Letters & Correspondence from "The Burroughs Family"

My dear Sir-
Since I last wrote to you our Rice market has been very dull & the accts from the various markets have been so unfavorable as to admit of no improvement either in the demand or price. Of your last parcel we sold 10 Casks at 2-3/4 but could not get on with sales at that price or even 2-5/8. We got several samples from the mill in the hope that the quality wd improve, but it seemed that every successive sample proved worse than the former. The color is good but the grain is shockingly broken. We sold a 2/9/16 & have seen no time since when we could have done better. Samples are retained that you may see the quality on your return. We send within sales of 428 Casks & 5 half Casks to your Cr 6704 25/100 dolls. Also your a/c showing a balance due you of 3562 40/100 dolls. Amounts paid Mr. Heddleson on a/c 53 38/100 dolls. As the amt in our hands is large you had better let us apply such amounts as you wish paid at once, & remit the balance or pay it over as you wish. You have two notes one for 520$ in the Marine Bank & 400$ in the State Bank, former due 18th & latter 17th inst. The note with P.H. Behns endorsement has been paid. The difficulty between Mr. T.B. King & C. Spalding resulted fortunately in bad shooting & amicable adjustment. We are all well. Munsfula Lovell is here. Love from all. There are 1030 bushels of rice in the mill.

My dear Sir-
        I have nothing from you for some time, but suppose your time is very much occupied, in the present excited state of things in Washington. I am glad to find that some of the people at the north are disposed to take a more rational view of matters & things than those who represent them. The Resolutions passed in Philadelphia seem to be rational & just.
        Mr. Best brought down on the 25th 3000 bushels of Rice & I was surprised to learn from him that it was the last of the crop making only 8269 bushels with 1000 bushels reserved for seed, 9269 bushels against 12000 which he thought he made, he says the ricks have not turned out as much as he expected they would, this is a mistake of nearly 1/4. I asked him about his provisions &c & he told me that he had made 1000 to 1200 bushels of Corn but would be obliged to buy before the next crop would be in for use. Tonight I recd. the enclosed note which I presume was dated yesterday & seems to indicate that when I asked him about his provisions on the 25th he must have been ignorant of what quantity he had in his barn.
        As soon as the 3000 bushels are rounded and sold I will send you your account. Mr. Austine has promised to bring it on the mill as soon as he can.
        We are all well & Val, Berrien & the boys send much love to you.

My dear Father-
My little daughter sends a kiss which she would be most happy to give, as she does in a very sweet way--she is talking very prettily and beginning to walk, now that her dear Aunty Baber has shortened her garments. Charlie has joined the Hussars, & told me the other day when I called him in that his company was waiting for him--Johnnie returned from Macon very much improved, & quite ready for another journey--Bill pursues the noiseless tenor of his way as usual--& Berrien is working very hard in the Compting room & trying to make himself a useful man--while Dick at gives [sic] us satisfactory accounts of himself weekly. Amanda Whitehead took tea with us this afternoon & mentioned that Eliza had dined with her Mother today. The weather is warm and oppressive, but nature is looking lovely & our beautiful woods very attractive. Mr. Burroughs has just reminded me that you may be tired, & so I will say good night. Believe me as ever my dear Father

My dear Doctor:
        I have your letter of 17th inst. and beg to hand you the following information in reply to your request.
        I understand that my aunt Leila was married at Clarksville, Ga. hence the certificate of her marriage is probably not of record in the court house of this county.
        I am told however that your brother Berrien died on the first anniversary of his marriage to my aunt.
        The date of his death as given on the stone in Laurel Grove is August 25, 1854, which would make the date of his marriage to my aunt Alethea S. Law as August 25th 1853.
        My aunt Alethea S. Law (afterward Munford) died January 24th 1891.
        I have never been able to learn what college if any Judge Wm. Law was graduated from.
        He was reared in old Liberty County, and when 19 years of age went to Savannah, Ga. where he taught in the High School and read law at night.
        The mother of Aunt Alethea S. Law (Burroughs, Munford) was Alethea Marbury Jones, the second wife of my grandfather Judge Wm. Law.
        My reply has been somewhat delayed in order that I might visit both Laurel Grove and Bonaventure.
        With my best wishes and kind remembrances to the different ones of the household, I am,

My precious child--now doubly precious--now doubly my child--I leave you, God knows how reluctantly, to meet alone the terrible secret that has been weighing like lead upon my heart--I leave you because the lives of so many dear to us both, depend upon my going. What I have suffered in this last dreadful week your own crushed heart will reveal to you--but my poor stricken one--you will have the privilege of weeping, which was denied to me--you will not be denied the luxury of tears, or compelled to wear a calm & cheerful countenance with a fainting spirit. Oh my daughter--think when this blow falls upon you, think when the "cross has entered your soul" that I have suffered for you as well as for myself. Remember how I have striven for your precious life, to crush back the agony, --that was welling up in my soul--and Lea--you know how I loved him. Oh how willingly I would have laid down my worn & suffering life, child of my tears & my prayers--to have saved you to each other. Do you not think that after what I have endured, on me the second death has no power?
I am so worn and faint that I have scarcely the power to tell you all that is in my heart--or how inexpressibly dear to me, you are & ever will be. Your precious child is growing in beauty & strength, & has aided me to bear my heavy load of anguish--I trust we shall soon meet--We go to Bath to meet my children, & even that anticipation has not cause one throb of pleasure--there seems a deadly torpor creeping over my heart, & I scarcely know that I shall ever feel again. And now my beloved, my cherished one, may God bless & sustain you--Do not blame us for calling you back to life--live for me live for your child--for his idolized boy--Oh my daughter, God has given you a mission--live to fulfil it & let us strive together. I hope to bring him to you to bless & comfort you. Always faithfully & afftly yr mother,

Dear Mother,
        It is (10) ten days since I wrote you. We have been traveling through the country. We left the R.R. about 7 days ago. We travel 10 more miles this afternoon & reach Richmond tomorrow night. We hear that Col. Millen of Savannah lost his life while leading his command against heavy odds. Lt. Col. McAllister I expect will make a good Col. if he should be promoted. He is by no means as cool as Maj. Anderson I think Anderson will be the calmest of all our officers in an engagement. I expect Johnie tomorrow. I will both be sorry and glad to see him. He is a noble fellow. We will love each other all the better.
        I have not had a word from Brother Dick or Charley, tell them both to write me at Richmond. We will go immediately into action I expect. We must trust in a wise over ruling power for protection. God alone can determine our fate. I am very often obliged to do as Aunt Lise does vis wipe my hand with the back of my mouth. I have lost all my handkerchiefts [sic] I only brought two from home.
        The sun is hot & I am burnt as black as a negro you would hardly know me now. Excuse this pencil it is all I can get. We & our horses are worn out from this march.
        The country through Virginia is perfectly beautiful & lovely. The women are the prettiest I ever saw & the hospitality is abundant. Our horses stand the trip well. I loaned John's horse to Little Bill as both of his became disabled & he has been riding him for a week past. Give my kind regards to Uncle B. & family. Tell him Bill is well & doing well as is Dick. Our rations are very slim now, all I have eaten today is a small piece of sour corn bread yesterday I ate rice & cherrys [sic] all day most all the rations have been shipped to Richmond.
        My letter is so illegible you can hardly read it. We can hear the big guns at Richmond very plainly. Tomorrow we sleep (if we do sleep) in sight of the city. Last Sunday I took dinner with a Mr. Towns at Clarksville, Va. He told me that he had served with grandfather in a private convention in 1831 in Philadelphia. Tell Charley to be a good boy & stay at home in the signal corps. Give my very best love to Sister Lee & Ella all my aunts & cousins & anyone who, should ask after me.

Dear Mother--
I am a little in advance of our waggon [sic] train & sit down to write you a moment. I suppose you feel lost without Johnie. I shall carry the Testament in my breast coat pocket. I know you pray for our protection both night & morning. We will have warm work at Richmond.
I will try & write you every Wednesday hereafter. Yesterday I ate some of the largest cherrys [sic] I ever saw they were growing wild as large as a plum. My health is excellent. I am suffering very much with a sore mouth & tongue & my whiskers give me a good deal of trouble. I intend to have all my hair cut off again when I get to Richmond.

Dear Mother,
We are now on our march to Richmond will arrive there about 10 o'clock today. Tomorrow we will get arms, the next day shoe our horses, the next day get saddles & enter upon duty about next week. We camped last night in sight of a large coal pit the first I ever saw. It is a curiosity to backwoodsman like myself.
The Yankees visited the section of the country through which we passed yesterday, about 3 weeks ago. They took two stations on the Danville R.R. burnt them up & burnt up considerable rations of meat. The climate here is delightful & I love the soil of Virginia next to that of Georgia. The women strew our paths with flowers daily & wave the handkerchiefs. We marched 36 miles yesterday & lost 4 horses.

Good by may we soon meet
Your attached son
W. Berrien Burroughs
7 Brig. Geo. Cav.
Youngs Brigade
Richmond, Va.

