Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, December 21, 1861
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, December 21, 1861
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:mhb
student editorTranscriber:spp:msr
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1861-12-21
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, December 21, 1861
action: sent
sender: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
location: Washington D.C., US
receiver: Lazette Worden
Birth: 1803-11-01
Death: 1875-10-03
location: UnknownUnknown
transcription: mhb
revision: crb 2018-01-24
<>
Page
1
Washington
Dec 21
Saturday
My dear Sister
We came out with 'the
Major'
phia Wednesday evening– We reached
here in time for dinner at 7––
Fred
had gone out to dine– They are
all well– the house is very pleasant
and seems immense after our
confined rooms at the Masses––
Anna is having a small stove put
in our room– I am surprised
that one furnace can heat as
much of the house as it does
though they say it is a furnace
of extraordinary dimensions––
Sometimes they have a large fire
on the parlour hearth and always
in the library before breakfast––
[top Margin] same manner as the new– I put them in the
closet with Jenny's silver together with
1/2 doz. tea spoons— perhaps they are in
every day use– if not Jenny can tell where
they are– I do not want the tea spoons
send them here–soon
[left Margin] I will write again tomorrow
Sister
Page
2
Augustus I always find in the little
office back of the library and in
the evening when the parlour is full
of company he comes and sits
up stairs with me– To day he
has taken a valisse full of money
and gone to pay some troops
somewhere out of town– said he
should be back to dinner— There
are no paymasters except those in
the regular service many additional
having been appointed since the War
who will the greater part return
to civil life after the war is conclu-
ded —The old Army Paymasters
28 in number, One ranks as Col and
2 Lieut. Col's – it is to this corps
that Augustus belongs– None of
them are so far called upon to do
duty as staff Officers though they
would be required to do so if
needed– Augustus like a sensible
man as he is, has no misgivings
about remaining where he is, He
Page
3
has earned the privilege if privilege
it is by 14 years of hard service
Many– that is Sam Blatchford
Julia Wood
he was not in the field and said
Mr Seward wished it– When they
have suffered the privation and exposure
that he has done I shall think
them better judges– The Army Officers
advised him to retain his present
position– Henry has said nothing to me
about it– At present he is entirely
engrossed by the English Affair Lord
Lyons
presented to the President
they are to be to day– When I hope they
will be made public –– England is
behaving very ungenerously– and making
it as hard for us as possible– They
are determined I think to recognize
the Southern Confederacy and have been
from the beginning, are using this affair
as an excuse only– I have lost all
faith in them. (( ^This not to be said to any one^ Henry hopes a war
with them may be avoided))–– I do not
well see how–– determined as they seem
Page
4
to be to support the South. But a short time
will determine– I was ill yesterday
& did not go to Dinner– some gentleman
from N. York and his 2 daughters
dined here– Augustus told me
one was about Fanny's
25 or 30–– if they had any charms
he was impervious to them– There was
the usual amount of company in the
evening– Gen King
in my room to see me – He looked
uncommonly well– younger than he did
14 years ago– his military costume becomes
him & he likes the life– Only think of
having 100 men killed so near us
yesterday (Drainsville) Gen Ords
Sam Seward
I believe but 10 men lost on our side have
not seen names yet– The street is full of
soldiers to day–2 or 3 Regiments of Calvary passed
almost an hour ago– and now there is a
long train of Army majors following them
We were out to dine to day and now it is al-
most night – Nicholas
horses– Love to Clara
> – Katy– Those new spoons were not the right
ones– those I want have been in use a long time
They are the same pattern & marked in the
[right Margin] Henry asked all about your
letter which came last
night
Washington
Dec 21
Saturday
My dear Sister
We came out with 'the
Major'
