Letter from Frederick William Seward to Frances Miller Seward, September 29, 1861
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Letter from Frederick William Seward to Frances Miller Seward, September 29, 1861
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:sts
student editorTranscriber:spp:cnk
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1861-09-29
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Letter from Frederick William Seward to Frances Miller Seward, September 29, 1861
action: sent
sender: Frederick Seward
Birth: 1830-07-08
Death: 1915-04-25
location: Washington D.C., US
receiver: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
location: Auburn, NY
transcription: sts
revision: crb 2018-01-18
<>
Page
1
Washington, Sunday morning
Sept 29th 1861
My dear Mother,
Here we are at the end of the
tenth week since the battle of Bull Run. Certainly
the enemy, if they do really intend to follow
up the advantage they gained there, are
very slow about it.
Last Monday Charles King
and Mrs Rufus King
by the morning train and came to breakfast.
She accepted an invitation to stay with us. The
General came in to dinner, from his camp at the
Chain Bridge, where he has a fort and four
Wisconsin Regiments. – James C Derby
He has made an arrangement with the
Page
2
librarian of the State Department to change offices
with him. Smith
to Porto Rico, and Derby takes his place in
the Department, which is mutually satisfactory.
This is the fourth appointment to Porto Rico. Mr
Austin
offered to Derby.
Tuesday morning we all attended the
wedding of a daughter
marries a Major Clark
ment. It was at Mr Hall's
Scott
Cabinet were there. – In the evening our
dinner to the French Princes came off. It
was the day they were commissioned in the
Army. I have seen no Americans so
pleased and grateful for a Captaincy as the
Count de Paris & Duc de Chantres. The guests
Page
3
were the Prince de Joinville
Duc de Penthievre
Mr Lisboa, Secretary
& Miss Chase
Gen. McClellan, Gen and Mrs King, Charles King,
& Misses Fauvel
suite. I infer the party was a pleasant one
as they staid till near twelve.
Wednesday there were two or three Reviews,
and in the evening a dinner to the Prince's given
by Mr Tassara
Thursday was Fast-day. The Departments
closed & Churches open. The news of the sucess-
ful armed reconnaissance of the day before
made it rather a cheerful day. In the evening
the Princes came to a guest dinner en famille. e
French for "together as a family."
The morning papers announce the arrival of
Augustus
home by this time.
Friday morning, Mrs King left for home
Page
4
George Frederick
decided to accept an appointment as Consul.
Will
affairs and of course has reached home
before this letter. All day a heavy gale
prevailed, the equinoctial, I suppose, which
may delay projected coast operations.
Yesterday deserters & scouts brought
the gratifying intelligence that the enemy were
abandoning their fortifications on Munson's Hill
& vicinity. Gen McClellan immediately
sent out detachments to occupy them. These
were going all night and found the whole
line of Munson's Taylor's & Upton's hill deserted,
the enemy having either returned towards
Fairfax Courthouse or gone up the River
to make an attempt to cross. General
McClellan considers it a great advantage
Page
5
gained, to have possession of these points.
The telegraph lines from the different
camps & outposts converge at his
house, which, you know, is near
ours. This morning the different Generals
report to him by telegraph, Gen. Smith
from Chain Bridge, Gen King from Fort
Marcy, Gen. McDowell from Arlington
Gen Porter
Blenker
is quiet at their respective positions
and all along the line. He and
his staff, including the two Princes in
their new American uniforms, and
his hundred mounted guards, have just
gone over the Long Bridge. We think of driving over this afternoon to see how
matters look
Affectionately your son,
Frederick
Page
6
Washington, Sunday morning
Sept 29th 1861
My dear Mother,
Here we are at the end of the
tenth week since the battle of Bull Run. Certainly
the enemy, if they do really intend to follow
up the advantage they gained there, are
very slow about it.
Last Monday Charles King
Birth: 1789-03-16 Death: 1867-09-27
of New Yorkand Mrs Rufus King
Birth: 1826-06-29 Death: 1892-02-14
(the General's
Birth: 1814-01-26 Death: 1876-10-13
wife) arrivedby the morning train and came to breakfast.
She accepted an invitation to stay with us. The
General came in to dinner, from his camp at the
Chain Bridge, where he has a fort and four
Wisconsin Regiments. – James C Derby
Birth: 1818 Death: 1892
also came.He has made an arrangement with the
librarian of the State Department to change offices
with him. Smith
Birth: 1817 Death: 1895
(the librarian) goes as Consul to Porto Rico, and Derby takes his place in
the Department, which is mutually satisfactory.