Dear Mother,
We have at last arrived at our point of destination. We marched 40 miles yesterday & arrived at camp about 10 o'clock P.M. in a miserable rain. We are now (6) six miles N.E. of Richmond & in two miles of the Yankee line. The firing has been incessant ever since we got in hearing distance. Last night for the first time since the war began I slept with my clothes on & my horse where I could reach him at a moments warning. This morning I was aroused by the rain dripping through my blanket into my face. Very few of the furloughed men have come. I hear that the cars are unable to bring them & that they are at Petersburg. It seems an age since Johnie left. Gen. Young is reported mortally wounded. He commands our Brigade & Brigade is composed entirely of Georgians.

Dear Mother--
We arrived here about 10 o'clock last night & are now awaiting orders what to do. I was very glad to see Johnie yesterday & to see him looking so well, he is in good spirits. We are encamped on the road and a batch of Yankey [sic] prisoners have just passed under guard of two of our men. They were taken yesterday. They continue to pass, some without any guard nearer than 40 yards. They seem perfectly disgusted with the war & would willingly stop it if they could. The firing is modified today. We are between the Yankees & our brigade which is about two miles in the rear. They do charge Cavalry now they are dismounted & fight on foot. Our troops have fought well, driven the Yankeys [sic] about 2-1/2 miles, they were under the influence of liquor & charged our battery 14 times but were repulsed every time, we captured 800 prisoners. Tell Charley his letter came to hand & I will (write) him very soon. Tell Brother the same.

Tell Uncle Bill that Bill is well. Please send him some money to pay for our letters. I am out of money & have no stamps & can't buy one.

[Written on the back of this letter was a note written by John Whitehead Burroughs dated "In Camp Saturday", see below]

Bivouac Meadow Bridge Road
Six miles Northwest of Richmond
12th June 1864 Sunday Morning

My very dear Mother,
I will relate to you how I have passed the last two hours, as I know it will gratify you, I was sitting in company with two men, who were busily engaged in playing cards, when a gentleman called me, Willie, which I thought was very familiar, I turned to see who it was, & to find out his business, he remarked to me that he was going to attend divine service & wished me to go with him; sayd that he had taught me at school & felt as if he might have some influence over me, remarking at the same time that it would delight my Mother so much if she could know where I was, for a few moments, I could not recognize him & was obliged to ask his name, he was Wm. H. Baker, an Elder of our Church, he is now a Sergeant in Millen's Battalion. Yesterday I went to Richmond saw Cousin Hatty Cone & her little daughter on the street, walked home with her, she sent her love to you, she is the only person I know in Richmond. I asked to leave a small package belonging to Johnie at her house, but she could not take care of it. In your next tell me if you know any friends in Richmond where I could leave it.
Mrs. Gwathney is out of town, I would not go to see her if she was here for I only saw her once in 1861 & I am sure she has forgotten me. Johnie & Bill went off with our (Young's) Brigade on the night of the 8th after Sheridan's Raiders. We have not heard from them since the 9th, they were with in two miles of the Raiders. They are many [sic] rumors afloat as to what direction our Brigade took, the prevailing opinion seems to be that they have gone to Pennsylvania. Sheridan has 8000 men is pursuing Morgan who has about six thousand men & had started for Pennsylvania. Hampton has 1,000 men is pursuing Sheridan. I do wish very much I could have gone with them but they would not allow me.

13th June 1864 Monday Morning
        I was prevented from finishing my letter yesterday by a visit from Big Bill who spent the afternoon with me, he is now with Gen. Hampton's secret signal Corps & is doing well, looks remarkably well, sends his love to you. Our regiment carried about 600 men, left all the negroes who are almost starving for something to eat. I have Sam and Dick to feed, they are both good boys. One mess of 2 men have 10 negroes to feed, the consequence is that they have nothing to eat half the time, & nothing can be brought in this part of the world. We have moved about every day since our arrival but now we will remain stationary until our Regiment returns. The country about here for miles around is cup up in every imaginable army roads running to every point of the compass.
        There is but one fence between our camp & Richmond, nevertheless you see large fields of oats, wheat & other grain growing in the greatest luxuriance. They are guarded by day by boys to keep cattle out & by night the cattle is penned up. Maj. Farley is stationed only about 4 miles from us, he has command of the discounted men, he bears a high reputation for bravery.
        Dear Mother, write me when ever you can & get Charley to write, we have not had a line from home since our arrival in this state, our mails are very irregular. Jimie Nesbit of Burke is sitting by side & sends love. We have news from our Raiding party to the effect that they have captured all Sheridan's wagon train between 500 & 1000 prisoners & 5 pieces of artillery with slight loss. God grant it may be so. Yankee prisoners pass here in droves every day. We see them walking barefooted over the sharp rocks & on enquiry we find that the captor has relieved the captured of his shoes to put them on his own foot. I rejoice to see it done.
        The army is in excellent spirits. Our soldiers feel the greatest confidence in our ability to hold the Capitol. The army is fed better now than it has been since 61. We get a half pound of bacon per day with flour, sugar coffee, &c. I hope our boys will soon return for I know they will suffer terribly. They were only allowed to carry one blanket, not even saddle bags. I gave Johnie a haversack of biscuits & sent him some two days after. This life will be the making of us. I have met a great many of my old college boys here in Millen's Battalion. It is very pleasant for us to be together. The nights here are very cool & the days are very hot.
        When you write brother Dick & Sister Ell give them my best love.

My very dear Mother.
        Last night's mail brought me your pleasant letter of the 2d. ins. to Johnie and myself.
        Johnie left us on the 8th ins. for Georgia, in com- with Col. Anderson and about 23 other officers. I need not say more for he has by now given you all the particulars of his trip. I am truly glad he has gone for the winter out here I feared would have been too much for him. Night before last the snow fell to the depth of 3 or 4 inches, & now the whole face of the country is white, the sight is magnificent. Today I had occasion to ride about 4 miles on business & was struck with the beautiful picture presented. The country is very hilly about here & the snow from the tops of the tall trees was a grand sight. Winter has shaken his icy scepter and the balmy voice of summer is heard no more.
        Capt. Henry has gone off with the detachment and Burroughs as a matter of course was compelled to remain. They received 60 days, but I do not expect to see any of them before the middle of April or May so you will have a splendid opportunity to talk to your dear boy over his hardships & his many bearings through last falls campaign. Mother he is a noble boy & you have reason to be proud of him. Wish to God I had half his good traits. I never can say that he taught me evil, no never, he has always endeavored to put me in the right path. I only wish I had set my younger brother a like example.
        Johnie will tell you all about me & his likely boy Sam. Mother I now for once in my life occupy a very responsible position. I am acting Quartermaster for my Regiment until Capt. Henry returns. Upon my exertions is the Regiment dependent for clothing, forage &c. I can't but feel the responsibility. I have funds at my disposal but am obliged to account for every cent & of course have to be particular what I spend. Capt. H. has granted me with full power to sign & use his name, so you see that at least one man has full confidence in mine integrity & honesty.
        Sister Ella mentioned in a letter to John that Dick had resigned his commission, was it accepted? How is Sister Ella's little ones? (Dick has written me but twice since I came here.) I have received but two letters from him.
        I wish I could show you a letter I received from a young lady in lower Georgia last night, it was only 10 pages. I think after reading it you would have a better opinion of Bill, she evidently loves him, but I must not use self praise. I received a very pleasant letter from Cousin Mary of Columbia a few days ago, what a charming girl she is & writes like a philosopher. I wrote her to give me some advice, being absent from your maternal roof, I, like most young men had lost my respect for every good deed.
        Capt. Burroughs, known at home as Little Bill, spent the morning with me. He was much disappointed at not going home with Anderson, & well he might be, for no officer or soldier has been more constant at his post than he has. I feel proud of him. He comes to my tent four or five times a day.
        Well Mother I now have two of the finest horses in the Southern Confederacy. I sold Stonewall a few days ago, for $2600.00, gave $200.00 to my horse jockey for selling him so well. My largest horse is about Stonewall's size, and as white as the driven snow, all over except her mane & tail which are of a dark grey in color, her mane is very long & glossy, her tail sweeps the ground, her hair is very fine, you can imagine so when I tell you that I combed it all out with the fine part of my hair comb today. Her eye is like the hawk's & she is beautiful under the saddle. I do not know when I ever was so much pleased with a horse & to cap the climax she trots the mile in three minutes, & draws beautifully in harness. She is worth two like Stonewall, but I will stop for I know my horses do not interest you, but what shall I write about.
        Make Johnie tell you about his valuable slave. I wrote you I had visited Richmond & dined with cousin Sallie & Dr. Semmes. My Mess is small now among whom are, Maj. Davies & Dr. Williamson, Johnie's admirer. Davis being sick Bill Burroughs is in command of the gallant little 7th. On Friday night we got orders to repair to the battle ground, as a fight was expected, & the snow was falling fast & it was very cold, being about 4 A.M. Out of the whole Regt. only 21 men were collected. I was so glad Johnie had gone. The weather is dismal & dreary & the camps are very sloppy & snowy & present a confused look, men are seen only here and there.
        My health dear Mother is excellent, never better. Today is Sunday & two weeks today will be Christmas. It is getting bed time, & I thought I would read a chapter in the bible before I retired, for I seldom do so I am sorry to say. I know it is my own fault for you have taught me better.
        12th December, 1864. I will write you a long letter this time for I do not know when I shall write again. Do not think of me out here except as being & faring well. The Judge can tell you what sort of a domicile I inhabit, lately occupied by my employe [sic], in the chimney burns a large oak fire throwing out its heat all over the room. I have just supped, I ate some very nice biscuits with orange preserves & drank two cups of Rio, [blank space] [W]illiam has not forgotten his old man. Look our for No. 1.
        Mother you cannot imagine how much I regret & feel the want of an education now, more so than ever for Davis & Williamson being men of highly educated minds I am left to take every thing for granted about foreign powers, finance, commerce &c, knowing nothing about them myself. The little that I have read about the history of England has long since been forgotten. I would give all I have got for an education, the little I learnt in Oglethorpe has been forgotten & I feel frequently in conversation like a fish out of water.
        Do give my best love to dear Sister Lee, Aunts & Cousins, do not forget Lilly. Tell Charley he owes me a letter.
        And now trusting in the God of battle to watch over our little City, & keep the vile foe from entering therein.
        I remain with much respect your attached son,

(Addressed Mrs. Jos. H. Burroughs 73 Congress Street between Abercorn & Drayton, Savannah, Georgia.)

