Letter from William Henry Seward to Frances Miller Seward, July 9, 1863

  • Posted on: 7 May 2018
  • By: admin
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Letter from William Henry Seward to Frances Miller Seward, July 9, 1863
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transcriber

Transcriber:spp:ssh

student editor

Transcriber:spp:jjh

Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive

Institution:University of Rochester

Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections

Date:1863-07-09

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Letter from William Henry Seward to Frances Miller Seward, July 9, 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: ssh 

revision: crb 2018-03-13

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Page 1

Washington July 9, 1863.
My dearest Frances
I received last night
your letter of the 5th. The newspapers
have since it was written possessed you
of all the military and political in-
formation I have, though I very well
know how difficult you must find the
task of separating the real from the
exaggeration. It can be of little use
for me to tell you more of the exact
condition of things on the Potomac, for all
is likely to change again while my
letter is on its way, still I will do so
The Battles at Gettysburg were
the severest of the war perhaps the
Page 2

severest that ever was fought, they closed
without the healing up of the offending
army. The losses were full one third
of its whole force. It has returned
and although it suffered in the retreat
it is still a strong army retaining
its infernal enjoying of destruction. It
has reached Hagerstown near the
articulated fords of the Potomac. But
the floods have arisen and the fords
have decreased. It is arranging itself
now to receive an attack. Our
army has been recovering from the
conflicts at Gettysburg. The great
losses there have been repaired by
reinforcements from Baltimore Washington
Harrisburgh and other points, so that
in numbers it is probably greater
than it was when it met the enemy
Page 3

and I think exceeds his rank and
file. The reinforcements and material
and supplies are arriving, with much
difficulty over obstructed roads, the
rains having rendered movement in
every direction almost impossible.
The enemy cannot withdraw. He
must fight and doubtless will
fight desperately. The battle can
hardly come off to day. It may
come tomorrow, perhaps not before
Sunday or Monday. We are without
fear. But you know how we learn
ourselves into confidence, notwithstanding
battles so often disrupt the best
calculations, The intelligence from
the West is improving and the nation
has much ground to hope that the
Page 4

meaningful conflict is coming to an
auspicious end. We all are well –
Your own Henry.
Hand Shiftx

Frances Seward

Birth: 1805-09-24 Death: 1865-06-21
Henry July 9th
1963