This is the fourth appointment to Porto Rico. Mr
Austin
Birth: 1805-09-26 Death: 1880-12-20Certainty: Probable
, & Peck
Birth: 1821 Death: 1867Certainty: Probable
, having declined it, before it wasoffered to Derby.
Tuesday morning we all attended the
wedding of a daughter
Birth: 1838 Death: 1936-05-19
of Colonel Taylor
Birth: 1796-05-04 Death: 1864-06-29
, shemarries a Major Clark
Birth: 1820-11-09 Death: 1887-05-10
, of the Commissary Depart-ment. It was at Mr Hall's
Birth: 1820-11-07 Death: 1895-04-25
church. GeneralsScott
Birth: 1786-06-13 Death: 1866-05-29
, McClellan
Birth: 1826-12-03 Death: 1885-10-29
, McDowell
Birth: 1818-10-15 Death: 1885-05-04
, & most of theCabinet were there. – In the evening our
dinner to the French Princes
Birth: 1840-11-09
Death: 1910-12-05
Birth: 1838-08-24
Death: 1894-09-08
was the day they were commissioned in the
Army. I have seen no Americans so
pleased and grateful for a Captaincy as the
Count de Paris & Duc de Chantres. The guests
were the Prince de Joinville
Birth: 1818-08-14 Death: 1900-06-16
, Comte de Paris, Duc de ChartresDuc de Penthievre
Birth: 1845-11-04 Death: 1919-11-17
, Mr Blondell
Birth: 1809-12-14 Death: 1872-09-13
(the Belgian Minister)Mr Lisboa
Birth: 1809-05-22 Death: 1881-04-28
(the Brazilian) Mrs
Birth: 1823
& Misses Lisboa
Birth: 1857
Death:
Birth: 1841
Death:
Birth: 1840
Death: 1919-05-13
Birth: 1808-01-13 Death: 1873-05-07
& Miss Chase
Birth: 1840-08-13 Death: 1899-07-31
, Secretary
Welles
Birth: 1802-07-02 Death: 1878-02-11
, Captain Dahlgren
Birth: 1809-11-13 Death: 1870-07-12
, Gen. McClellan, Gen and Mrs King, Charles King,
& Misses Fauvel
Unknown
, LeclereUnknown
& MorhainUnknown
of the Prince'ssuite. I infer the party was a pleasant one
as they staid till near twelve.
Wednesday there were two or three Reviews,
and in the evening a dinner to the Prince's given
by Mr Tassara
Birth: 1817-07-19 Death: 1875-02-14
, the Spanish Minister.Thursday was Fast-day. The Departments
closed & Churches open. The news of the sucess-
ful armed reconnaissance of the day before
made it rather a cheerful day. In the evening
the Princes came to a guest dinner en famille. e
Editorial Note
The morning papers announce the arrival of
Augustus
Birth: 1826-10-01 Death: 1876-09-11
at Denver, so he must be nearhome by this time.
Friday morning, Mrs King left for home
George Frederick
Birth: 1840-11-08 Death: 1910-11-28
came back from Florida, He hasdecided to accept an appointment as Consul.
Will
Birth: 1839-06-18 Death: 1920-04-29
came in the evening, transacted his affairs and of course has reached home
before this letter. All day a heavy gale
prevailed, the equinoctial, I suppose, which
may delay projected coast operations.
Yesterday deserters & scouts brought
the gratifying intelligence that the enemy were
abandoning their fortifications on Munson's Hill
& vicinity. Gen McClellan immediately
sent out detachments to occupy them. These
were going all night and found the whole
line of Munson's Taylor's & Upton's hill deserted,
the enemy having either returned towards
Fairfax Courthouse or gone up the River
to make an attempt to cross. General
McClellan considers it a great advantage
gained, to have possession of these points.
The telegraph lines from the different
camps & outposts converge at his
house, which, you know, is near
ours. This morning the different Generals
report to him by telegraph, Gen. Smith
Birth: 1824 Death: 1903
from Chain Bridge, Gen King from Fort
Marcy, Gen. McDowell from Arlington
Gen Porter
Birth: 1822 Death: 1901
form Fort Corcoran, Gen Franklin
Birth: 1823-02-27 Death: 1903-03-08
from Alexandria,
and Gen.Blenker
Birth: 1812-05-12 Death: 1863-10-31
from Munson's Hill, that allis quiet at their respective positions
and all along the line. He and
his staff, including the two Princes in
their new American uniforms, and
his hundred mounted guards, have just
gone over the Long Bridge. We think of driving over this afternoon to see how
matters look
Affectionately your son,
Frederick