My dear Mother--
        I reached here yesterday & found Bill quite well & glad to see me.
        We came to the Front yesterday noon & rode with in a mile of the Battle Field. We heard the firing distinctly. The Yankees have lost heavily--we have lost but few.
        Genl. Young was wounded two days ago in the right breast but not mortally. We will enter the fight it is thought today sometime. I hope that I will come out all right. If I should not then I hope that God will save my soul which can never die. Sam is quite well. I saw Major Anderson this morning, tell his wife he was well. He was much obliged for the letters that I brought. While I am writing the fight is still going on, has been uninterrupted since we came to this Front.
        Bill wrote yesterday. Every body is cool & ready for the fight. I hope that our regiment will distinguish itself the first time it fights.

Love to dear Aunt Helen my little Sweethearts Charley, brother Dick's family & kind regards to Miss Scottes.

My dear Brother--
        Your very pleasant epistle of the 27th ins was received by Johnie, with much pleasure, in company with one from Sister Ella. I have had no intelligence from home since that time. I am awaiting with anxious suspense to hear definite news from the battles of the 10th & 11th ins. We hear that Col. McAllister was killed, Maj. Anderson wounded & taken prisoner with half our Regt., about 4 hundred horses & all our wagons, & that they were all recaptured. The Yankee prisoners pass our camp every day on our march to Richmond. Yesterday six were brought in & six horses by one of our scouts. I conversed with them a half hour. They seemed to be disgusted with the war & sayd that they would never reenlist if they got out, one a young boy about 17 years old sayd that his time was out on the 27th ins.
        I do not think that I have a pair of shoes that would suit your friend, Massy has all the shoes that I have, she can tell you the price.
        Take good care of yourself & of Mother there is no telling whether we will ever see home again & as you are the only unmarried son much devolves upon your shoulders. Brother has his own family to occupy him & he has a hard time getting them enough to eat. We depend upon you & know you will do the best you know how--do not get angry but always be kind and obliging.
        The climate differs very much from that of Georgia Savannah, it being extremely cold at night & very hot in the day. We now draw corn flour & bacon & I am getting very tired of eating the same so often. Big Bill I see nearly every day, he is stationed only about 400 yards from our camp in Gen. Hampton's Secret Signal Corps & is doing remarkably well, he does not drink a drop now. This is the only camp that we have not found good water at. Give my kind regards to all my friends. Write soon and often to

Your attached friend & affectionate brother
Bill
7 Regt. Geo. Cavalry
Young's Brigade,
Hampton's Division,
Richmond, Va.

P.S. Sgt. Maj. Guerard & others who have come from the battle field, report that Johnie & Little Bill are both well. Johnie & horse were captured, he afterwards endeavored to escape by running from them, when a volley of musketry was fired at him, one ball grazing his hair, he was then retaken by the Yanks & kept about 7 hours & was recaptured by our troops with his horse. Little Bill had his horse a very fine animal killed by a piece of shell, he bought him just before leaving home. I have Dick & his other horse with me.
Lt. Col. McAllister died a hero, he was surrounded & ordered to surrender which he refused to do & shot his pistol as fast as he could load it & after being wounded he threw it at the enemy. He had his boots, hat & every thing taken, the stars & buttons of his coat were cut off.
Maj. H. was captured, having received a wound in the hip. He hid his watch & made out that his wound was more severe than it really was so that he could not walk & finally escaped from the Yankees. He is said to have covered himself with glory. He is now at the Hospital doing well, was seen on Tuesday riding on a horse. We had 14 officers taken prisoners, our senior Captain Russell was killed. I give you this news as I hear it. I was not in the fight. We have much to be thankful for.

My dear Brother,
        Your most welcome note was received last night enclosed in one from Aunt Lou, who was thoughtful enough, also, to enclose Charley's letter to her. I regret exceedingly to hear of the sufferings you have endured, & hope you have entirely recovered from the effects of you long walk. L.J. Strickland was in my tent when I read your letter and he exclaimed, "Well Sergt. I will go $100.00 towards buying John a horse", so you see you have friends left behind. If you cannot buy a cheap horse, say $800.00 or under I would not advise you to buy for I will buy you one here for that price, & save you the tedious ride. I wrote Charley on the 6th & directed to Aunt Lou's care. It gave me much pleasure to hear from him as it was the first tidings of home since 3d December. Sam was present during the reading & sayd Mass Bill tell Mass John heap of huddy, that I mighty sorry he half to walk so far & if he was here, I give him some of my rations to eat.
        For the past few days I have been living well, having purchased some sausages, fresh beef, butter, molasses & potatoes & fresh pork & this gorgeous display, together with the rations we draw has increased our scanty table & filled every vessel.
        Jim Nesbit has been staying with me for a week ever since he arrived from Georgia. The first night he swore to me that he had not reported me to Davies, & had used his influence in my behalf. Be this as it may, I had no right to doubt his word, though I told him I was informed by good authority that he had reported me. I have saved you one blanket & two flannel shirts which I recently drew, say nothing about this in the command. If you need money ask Captain Henry to advance you $500.00 in my name. I send you my note, be careful not to lose it.
        Capt. Henry has not written me a line, so you can readily imagine what a troublesome time I have had settling up quarterly papers & winding up the old year. Forage has been very very scarce, our horses are actually dying of famine. We have not averaged one pound of corn a day this year & only about two pounds of hay. We have lost many horses & send many away to the dead line.
        Maj. Davies left us on Christmas on 30 days furlough & Bill is in command. Bill went to town yesterday to try & sell Billy Wilson's mare, & his own (the Roane I kept awhile). He was bid at public outcry 1/4 of a cent for Wilson's mare & so he concluded not to sell. Last night he started out & as Dick was well laden with a variety for the inner man & the night being very cold, he left Dick & rode on ahead, & this morning Dick returned with the saddle on his head & his face twice its natural size, minus saddle bags, goodies & horse. Dick says Wilson's mare fell down & was unable to rise & while standing by her two men knocked him down, took the saddle bags & provisions & made off, that the mare died & so he was left alone far from any house & in the dead of night. Bill himself is quite sick today, so hoarse he can hardly speak. He spends half his time with me. Dr. Williamson expects to leave on the 10th for Georgia.

Tom Ulmer, Co. B. & Davis, Co. G. deserted last night & took seven horses. It is thought they went to the Yanks. Bill sick with cold, is staying with me.

Asst. Qr. Mr. Office 7th Geo. Cavalry
9th January 1865
One day after date I promise to pay Capt. B.C. Henry A.Q.M. five hundred dollars for value received. $500 W. Berrien Burroughs.

19 October 1934
        "She was crossing the street car track in company with another child--had her doll tucked under her arm. She dropped it, and upon missing it she darted back to find it on the track, and rushed to save it from an approaching car. The motorman, whose attention was elsewhere, did not see Ida May until the car was almost upon her. No fenders on car--faulty brakes, and the car was not stopped until it had rolled 40 feet, (two car lengths beyond her). She had not been away from her mother more than 4 minutes when accident occurred. She was never allowed to play in the square unless an older cousin was with her, but this day she had picked up a new acquaintance, and this child enticed her into the square.
        "I was called by a neighbor, and ran to the square where I found her lying between the tracks, with a mob of people around her. I fought my way through and picked her up in my arms--some man helped me to my feet and I was followed by the crowd of people to our home. I was taken next door to the home of my brother Edward Hartfelder. Police were called to clear the street. About 50 children, I was told later, gathered before the house, sobbing and refusing to leave until they had seen Ida May. When she was bathed and her head bandaged, they were told that if they entered in twos, passed quietly by the bed out into another room and on into the street, they could see her. They told little stories of her none of us knew--she had shared candy with this one--or cake--or fruit with another. Walked to the corner with some on their way to school, etc. One boy, older and twice as large, Ida May had thrashed with a stick for interfering with and molesting her, he had come crying and sobbing to see her. My sister told me it was a most beautiful although heartbreaking scene--to see those children forming in line and in twos coming down the hall into the room and passing the bed where Ida May lay crying as though their hearts would break--they went through another room--out the front door and away.
        "You will overlook any mistakes in spelling, etc. It all comes back to me so vividly--my body is all in a tremble. Ida May was friendly and generous to all. She was deeply attached to her dolls. One day one fell and broke its head--she came running and screaming. She cried so little I went running to her--she sobbed herself ill and went to bed that night with a temperature of 103. Next morning she said to me, 'Mama you know what was the matter with me, my heart was broke'. She loved her own people especially, each of them had a place in her heart, and she had funny little names for some of her cousins: Emma was Err, William was Weer, Aunt Josephine was Aunt Josefsheen. Leighton told me once she was the most original child he ever knew, and it was conceded by many persons. She was a most aristocratic one, she carried herself like my mother--shoulders back, head up--and she did not tolerate familiarity from anyone."