Birth: 1826-10-01 Death: 1876-09-11
Thursday–He came to Philadel-phia Wednesday evening– We reached
here in time for dinner at 7––
Fred
Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25
and Anna
Birth: 1834-03-29 Death: 1919-05-02
were home Henry
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
had gone out to dine– They are
all well– the house is very pleasant
and seems immense after our
confined rooms at the Masses––
Anna is having a small stove put
in our room– I am surprised
that one furnace can heat as
much of the house as it does
though they say it is a furnace
of extraordinary dimensions––
Sometimes they have a large fire
on the parlour hearth and always
in the library before breakfast––
[top Margin] same manner as the new– I put them in the
closet with Jenny's silver together with
1/2 doz. tea spoons— perhaps they are in
every day use– if not Jenny can tell where
they are– I do not want the tea spoons
send them here–soon
[left Margin] I will write again tomorrow
Sister
Augustus I always find in the little
office back of the library and in
the evening when the parlour is full
of company he comes and sits
up stairs with me– To day he
has taken a valisse full of money
and gone to pay some troops
somewhere out of town– said he
should be back to dinner— There
are no paymasters except those in
the regular service many additional
having been appointed since the War
who will the greater part return
to civil life after the war is conclu-
ded —The old Army Paymasters
Unknown
are28 in number, One ranks as Col and
2 Lieut. Col's – it is to this corps
that Augustus belongs– None of
them are so far called upon to do
duty as staff Officers though they
would be required to do so if
needed– Augustus like a sensible
man as he is, has no misgivings
about remaining where he is, He
has earned the privilege if privilege
it is by 14 years of hard service
Many– that is Sam Blatchford
Birth: 1820-03-09 Death: 1893-07-07
&Julia Wood
Birth: 1848-06-24 Death: 1928-10-17
seemed to lament thathe was not in the field and said
Mr Seward wished it– When they
have suffered the privation and exposure
that he has done I shall think
them better judges– The Army Officers
advised him to retain his present
position– Henry has said nothing to me
about it– At present he is entirely
engrossed by the English Affair Lord
Lyons
Birth: 1817-04-06 Death: 1887-12-05
dispatches have not yet beenpresented to the President
Birth: 1809-02-12 Death: 1865-04-15
––I believethey are to be to day– When I hope they
will be made public –– England is
behaving very ungenerously– and making
it as hard for us as possible– They
are determined I think to recognize
the Southern Confederacy and have been
from the beginning, are using this affair
as an excuse only– I have lost all
faith in them. (( ^This not to be said to any one^ Henry hopes a war
with them may be avoided))–– I do not
well see how–– determined as they seem
to be to support the South. But a short time
will determine– I was ill yesterday
& did not go to Dinner– some gentleman
Unknown
from N. York and his 2 daughters
Unknown
dined here– Augustus told me
one was about Fanny's
Birth: 1844-12-09 Death: 1866-10-29
age & the other25 or 30–– if they had any charms
he was impervious to them– There was
the usual amount of company in the
evening– Gen King
Birth: 1795 Death: 1867-07-09
(Rufus) came upin my room to see me – He looked
uncommonly well– younger than he did
14 years ago– his military costume becomes
him & he likes the life– Only think of
having 100 men killed so near us
yesterday (Drainsville) Gen Ords
Birth: 1818-10-18 Death: 1883-07-22
DivisionSam Seward
Birth: 1838-04-16 Death: 1916-02-22
is & one of the Gens aidsI believe but 10 men lost on our side have
not seen names yet– The street is full of
soldiers to day–2 or 3 Regiments of Calvary passed
almost an hour ago– and now there is a
long train of Army majors following them
We were out to dine to day and now it is al-
most night – Nicholas
Birth: 1801-12-24 Death: 1893-02-15
looks well– so do hishorses– Love to Clara
Birth: 1793-05-01 Death: 1862-09-05
& the childUnknown
– also Eliza
Certainty: Possible
> – Katy– Those new spoons were not the right
ones– those I want have been in use a long time
They are the same pattern & marked in the
[right Margin] Henry asked all about your
letter which came last
night