please
send me the 1 vol of Publick Documents
for 51 when published”– You will
know that Augustus' appointment to the
Coast Survey having been made only
the 8^th of Dec– that he could not have
received it the 15^th– but he does not
speak of receiving any letters from me
and I do not think he has in some
months– I drove this morning to the
Office of the Coast Survey to let them
know that I had heard from Augustus
as there has been frequent enquiries for
Lieut Seward– I was told there that
he would not probably be here before
the last of the month– So I

must try to have patience- I have your
last letter from Canandaigua this morning
I am glad you are going to Auburn–
Mr and Mrs Cary came Saturday- they
remain two or three days, go South
and return here to hear Henry’s speech
which is fixed for Tuesday the 9^th–
I went to Church with them yesterday
and to day have been with them to
the Capitol the Navy yard &tc–
We saw Miss Dix at the Capitol
she goes there in the morning to talk
with the members– She looks about
as she did last Winter but says
her health is failing– I must go &
see her at her lodgings when she returns
from Annapolis whither she goes this week–
Mr and Mrs Cary were very glad of the opportunity
of seeing her– Friday I went to the
Capitol to hear Mr Rhett– came home
sick– Mrs Schoolcraft having sent for
me to come to Carrie’s I drove there
and found her arranging a table for a
fair, in a perfectly cold room, she wished
me to assist her but I had only 10 min–
to spare as we had company at dinner

a brother of Dr Doane’s and Mr Westcott
a former member of Congress from Florida
the State of Florida– I was so ill that
I was obliged to leave the table– Mr
Westcott took a fancy to Willie and
carried him off to go to the Theater
Mr Doane took Fanny to the Theater
the same evening– I went to bed and lay
until Mrs How and Miss Rochester came
to tea, by invitation,– Henry had 4
or 5 5 gentlemen to eat oysters & frank
Documents– Mrs Sackett came with
Bill and stayed until 11 ockl– I had
taken a strong cup of tea and was
to sit up for the children– Mrs Sackett
and I had a very pleasant time after
we were left alone– I like her very much
We are invited tomorrow to go on the Baltic
to partake a collation– do not go–
I write in too much hurry to read
my letter– will begin another tomorrow
love to Clara– your own Sister–