Dear Mr. Burroughs:
Please accept my deep and most sincere sympathy in the passing of your beloved brother. The many years of separation from your family dulled my memory of the names and ages of you children, but the name Leighton Hazlehurst brings back to me golden memories and blessed associations of past years. It is so sad that he should have been called at so early life.

        Sir, -- My country having honoured me with the command of the Continental Battalion ordered to be raised by the General Congress for the protection and defence [sic] of this Colony, (though I fear too partial to my poor abilities,) it becomes my duty to inform your Excellency of the stats of our Province, as far as it concerns the service, as well as of the troops to be immediately under my command.
        Our Province has a front along the sea-coast of above one hundred miles, covered by a range of islands, divided from each other by eight rivers from the mainland, which makes as many good inlets and harbours, most of them capable of receiving any frigate, and, as some say, much larger ships. Our parts to the southward not above ten, and very thinly inhabited; indeed, this large space of land, altogether, has not more than three thousand men, chiefly in the back country, and many disaffected and doubtful in our cause, especially the men of the greatest property among us. Our slaves will be above fifteen thousand souls, mostly within twenty miles of the sea-coast, and make above thirty-five thousand tierces of rice annually, besides many other articles of provision, which, with our fine harbours, make the security of this colony, though weak in itself, of the utmost consequence to the whole continent of America; and we have every reason to think our enemies intend to make it a place of general rendezvous and supplies.
        We are bounded south by the garrisoned Province of East Florida, who have now, as I am well informed, five hundred regulars in St Augustine, and one thousand more expected there daily from Europe. On the west of us is the Province of West Florida, the numerous nations of the Creek, Choctaw, and Cherokee Indians, besides lesser tribes, supposed to have at least ten thousand gun-men, brave, intrepid, and eager for war, whom we will have the utmost difficulty to keep at peace with us, as we want every article of their usual supply, and now furnished them in great plenty from the two Floridas. Our metropolis is situated in the south corner of the Province, upon a bluff, or sandhill, thirty feet high or more above the water, and fifteen miles up the river Savannah, from the inlet of Tybee, where five ships of war, the Syren, the Scarborough, the Raven, the Tamar, and Cherokee, besides tenders, are now lying, and two large transports, having, it is said, above three hundred men on board, and expecting more in daily, with what design, whether for this Colony or Carolina, or both together, we are not yet informed. Our Province has declared itself in a state of alarm, and resolved not to supply the men of war with provisions, and ordered a draft of half the militia to the town of Savannah to oppose the landing of any troops.
        Our Provincial Congress having accepted the battalion ordered for their protection and defence [sic], chose the officers the 29th and 30th ultimo, (a return of whom shall accompany this,) and made them sign the enclosed test before their commissions were delivered; and I have this day issued general orders for recruiting, which has been hitherto prevented by many obstacles in providing money for that and other necessary service, and I fear will yet be attended with some difficulty. We expect very few in our own Province; that of South Carolina is said to be already drained of such people as will enlist, by their Provincial regiments, besides their bounty, subsistence, &c., are so much better than ours.
        Therefore, I expect we must have recourse, distant as it is, to North Carolina, with this additional disadvantage, that our currency passes in no other colony than our own, and we have received very little Continental money as yet.
        I have received no kind of orders or instructions from the General Congress or your Excellency; nor have I yet been able to obtain even a copy of the American articles of war, which makes me at a loss how to act in many cases; therefore I shall wish any orders or directions your Excellency will please to send me, to be as full and frequent as possible; also, to be informed how far we are under the control of the Provincial Congress, &c., of this or any other Province where we are upon duty, and what rank we hold when acting with militia, or Provincial troops.
        I shall take the liberty of appointing surgeons to the battalion, which are so indispensably necessary, that I suppose the neglect of not naming any must be owing to our delegates; and also to make Capt. Colson's a rifle company, when raised, which I think will be useful, and hope will meet with your Excellency's approbation; and I doubt not but we will be obliged to arm more with such guns, for want of others, which are very scarce.

I have the honour to be your Excellency's
Most obedient and most humble servant,
Lachlan McIntosh

To his Excellency, George Washington, Esq., Commander-in-Chief of the American Forces.

Sir:--You cannot be ignorant that four armies are in motion to reduce this Province. The one is always under the guns of your fort, and may be joined when I think proper, by Colonel Prevost, who is now at the Medway meeting-house. The resistance you can or intend to make will only bring destruction upon this country. On the contrary, if you will deliver to me the fort which you command, lay down your arms, and remain neuter until the fate of America is determined, you shall, as well as all of the inhabitants of this parish, remain in peaceable possession of your property. Your answer, which I expect in an hour's time, will determine the fate of this country, whether it is to be laid in ashes, or remain as above proposed.

I am, sir, your most obedient, &c.,
L.V. Fuser,
Colonel 60th Regiment, and Commander of his Majesty's Troops in Georgia, on his Majesty's Service.

P.S. Since this letter was closed, some of your people have been firing scattering shots about the line. I am to inform you, that if a stop is not put to such irregular proceedings, I shall burn a house for every shot so fired.

Sir:--We acknowledge we are not ignorant that your army is in motion to endeavour to reduce this State. We believe it entirely chimerical that Colonel Prevost is at the Meeting-house; but should it be so, we are in no degree apprehensive of danger from a junction of his army with yours. We have no property compared with the object we contend for that we value a rush ----, and would rather perish in a vigorous defence [sic] than accept of your proposals. We, sir, are fighting the battles of America, and therefore disdain to remain neutral till its fate is determined. As to surrendering the fort, receive this laconic reply, "COME AND TAKE IT." Major Lane, whom I send with this letter, is directed to satisfy you with respect to the irregular, loose firing mentioned on the back of your letter.

I have the honour to be,
Sir, your most obedient serv't,
John McIntosh
Colonel of the Continental Troops.

My Dear Mr. McIntosh:--Three days ago I received your letter of the 30th ult., but have heard nothing of the one directed to the care of Dr. Traverse. Nothing, my dear husband, in life would have given me half the satisfaction I experienced in hearing from you, and, in the midst of my afflictions, I rejoice to find you so resigned to the will of God, who will, I trust, shortly deliver you from captivity, and restore you again to your unhappy family. But why, my dear husband, do you mention my settling any of your business? Rest assured I have not the smallest doubt but you will be permitted to return as soon as your trial is over, which, I have the best reason to believe, will be soon. Innocence and justice are on your side; you have, therefore, nothing to fear from laws which, when administered justly, never oppress the innocent. Cheer up your spirits, therefore, dear husband, and look forward to brighter prospects and happier days, which I hope will shortly present themselves to your view. I truly regret you did not receive your trunk earlier; you must have wanted for every necessary. We are all as well as we can be in your absence.
Adieu, my dear husband; and may that merciful God, who so often shielded you in the day of battle, guard and restore you in safety to your unhappy family, is the sincere and constant prayer of your truly affectionate wife,

