Letter from Samuel Swayze Seward to William Henry Seward, October 2, 1861
xml:
Letter from Samuel Swayze Seward to William Henry Seward, October 2,
1861
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:cnk
student editorTranscriber:spp:amr
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1861-10-02
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Letter from Samuel Swayze Seward to William Henry Seward, October 2, 1861
action: sent
sender: Samuel Seward
Birth: 1838-04-16
Death: 1916-02-22
location: San Francisco, CA
receiver: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
location: Washington D.C., US
transcription: cnk
revision: amc 2021-01-31
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Page 1
San Francisco Oct. 2d 1861.
My dear Uncle,
Brig. Genl. Ord
Birth: 1818-10-18 Death: 1883-07-22
recently promoted goes East in the steamer of the 11 th inst.
He is a brother-in-law of Mr. Holladay
Birth: 1823-04-29 Death: 1915-02-16
, and the whole family have been very kind to
me. He offers me some inducements to return
home with him which I cannot resist.
I shall accordingly leave here with him
and hope to arrive in New York somewhere
about the 3d or 4 th of November.
My object now is to ask you to obtain
for me a commission and election as 1 st
or 2 d Lieutenant in the army. Not knowing
how to proceed I addressed a note to Genl
Ord on the subject yesterday who favored
me with the enclosed reply. You will see
it contains a virtual promise to appoint
me on his staff a position I covet as much
on account of the high character of the man
as any honor which may be attributed to it.
The promise is wholly voluntary on the
part of Genl Ord and should I through
your kind interposition be able to place
myself in such a position as to be able to
avail myself of it I shall be proud and
happy. As to my deserts in the matter – I
leave the future to prove them.
I would not trouble you with the matter
until I reached home only I am afraid
Genl Ord may be ordered to take the
field immediately upon his arrival, and
so forced to appoint his staff before I can
make myself eligable to the position. If
however, it can be arranged before I arrive
I shall run no risk.
The step I propose to take though it
may surprise some of my friends is neither
rash nor premature. I have contemplated
it ever since the attack on Fort Sumpter
and have only waited for such an invi-
tation as I have now received and cannot
but accept.
Any communication addressed to me in
care of Chas. A. Starr
Birth: 1812-05-22 Death: 1883-05-22
, 11 Fulton St. N.Y.
will reach me as soon as I arrive in that
City. My whole heart is embarked in this
enterprise and nothing could disappoint
me more than its failure. I therefore beg
your attention to it if compatible with your
onerous duties.
With much love I am
Your affectionate Nephew
Samuel S. Seward
Hon. W. H. Seward
Wash. D.C.