Letter from Charles Sumner to William Henry Seward, September 19, 1867
xml:
Letter from Charles Sumner to William Henry Seward, September 19, 1867
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:msr
student editorTranscriber:spp:mec
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1867-09-19
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Letter from Charles Sumner to William Henry Seward, September 19, 1867
action: sent
sender: Charles Sumner
Birth: 1811-01-06
Death: 1874-03-11
location: Boston, MA
receiver: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
location: UnknownUnknown
transcription: msr
revision: tap 2017-05-05
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Page
1
Boston 19th Sept. ‘67
Thursday
My dear Seward,
I add to my telegraphic
despatch a brief report of the
last hours of an excellent Sir
Frederick
It appears that last Sunday
while at Narragansett in R.I.
he was seized with a com-
plaint in the throat & at once
took to his bed. He was nursed
by his friend of many years,
Mrs Bayard
there was no good medical atten-
dance within reach, & the sea
air was supposed to be unfavorable
[top Margin] RECEIVED SEP 21 1867
Type: postmark
h
Page
2
h
to his care. Under these circumstances
he left, or was taken away
yesterday morning—Wednesday. His
servant
told him that he must be
sure to take him ^Sir Frederick^ to Boston.
While on the way he became
worse, & nearly helpless. In
this condition he reached the
Fremont House at 9 o’clk
in the evg.
Dr Bigelow
most eminent medical characters
& for a long time Presdt of the
American Academy of Arts & Sciences
was sent for. Shortly afterward
Page
3
the Dr drove to my house & reported
his condition,—that he was
speechless & seemed to be dying.
I hastened to him, & arrived at
11 o’clk. He seemed to recog-
nize me & I thought was glad
to see me, but he could not articu-
late intelligible words, except
“yes” or “no.”
In reply to my inquiry if
I could do anything for him
he said, “no”; —if he
was in pain, “no”; “are
you comfortable, “yes.” But
during all this time he breathed
with great difficulty, & was very
uneasy & restless, tossing his
arms about & moving his feet.
Page
4
His only articulate sentence was, “How
are you?” which he uttered about
an hour before his breathing ceased.
Which was precisely at 2 c’clk
in the morning of Thursday.
On consultation with Mr Bayard
the son of his friend
years I directed that all his
effects should at once be placed
under lock & key. This was
done at once by Mr Bayard.
It was very sad to see his
beautiful light flickering to the end.
I went home unhappy enough.
Ever sincerely yours,
Charles Sumner
The cause may have been
diptheria; but the drs were
unable to learn enough of his
condition to have any positive opinion.
Boston 19th Sept. ‘67
Thursday
My dear Seward,
I add to my telegraphic
despatch a brief report of the
last hours of an excellent Sir
Frederick
Birth: 1814-04-14 Death: 1867-09-19
. It appears that last Sunday
while at Narragansett in R.I.
he was seized with a com-
plaint in the throat & at once
took to his bed. He was nursed
by his friend of many years,
Mrs Bayard
Birth: 1834 Death: 1886-01-31
& her daughter
Birth: 1857-08-13 Death: 1886-01-16
; butthere was no good medical atten-
dance within reach, & the sea
air was supposed to be unfavorable
[top Margin] RECEIVED SEP 21 1867
Stamp
h
Unknown
ack 21 Seph
Hand Shift
Birth: 1811-01-06 Death: 1874-03-11Charles Sumner
he left, or was taken away
yesterday morning—Wednesday. His
servant
Unknown
tells me that the ladiestold him that he must be
sure to take him ^Sir Frederick^ to Boston.
While on the way he became
worse, & nearly helpless. In
this condition he reached the
Fremont House at 9 o’clk
in the evg.
Dr Bigelow
Birth: 1786-02-27 Death: 1879-01-10
, one of ourmost eminent medical characters
& for a long time Presdt of the
American Academy of Arts & Sciences
was sent for. Shortly afterward
the Dr drove to my house & reported
his condition,—that he was
speechless & seemed to be dying.
I hastened to him, & arrived at
11 o’clk. He seemed to recog-
nize me & I thought was glad
to see me, but he could not articu-
late intelligible words, except
“yes” or “no.”
In reply to my inquiry if
I could do anything for him
he said, “no”; —if he
was in pain, “no”; “are
you comfortable, “yes.” But
during all this time he breathed
with great difficulty, & was very
uneasy & restless, tossing his
arms about & moving his feet.
His only articulate sentence was, “How
are you?” which he uttered about
an hour before his breathing ceased.
Which was precisely at 2 c’clk
in the morning of Thursday.
On consultation with Mr Bayard
Birth: 1828-10-29 Death: 1898-09-28
,the son of his friend
Birth: 1799-11-15 Death: 1880-06-13
of many
years I directed that all his
effects should at once be placed
under lock & key. This was
done at once by Mr Bayard.
It was very sad to see his
beautiful light flickering to the end.
I went home unhappy enough.
Ever sincerely yours,
Charles Sumner
The cause may have been
diptheria; but the drs were
unable to learn enough of his
condition to have any positive opinion.