        May it Please Your Excellency:--I should before the present time have done myself the honour of addressing you, embolden to do so from your generous, humane, and benevolent character; but I hitherto declined it, in expectation of first receiving a copy, agreeable to the translation into Spanish, of some papers, which, on the 21st day of March last, I had laid before his Excellency, the Governor of this Province, with a letter from myself respecting my husband, Mr. John McIntosh, who unfortunately, though innocently, fell under some suspicion, as I am told, of having views inimical to the government, and who, I understand, is now in confinement in the Moro Castle. Having at length, this day, received the above-mentioned copy, I take the liberty of doing myself the honour of transmitting it to you, and of candidly laying my unfortunate story before you, humbly entreating your Excellency's attention to it. Being informed by a friend that nothing would be done respecting my papers without a formal petition from myself to the Governor, I, in a weak and infirm situation, without loss of time, went to St. Augustine, and on the first of April, laid a petition before his Excellency, the Governor, praying that the papers already laid before him respecting my husband, Mr. John McIntosh, should be justly translated into the Spanish language; that such translation, with the original, should be annexed to the proceedings against him; also that I should be furnished with a copy of said translation and petition, which was granted; but whether anything more has been done in the business, I have not been able to learn. This is, therefore, with all imaginable respect and due submission, to petition the favour of your Excellency to order the charges (if any there are) against my husband, with the proofs annexed in his vindication, should be transmitted to your Excellency, that he may the more speedily be brought to trial.
        By those papers you will be able to judge of the character and connections of my unfortunate husband. Is it then reasonable or probably to suppose that a man who for forty years has pursued a life of the strictest honour and most undeviating rectitude, should in a moment descend from every sentiment that was honourable and just, to unite with a set of desperate and unprincipled men, who had nothing to hazard, and whose only views could have been to enrich themselves by the property of others? One who had been for upwards of fourteen months previous to his captivity labouring under a consumptive habit, whose life had been several time during that time period despaired of by his friends and physicians, with a wife who, I may without vanity say, he most affectionately loved, deprived of sight, and who still is under the influence of the same painfully distressing complaining, added to all which, the loss of a lovely infant, his only daughter, on whom he doted. Can it, indeed, as I have before observed, be reasonable to believe that aman of such character, in such circumstances and situation, could have designs inimical to a government under which he enjoyed perfect peace and tranquility, his happiness being only disturbed by the afflictions with which it had pleased the hand of God to visit himself and his family?
        What I have advanced is literally true, and what I can prove readily by my neighbours. To your Excellency's humanity and justice I submit my cause. Justice is all I ask; all I require. Justice from your humane hands I have not a doubt I shall receive; and justice will, I trust, restore my dear partner to his (at present) wretched and disconsolate family. Suffer, O sir! my miserable situation to touch your generous and noble breast with pity and compassion. Allow you imagination to paint my distress in the most lively colours. Imagine you behold before you an unhappy female deprived of sight, labouring under a continual series of bodily pain, unused hitherto to experience the iron hand of want, whose mental anguish is far more poignant, with six small children around her, the eldest of whom does not exceed twelve years, with a very slender property to support them, and that daily diminishing for want of its head to direct and manage it to the best advantage. Let me, O sir! for pity's sake, for justices' sake, and for God's sake, entreat you in the most earnest manner to take into consideration my most unhappy case, and as you find no cause for longer detention, restore to liberty your innocent and suffering prisoner, and thereby add new lustre to a character already dignified by acts of liberality, justice and humanity. And what is still more, your generous heart will exult in the pleasing reflection, that you have snatched from misery and ruin an unhappy family, who will to their latest breath feel the highest sense of gratitude for your goodness.
        I should be wanting in gratitude to the best of husbands, who ever since our union has reposed the most unbounded confidence in me, did I not declare, that since his residence in this Province, he has been a warm friend, and upwards of two years a faithful servant of the Spanish government, which he served in the office in which he was placed without reward or emolument, to the apparent satisfaction of his superiors, and all others with whom concerned in business. I have further to petition that your Excellency will permit my husband to write to me by every opportunity that may offer, and allow him to receive my letters. Resting in the fullest confidence of your justice and goodness.,

With the highest respect, I have the honour to be,
Your Excellency's most obedient,
And very humble servant,

        Your favours, my dear Mr. McIntosh, of the 6th July and 2d of August, were handed to me two days ago. Nothing, in my present situation, could have given me so much real pleasure as I experience in observing your resignation to the will of Providence, and that you had again recovered your health, for which I am truly thankful; although I must confess I am still fearful respecting your consumptive complaint--pray be more particular in your next. I shall most undoubtedly call on Colonel Howard with your letter, and apply to him for a certificate, as you requested, knowing he has it fully in his power to give it, having myself delivered him a letter in March last, from Major Berrien, containing some information (with his newspapers) interesting to this Province, which letter the Major read to myself, and then entrusted to my care. I should make no delay in calling on Colonel Howard, but at present he is on a visit at the Battery below; but on his return shall pay my respects to him, after which you shall hear from me, as I expect another conveyance will offer in a few days. I am very happy to find you have received my letters of the 19th and 25th of May, which I feared had miscarried, having written also by the same opportunity to his Excellency the Captain-General, stating facts, and petitioning for justice from his humane hands. I also inclosed him a Spanish translation of the papers that I received from Georgia, likewise entreating that his Excellency would have the goodness to order to Havana the accusations against you, (if any there are,) with the proofs annexed in your favour, those papers being collected by me, in consequence of being informed by some of my friends in St. Augustine that there was some suspicion of your having views inimical to this government. The charges against you, with the proofs annexed in your favour, were, I am told, sent by the Governor in the month of August; but not hearing from his Excellency the Captain-General, and being impatient of such long delay, which is indeed the severest punishment both on yourself and your unfortunate family, and this punishment, too, without a crime to merit it, has at length determined me to apply to the King, and by a memorial in my own name, entreat a redress of those grievances under which we have too long laboured. For this purpose, therefore, when I was last in town, from whence I returned about three weeks ago, I made application for a power of attorney, to be drawn out in the name of the American Ambassador at the Court of Madrid, empowering him to authorize another to act, under his direction, in your business. This power I found great difficulty in obtaining, nor should I ever have received it but through the dint of perseverance and resolution; for after being amused with frequent promises for near three weeks, and becoming more impatient and solicitous, (having not other business in town,) I received the categorical answer, that as the power was desired in favour of a foreigner, it could not be granted. Roused with resentment at so flagrant a violation of law and justice, I, without loss of time, memorialized his Excellency the Governor, to direct that I should be furnished with the above-mentioned power, which was finally done; although I can assure you, I met with many obstacles before my point was gained. My memorial and power of attorney go to Court well supported, my friends being no less powerful than willing to serve me.
        I have also the promise of our friend Major Berrien, to write respecting your business to his Excellency, Done Diego de Gardoquie, one of his Majesty's Ministers of State, formerly ambassador from Spain to the United States, with whom the Major had the honour of a personal acquaintance when in New-York. When I memorialized the Governor, I requested he would return your papers as well as my own, which had been seized on your imprisonment. This was likewise granted, except your agreement with Mr. Wagnon, to bring in your cattle from Georgia, and four letters from Colonel Samuel Hammond, which he (the Governor) informed me he had forwarded to the Captain-General. This intelligence was far from being unpleasant, knowing full well the contents of all the letters you ever received either from him or any other friend since you left Georgia; one of his being written years ago, and containing nothing more than might naturally be expected from an old acquaintance and brother officer; and although it has been represented by some mischievous character, that he had long ago joined General Clarke, who has possessed himself of the Yazoo land, it can easily be proved that this very man is still pursuing his own private business in Savannah. However, be that as it may, Colonel Hammond's letters will speak for themselves, and I rejoice they are placed in the Captain-General's hands, who, if he does not fully understand the English language himself, has, I hope, a better interpreter than some of the Spanish Provinces can boast of.
        You flatter me, my dear husband, in saying I would make a good lawyer. I claim no merit; shining abilities are not very necessary to plead well in a good cause; but I must truly acknowledge, it requires brightness of genius to transform a bad cause into a good one. Your letters inclosed to Dr. Traverse have never reached my hands; that dated the 10th May I received and answered. I am much surprised at your hearing so seldom from me, this being the ninth letter I have written to you since our painful separation, which, God grant, may not be of much longer continuance. I am sorry you missed your morning-gown. I shall send you another by Captain Dominic, by whom this also will be forwarded. I hope to hear from you by his return. I feel the deepest sense of gratitude and obligation to the Captain-General, for his humanity in permitting you to write to me, and to receive my letters, which I shall, in future, send under cover, as directed. May the Supreme Discloser of all human events reward him for every mark of indulgence he is pleased to bestow on his innocent but suffering prisoner. Don Sanctos Roerique, the Commissary at the Bluff, goes in a few days to Havana. I shall furnish him with money to purchase your tobacco. Agreeably to your desire, I have sent our son William with $100. to his uncle, and requested he should be sent on to New-York. My eyes are considerable mended, but as I think Dr. Baron may still be serviceable, I shall, with the Governor's permission, go to Charleston in the course of a fortnight; my stay there I do not expect will exceed more than two months.
        I trust, in the goodness of God, the justice of the law, and the humanity of his Excellency the Captain-General, to restore you again shortly to your unhappy family, who all unite in an effectionate remembrance to you.
        Adieu, my dear husband, and may the Guardian of innocence protect and restore you to liberty again, is the sincere and daily prayer of your truly affectionate wife,

N.B.--Your passport is undoubtedly in the Captain-General's hands. We are all well--adieu.

Sir:
        The Senate this day confirmed the nomination of the President appointing you first Lieutenant of Capt. Telfair's company of artillery.
        I am sir your ob. set.
        Jn. Milledge

Sir:
        The sentiments of gratitude and respect which have been excited by the firm Military[?] and at the same time gentlemanly and delicate course that you have pursued as our Commanding Officer, are too ardent to be felt in silence. We beg you will receive this not only as our friend and brother-officer, but as referring particularly to your official capacity as our late Commanding Officer. The improvement of the regiment, while under your command, both in point of its discipline, police, and interior regulations, bears ample testimony of the strict and military course you have adopted, and the personal feelings of every individual in the Regiment, bear testimony to the delicate and gentlemanly manner in which this vigorous discipline has been enforced.
        We are all sensible that in [illegible] of Peace as in War, a vigorous discipline must be enforced, and it has been not only enforced but equally participated by you, for you have enforced your orders by the weight of your example.
        Accept, Sir, the assurance of our warmest wishes for your welfare, and believe us most sincerely,

A.W. Thornton, Capt.
M.[?] Ketcham, Capt. L.A.
J.P. Badolet, Lieut. L.A.
Lewis Dunham, Surgeon
?.H. Livingston, S.M.L.A.
J.H. Wilkins, Lieut. L.A.
Nelson Freeland, Lieut. L.A.
S.M. Mackay, 1st Lt. and Adjt. L.A.
Geo. E. Wells, 2nd Lt. L.A.
E. Lyon, Lieut. L.A.
H.M. Giles, Lt. L.A.
G.G. Dreene, Lt. Lt. A.
Wm. Wells, Lt. Lt. Artly.
Th. J. Baird, Lt. L.A.
J. Parkhurst, Lieut. Lt. A.
R.L. Armstrong, Lt. L.A.

