Letter from William Henry Seward to Frances Miller Seward, June 30, 1863
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Letter from William Henry Seward to Frances Miller Seward, June 30, 1863
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:pxc
student editorTranscriber:spp:smc
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1863-06-30
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Letter from William Henry Seward to Frances Miller Seward, June 30, 1863
action: sent
sender: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
location: Washington D.C., US
receiver: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
location: Auburn, NY
transcription: pxc
revision: crb 2018-03-13
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Page
1
Washington June 30 1863
My dearest Frances
It would not be wise for
you to borrow much trouble from
the military movements of the hour
which even here are imperfectly
understood and which must be
infinitely unintelligible though to
you through the cross lights of the
Press. The enemy is Maryland
and Pennsylvania – Our army is
now in his front there. Probably
there will be a battle. The enemy
advance so far into our country
shows a courage which ought to
have sown grounds of confidence.
Page
2
We do not know what that ground
is. On our side are advantages
which seem sufficient to ensure success.
We must wait for results – mean
time the alarms and disturbances
which are taking place around us
here are of no significance. Many
are founded by unscrupulous stragglers
and sentry parties, who disappear
as soon as they execute a party
of the same sort sent out from
our side.
On Sunday we rode up to
the Fort, found William
men at their guns, awaiting the
assault of the rebels who had
just seized the wagon train,
Eight miles above the fort.
Page
3
Of course they didn’t come and
by this time they had returned
to their hiding places.
Miss Cushman
(Mrs. Cushman
and I hope are enjoying their visit.
The Cabinet and the military here
are calm and undisturbed. We
are hoping to hear of definite results
in the West.
Your own Henry
Page
4
Washington June 30 1863
My dearest Frances
It would not be wise for
you to borrow much trouble from
the military movements of the hour
which even here are imperfectly
understood and which must be
infinitely unintelligible though to
you through the cross lights of the
Press. The enemy is Maryland
and Pennsylvania – Our army is
now in his front there. Probably
there will be a battle. The enemy
advance so far into our country
shows a courage which ought to
have sown grounds of confidence.
We do not know what that ground
is. On our side are advantages
which seem sufficient to ensure success.
We must wait for results – mean
time the alarms and disturbances
which are taking place around us
here are of no significance. Many
are founded by unscrupulous stragglers
and sentry parties, who disappear
as soon as they execute a party
of the same sort sent out from
our side.
On Sunday we rode up to
the Fort, found William
Birth: 1839-06-18 Death: 1920-04-29
with all hismen at their guns, awaiting the
assault of the rebels who had
just seized the wagon train,
Eight miles above the fort.
Of course they didn’t come and
by this time they had returned
to their hiding places.
Miss Cushman
Birth: 1816-07-23 Death: 1876-02-18
and her niece (Mrs. Cushman
Birth: 1839-04-03 Death: 1920-09-15
) are yet with
usand I hope are enjoying their visit.
The Cabinet and the military here
are calm and undisturbed. We
are hoping to hear of definite results
in the West.
Your own Henry