(Note: Some of these signatures are very hard to decipher, and there may be some mistakes in this transcription--MHB)

Sir:
        Major McIntosh of the Army is desirous of obtaining the office of Collector &c at Darien, Georgia and has very naturally applied to me as a Senior officer who has long been personally acquainted with him, for a letter stating his character and qualifications.
        It gives me great pleasure to state that Major McIntosh has always been considered an officer of great zeal, activity and ability and that his character for honour and probity is perfectly unimpeachable. His talents for the Bureau are also highly in his favour and I am fully persuaded that he would, if successful in his present application, make a most useful and respectable Collector.
        I pray you to excuse the liberty I have taken in behalf of an old Brother officer and associate in whose welfare I cannot but feel the liveliest interest.
        With great respect and consideration I have the honour to be

My dear Major:
        Your letter was received and mislaid--that is, left among my papers. I have been expecting to find it daily and thus have not written earlier.
        I hope the enclosed will be received in time. I returned from the South via Norfold [sic] and Baltimore and thus was not in Washington.
        With the best wishes for your health and happiness, I remain

Sir:
My private affairs render it necessary that I should quit the wandering life of a Soldier, which I have led in my Country's service for nearly fourteen years, for one of a more permanent and domestic character; I therefore beg leave herewith to tender you the Resignation of my Commission as Major of the 8th Regiment of Infantry of the Army of the United States; and at the same time to assure you that although nothing in the line of the Regular Army, I shall be equally ready in war to get the first call to arms which our Country may make for the Defense of its Rights, its Liberty and its Soil.

I have the honour to be Sir
With considerations of the Highest respect
Yr. mo. obt. & very Hble. Servt.
John N. McIntosh
Major 8th Regt. U.S. Infty.

General Orders--
The resignation of Major John N. McIntosh of the 8th Infy. is accepted to take effect the 31st of December 1820.

Dear Mac,
I was born and reared in Columbia S.C. Our home was on the North West corner of Gervois[?] and Pickens Streets, and was not burned by the Yanks. It was not occupied by the U.S. Troops. My mother invited two officers to stay there as Sherman had his headquarters opposite our house. She had my grandfather and grandmother and my Brothers with her. My Father moved to Savannah after the War. I lived there for several years before meeting your grandfather. We lived at [illegible] Street. We moved several times. My Father was cashier of a Bank.
I was married on May 7th 1878 at Mrs. George Walters (Cousin Fannie[?]). We started housekeeping on the Ridge where your Mother was born. This house is a short distance from the one you know as the "Ridge House" I was born on Oct 10th 1850 and soon be 83 years old.

Sir:--
I shall send Sunday, by Carpenter, the six barrels of rice to New York, according to your desire, to M. Peter Schermerhorn, as I have sold two--one at 5 dollars & one at 4 & 50c. I have sold also your tobacco at 4d. 65c. & your corn at 3 for 62 1/2 c. I will deliver 100 Ts. corn to Mr. Th. Gibbons & the remainder I will deliver to your overseer.

Excuse my half sheet of paper. I had not taken any notice till my letter was finished.

[Original letter on file at the Georgia Historical Society in Savannah, Chatham Co., Georgia]

Letter Addressed Mr. Nicholas Anciaux
To be forwarded Morton Hall
by Mr. Petit

Sir:
In the hurry of departure for New York your letter of the 19th inst. was handed me. With respect to the taxes you have paid for the lands devised to my Children, by my late Brother, I certainly am willing to refund you the amount you have paid. With regard to other lands and other parts of the Estate certainly the Estate of one Devisee is not liable for the taxes of another. I spoke to Mrs. Joseph Gibbons some weeks ago, she then promised to show what taxes she had paid, and seemed willing to adjust everything rightly, what she will do I cannot say. It appears to me that the case would be extremely hard on my Children that they should be liable to pay the taxes on Lands belonging to Mrs. Gibbons' family.
I am willing to confer with Mr. Berrien; and so far as I may take any part in this business, it shall be on fair principles. It will be with great reluctance that I shall at all interfere in the affairs of the Estate. You have qualified as an Executor, and no doubt as Executor you will sacredly preserve the rights of the several minors, and not permit the interest of one to be sacrificed to another, that as they severally attain their ages of 21 the Estate of each will be delivered entire. My stay abroad will be as short as possible, and I shall be glad that an understanding be had as soon after my return as can be made convenient.

My dear Mamma--
        Mr. Berrien sends William through Bullock to afford me an opportunity of writing you. I should have written to you before but it appeared to be such a way of getting a letter that I thought it hardly necessary. I was in hopes I should have heard from you. I have been quite unwell but am much better. Major Berrien has been sick but I hope he is recovered. He is in Louis Ville. Sally is here and Louisa is spending some time with us. I hope you will come as you have promised and spend some time with us. We have got a chimney in the hall and that difficulty will be over. Mrs. Allen has been here to see me. She was quite disappointed at not seeing you. Her mother is up but I have not seen her. I expect to go there next week.
        The children are well. Margaret and Valeria are at Miss Hornby's. We shall send for them on their Father's birthday. We have kept Valeria's and they were quite delighted. Poor things, some amusement is necessary for them.
        I have had a visit from Mrs. Evans. She made a great many apologies for not calling last summer, but said she hoped you would come and she would have an opportunity of seeing you herself. Poor Mr. Jones is dead and she ahs lost her only child, it died a few days before his father. I feel very much for Mrs. Jones, her situation is indeed a melancholy one to be deprived of her Husband and Child in so short a time. Mrs. Lamkin is also dead, she died very suddenly. I hope it is a happy release for her for her sufferings must have been great in this world and I hope she has gone to a better one.
        Mrs. Berrien is well. They all desire to be remembered to you.
        Adieu my dear Mammam, and believe me

        Since writing the above, my dear Mama, Major Berrien has been very sick but is now better and I hope will soon be quite well. I received your letter and am happy to hear that you are well. I shall expect you by the first of next month, although you say nothing about it in your letter.
        I have seen Mrs. Allen and her Mother, also old Uncle Garvy who has inquired very particularly after you and wishes to know if you are coming up. He will be very much disappointed if you do not. I think he is a very smart old gentleman.
        I expected you would have received this some time ago, but we have been prevented. It was three weeks before our things arrived from Savannah, and we had to send to Augusta for them.
        Sally is not confined yet, she is expecting every day. Mrs. Berrien is still in Louis Ville. You will receive letters from the Children. Mrs. Jenkins is here with Sally. Richard is in Louis Ville with his father. I wish you would write by William and I shall get it by mail. John has been a little indisposed but is better.
        Adieu my dear, and believe me your affectionate daughter,

My dear Josephine-
        As you are soon to move into your new house on Union Street, I am sending you a mahogany table that has been in our family over 100 years. It belonged to my grandfather's grandfather, Judge John Berrien, and came from his historic Mansion at Rocky Hill, New Jersey, where General Washington and his wife were the guests of the Berrien Family. A distinguished writer, Francis B. Lee, wrote "possibly no house in New Jersey is worthy of greater interest, than the old home of Judge Berrien, here Gen. Washington & Mrs. Washington and his military suite passed August, September, October, and part of November 1783, while the Continental Congress was in session at Princeton. Here, Gen. Washington wrote and delivered his farewell address to his army, which bears date Rocky Hill near Princeton Nov. 2d, 1783. Local historians yet point out the room in which Gen. Washington wrote the lines worthy of immortality".
        My mother's father, Hon. John MacPherson Berrien, was born in this house Aug. 23, 1781. The war ended, Maj. John Berrien who had served on Gen. Washington's staff, brought the name to Georgia. Moved to Liberty County where he administered on the Estate of his Uncle William LeConte & carried the name to Savannah. I am sending you a picture of this house. Let your children remember, that when Gen. Washington delivered his farewell address to the Army of the U.S. from this house, it was his final official act as Commander in Chief of the American Army. An article in the Sun, 31 May 1896 dated New Brunswick, N.J. says, "The Berrien Mansion acquired its name from the original owner and occupant, Judge John Berrien, one of the Judges of Nova Caesarea in Colonial times. The sloping green in front of the Berrien Mansion still held the camps of soldiers when Washington signed on Sept. 3d 1783 the treaty of peace with Great Britain. Washington's study on the second floor is still preserved". This house has been purchased by an historic association & preserved, and is known as the "Berrien Mansion, Washington Rocky Hill Headquarters".
        I am also sending you a picture of the MacPherson Mansion, the home of Maj. John Berrien's wife, where he courted this charming heiress. The house was sold to Benedict Arnold for L16,240 or over $80,000. Arnold leased it to Don Juan Mirailles, the Spanish Minister. Under "An Act for the attainer of Traitors" Arnold's property was forfeited, notwithstanding he had given it to the beautiful & accomplished Peggy Shippen whom he had married. But my letter has grown too long.

Dear Sir:
Will you please give me the military record of Maj. John Berrien, Brigade Major of Gen. Lachlan McIntosh's Georgia Brigade. He was wounded at Monmouth. I am particularly anxious to know if he was on Gen. Washington's staff. The General and Mrs. Washington were the guests of his family at the home of Judge Berrien at Rocky Ford, four miles from Princeton, N.J.
Col. F.B. Heitman referred me to you. I can give you the dates of his commissions as 2nd Lieutenant, 1st Lieutenant, Captain, &c., and date of death. Any way I can serve you call on me for information about Maj. Berrien's service in Georgia.

        The records of this office show that in an order dated Valley Forge, January 8, 1778, John Berrien was appointed brigade major of the North Carolina Brigade, and in a letter signed by himself dated at Philadelphia, February 24, 1784, he stated that he was appointed to the office January 8, 1778, and "retired the 10th of April '79."
        The service of this officer is stated in Heitman's Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army, an unofficial publication entitled to credit, as follows:
        "Berrien, John (Ga.) 2d Lieutenant 1st Georgia, 7th January, 1776; 1st Lieutenant, ___ December, 1776; Brigade Major North Carolina Brigade, 8th January, 1778, and served to ____ ."

Dear Sir:
        I thank you for your favor received today, subject Brig-Maj. John Berrien. Would you kindly send me a copy of order Jany. 8, 1778, dated Valley Forge appointing him Brigade Major.
        Gen. Washington's orderly book at Valley Forge says, "Brigade Major John Berrien, Inspector from late Convoy, on duty 23 May 1778". Did he serve on staff of both these generals? Where can I find his record after he returned to Georgia with Gen. Lachlan McIntosh?
        I have his commission as 2nd and 1st Lieutenants of the 1st Georgia, and his appointment as Aid to Gen. McIntosh, and his oath of Allegiance taken in North Carolina where Gen. Lachlan McIntosh went to recruit his brigade.
        I am anxious to get his record from 10 April '79 retired. In what capacity did he serve in Georgia? Your kindness I will appreciate, and am willing to pay for any copies that you might send me.

Communication No. 1186723.
The Military Secretary's Office,
Washington, December 7, 1906.

        The text of the order within referred to, dated at Valley Forge, January 8, 1778, is as follows:
        "John Berrien, Esq., is appointed Brigade-Major to the North Carolina Brigade, and is to be respected as such."
        Nothing has been found of record to show that Major Berrien served on the staff of General Washington or on the staff of General Muhlenburg.
        The records of this office afford very little information relative to the services of this officer, and it is suggested as a possibility that the desired information can be obtained from the Adjutant General of the State of Georgia, or from the Adjutant General of North Carolina.

"Grandfather removed from Savannah to Louisville, afterwards he removed to his plantation near Louisville, and which was his home at the time of his death. The place was named 'Oakland' and was a beautiful home where hospitality reigned. Cousin Val. told me that she often spent her summers there and that it was not unusual to awake in the morning and find the family augmented by two or three carriage loads of kin who had arrived some time during the night. This open house was kept up after the Major's death. You know perhaps that Major Berrien was wounded in the head during the war----and was on his way north to have the bullet removed, but it caused his death when he had proceeded only as far as Savannah on, his way. He was a devoted husband - my grandmother he always addressed as 'Willy my love'. I am pleased to say that this beautiful trait has been inherited by all of his descendants, as far as I know. I have often heard my father quote to his little boys this truth, 'he who lays his hand upon a woman save in the manner of kindness is a wretch whom it were base flattery to call a coward."

Dear William
        I have just read your kind letter of Feb. 12th & hasten to answer it. I will be pleased to have you stop over at Millen & see us.
        I have but one child living my youngest Dr. Lloyd Jones Belt & one Grand Child Charles Inman Belt of Bellwood, Burke Co.
        I don't think either Gen. Henningsen or his wife did much for the Confederacy. our Cousin Carleton told me she had come to Richmond & brought some Quinine & Morphine sewed in the dress she wore--In 1869 I met her in Washington City--she told me the United States Govmt had paid her several thousand dollars for an interest she had in a distillery in Richmond---

Copy of the first page of a letter written to Dr. William Berrien Burroughs.

        James Weemys Moore, the youngest child, was born in 1807, and died in 1859. My father's first wife was Catherine Jane Casey, a South Carolinian by birth, but at the time of their marriage living in Mobile, Alabama with her father, Dr. Thomas Casey. Her mother was Jane Noble, a sister of Governor Patrick Noble of South Carolina. One daughter survived, but for only a short time. The second wife, my mother, was Catherine Jane Noble, a first cousin of the first wife. She was born in "Old Willington", Abbeville District, South Carolina in May 1852 near Rome, Ga. They were married at the home of her mother, Mrs. Alexander Noble, near Willington. She was the older of two children; her brother Dr. John Noble died in 1843. Her parents were Mary Handy Harris and Alexander Noble; her grandparents were John Harris (a Revolutionary soldier) and Mary Pickens; her great grandparents were Gen. Andrew Pickens and Rebecca Calhoun (a first cousin of John C. Calhoun). Her father Alexander Noble was a son of Major Noble and Catherine Calhoun, a sister of Rebecca.
        There were eight children: John Alexander, died in infancy; Mary Noble, your humble servant; Williamina Sarah Eliza, died in infancy; Thomas Moore; Catherine Casey; Julia Maria; (both the girls died young), John McPherson, died aged thirteen; and Rebecca Noble.
        My father's name should have been spelled Wemmys, but for some reason it was spelled Weems.

        You say you have the family of James Weemys Moore Berrien. That was my grandfather and I am sure my aunt, Mrs. Whitmore, gave you the correct information, for she knew it forwards and backwards and my father, who died before Auntie, did too. I have heard my father talk often of the Burroughs kin. I remember there was a William Berrien Burroughs. What relation are you of his?
        There were five of my father's children--Richard Noble, Margaret (now Mrs. E.S. Hanahan-he a Charlestonian but they now living in New York) myself, unmarried, and a sister Mary Noble and a brother John MacPherson-the sister and brother died before reaching maturity. My mother's name was Elizabeth Palmer. I can not give the date of the marriage nor of the birth of either my father or mother. If my sister knows I will write you after I come back from New York next month.
        You speak of "Cousin Dick". He died some time ago-about twenty years ago. He married Anna Davant and she still lives. They had only one child-a son, Manor Davant Berrien. He died about five years ago and left one daughter Anna Kathrine Berrien, who lives in Atlanta. She is about twenty-one now.
        My brother had only one child a daughter, Elizabeth. She married Reynolds Trent Harnsberger and they have a little son five years.

Dear Cousin:
        I am (and I ought to be) ashamed of the long delay in answering your letter. I have heard so often of your father, Dr. William Berrien Burroughs, and in fact, of you and his other children. The name Valeria Berrien Burroughs is entirely familiar to me. I did not know you had the Badge of the Society of the Cincinnati but we have a photograph of it. I had the sword with which Major John Berrien fought in the Revolution, and it is now in the possession of my niece, Elizabeth Berrien Harnsberger, who lives here.
        I have numbered your questions 1, 2, 3, & 4. In explanation of question one I want to say that my aunt, Mrs. Mary Berrien Whitmore, was an authority on family relations. I, therefore, feel sure you made a mistake in reading her writing. There was no Rebecca Noble. The last name which you have as Rebecca Noble should be Richard Noble and everyone called him Dick. He is the one who married Anna Davant. Her granddaughter is living with her now at 551 St. Charles Street, Atlanta, Georgia. I am sure they will be delighted to have your son call on them. The daughter, Anna Kathrine, is an adorable girl and my aunt, Mrs. Anna Davant Berrien, is one of the most charming women I have ever known.
        Coming to question two, Richard Noble Berrien, who married Florence Austin, is the son of Thomas Moore Berrien and he is the one who was a student at Emory College and was connected with a bank in Waynesboro, Ga. He always used Junior after his name though, of course, it was in error since the Senior was his uncle and not his father.
        Question three: My father married a second time, a widow, Mrs. Godbee. There were no children by this marriage. My grandfather, J.W.M. Berrien married first Catherine Casey, and second, Catherine Jane Noble, who was my grandmother. After her death he married a third time, Louisa Shelton, and there were two children. The oldest one was Sarah Shelton, who married George F. Chidsey. There were five children by this marriage--William Berrien, George F., James Berrien, Robert Shelton, and Frances. The girl Frances died at 16 years of age.
        If these answers are not clear, I will be glad to furnish any other information that I have. I have not yet made my trip to the South and you may be assured that when I do go, I shall call by and make your acquaintance.
        With regards, I am

My dear Sir,
Your letter of the 22nd inst. reached me yesterday afternoon. The view taken by the Committees of the Tippecanoe Club of Macon, is entirely unexpected to me. I was hesitating as to the propriety of my going to the Convention. You are well aware of the many reasons which situated as I am, especially at this season forbid my leaving Savannah. To these are super-added at this moment, the pressing consideration, that this is emphatically missionary ground; that here the hardest battle is to be fought, since here we have to encounter the great power of Federal patronage, and to feel the want of a Registry law, which exposes us to defeat from the number of illegal votes, which are polled at every election. All personal considerations must however yield to the requisitions of duty. I have enlisted for the war, and mean to entitle myself to an honorable discharge, whether victory or defeat be reserved for us in the counsels of Providence. Favente Deo, therefore, I will go to Macon, but I should much prefer to go as the Guest of your club rather than as the Presiding Officer of this assemblage. Such seems to me to be my proper position and that of every other visitor. Even in this, however, though reluctantly, I will yield my wishes to those of my associates, stipulation only that the wish of the club shall be submitted to our assembled fellow citizens for their sanction, and that you will give me such a programme of your intended proceedings as will enable me to understand what is expected from me.
In communicating to your associates of the club, my views on this subject, I beg you to assure them in my behalf, that I am very sensible of the honor of presiding over such an assemblage of freemen as I hope to see convened in our sister city.

My Dear Sir:
        I have been absent for some ten days in attendance upon the Court in August, and on my return found your letter, to which I hasten to reply.
        Let me begin by saying, that while I sincerely regret the cause which induces you to desire a residence abroad, I can add with equal sincerity, the accomplishment of your wishes. Feeling thus I do not hesitate to state to you what occurs to me. The Consulate at Havana will no doubt be sought after from various States, and qualifications being equal, the applicant who can unite the recommendations of his delegation will probably succeed. I am aware that you have an apponent [sic] in Mr. Calhoun of Columbus, whose application I understand will be sustained by Mr. Dawson. Without knowing your relations to this gentleman, I make the enquiry whether you cannot through the agency of some of your friends in the interior, prevent this collision, which it will readily occur to Mr. Calhoun may be fatal to the views of both. I think you would find him prepared for this, as in answer to a letter which I received from him sometime since, I stated to him frankly my disposition to sustain your application, and suggested to him the propriety of endeavoring to avoid a conflict. Do not however suffer yourself to be drawn into any sacrifice of your views, from an idea of embarrassing your friends, at least of embarrassing me. On this subject my duty is so obvious, and is so entirely in unison with my inclination that I can feel none. I propose to leave this for Washington on the 15th inst and shall be happy to hear form you either here or there.
        I regretted not having an opportunity of seeing Mrs. Baber before her departure for Charleston. In a note addressed to her by Mrs. Berrien I requested her to say that I would take an early opportunity of calling after her return.
        I will keep in mind your wish in relation to Mr. Napier, whose application with the required certificates will, I presume, be in the hands of some member of the delegation, who will be requested to confer with me. I had thought from our former correspondence that your views as to Mr. Tyner had undergone some change, and have been disposed to express my acknowledgments to the late Senator of your County, for his active support which he gave me at Milledgeville.
        I hope your health is improving, and am always my dear Sir,

Dear Sir,
Mr. Bruce has informed me that you would probably be willing to give to his son an appointment in the customs. If such a measure be approved by the Secretary of the Treasury. At his request therefore I write to say, that I will very cheerfully unite in endeavoring to obtain the approbation of the Secretary, and that I have assurance of a cordial support from Gov. Woodbridge of the Senate, by whom young Mr. Bruce was formerly employed as a secretary.
I be you not to consider this letter as intrusive. It is induced by a desire to serve a worthy man, and written in the hope that unless it may consist with your own views of propriety, you will at once discard the suggestion.

My dear Sir:
        Immediately on receiving your last letter, I wrote to Professor Winy, and got yesterday on my arrival here, the accompanying answer, which I send you, as being calculated to afford the information which you desire. I hope it will induce you to send Berrien there speedily, for I have a very favorable opinion of the school, and think the position in every respect a desirable one.
        We found our children here all well; the younger ones have he whooping cough, but is has been so slight as not to have prevented them from profiting by the climate. I do not think I have every seen a greater improvement in any person than in little Sally, who was so feeble when she left Savannah. As I looked at her yesterday, I wished most earnestly that Valeria whit her babies was similarly situated. Mrs. Thompson and the children have a comfortable chamber and a small adjoining room, at nine dollars the week for the whole. I dare say some similar arrangement might be made in Princeton for Valeria and the children, which would have the double benefit of placing her near Berrien at the commencement of his academic course, and of renovating her own and your children's health.
        Give my love to Valeria, and tell her, I will write to her soon. I am yet so worn out by the labors of the session and by the fatiguing journey here, that I am very much disposed to be idle. Remember me to Miss Welman and give my love to the children. Don't let them forget me. Mrs. Berrien unites in remembrances, and I am yours truly,

P.S. What is the story, of which we have an indistinct account, of an affray between Edwd. Anderson and Doct. Nicoll, at his brother's, about young Griffin? I see Roser & Driscoll advertises some very old brandy. If it answers the description, pray get me five gallons. I shall remain here for a week and hope to be with you about the middle of July. Write to me directing to New York, American Hotel.

My dear Valeria,
        The last mail brought me your letter of the 11th, but there is none leaving Clarkesville until tomorrow. I was looking for one to advise me of the time of your coming. Dick ought to have been with you by this time as well on your account as his own. If he does not come soon I shall begin to think he has been entrapped by some pretty Floridian and can't come.
        Poor Sarah White's death shocked us very much from its suddenness, as well as other circumstances. Except Eliza West, who watched her with the care and tenderness of a sister, she must have missed many whom it would have been a comfort to her to see at her bedside, in her last terrible struggle.
        Alethea writes to her father, that Mr. Wells and Mrs. Wells were going to Europe, and that she would be left alone. She asked therefore that one of her sisters might come on to be with her, and Mary has gone under the escort of her brother Eben. I do not understand that she was worse, but she wanted the company of her sister.
        Willie, Mr. Williams and the children arrived here on Monday last. She looks thin, but her health seems good. Thorne and Mae are recovering from the effects of their whooping cough, but poor little Lilly is suffering sadly from boils. She runs about however, and seems in good spirits. I wish dear Lize was here to play with her. If that little lady won't trust the telegraph, tell her to make haste and jump onto the rail cars. Kiss her for me.
        We are all well here, and unite in love to you and the household at Kalmin. If Eliza, as well as Mary would come with you, I would be glad. Col. Carroll, I suppose is too much engaged from what you say, to leave his books.
        Louisa is here, but leaves us on Thursday to go to Mrs. Bartow in Floyd. Farewell my dear child. I shall look anxiously for a letter from you to advise me of your coming, and am always,

P.S. My own dear little Sally has given me a good deal of anxiety. She is considered too feeble to resume her studies at present. I have written to Doct. Meigs of Philadelphia, under whose care I desired she should be placed, and am anxiously awaiting his answer. J.M.B.

Dear Sir:
On the 3rd instant, I received a letter from Mr. Toywell in which he informs me, that for reason of a private nature, he is compelled to decline the mission to England. He at the same time diminishes the regret occasioned by his decision, by pointing my attentions to you, as a person uniting in an unusual degree, the qualities proper for that place, and I fully concur with him, (on which account and the consideration that by committing this important and delicate trust to a member of my Cabinet, I offered increased evidence of my desire to accommodate the existing difference between the two countries), I have determined to ask you to accept it.
I communicate my wishes to you thus promptly, because upon your acceptance will depend, probably, other arrangements of your private affairs, than will be required by your removal to this City, and the public interest also requires that there should be as little delay as possible in commencing the negotiations. Leaving, however, to your own pleasure, your determination on the subject, I have only to request that you will advise me of it, as soon as you can.

THE MARYLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY at a meeting held in the city of Baltimore on the VI day of June A.D. MDCCCXLIV elected J. McPHERSON BERRIEN of Georgia an honorary Member of said Society.
Witness its seal hereunto attached and duly attested.

Jno. Spear Smith, Presdt.
P.T. Streeter, Rec. Sec.
Brants Mayer, Cor. Sec.

        In testimony of Honorary Membership in THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA, These presents are granted to
        JOHN MACPHERSON BERRIEN.
        Done at Philadelphia the first day of June in the year of Our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-one.

Peter S. DuPonciaux, President
T.M. Pettit
J. Francis Ticker
Job R. Tyson
vice presidents.

Dear Sir:
I have the honor to inform you that at a regular meeting of the ILLINOIS LITERY [sic] AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY you were unimously [sic] elected an Honorary Member.
Referring to the Constitution, By-Laws and Circular accompanying this, and soliciting your aid and influence in forwarding the great objects held in contemplation by the Society,

I am Sir, very Respectfully,
Your Obedient Servant,
Adril Sherwood, Co. Sec.

Distinguished Sir,
        The "Rough and Ready Association" of Boston, formed July 1, 1848, intend celebrating in Faneuil Hall, (the "old Cradle of Liberty"), by a Public Dinner, the Birthday of the First Washington--The Anniversary of the "Battle of Buena Vista"--and the election of ZACHARY TAYLOR to the Presidency of the United States.
        The honor of your presence as a Guest on that occasion will be highly gratifying to the Members of the Association.
        With sentiments of high regard,

Yr. Obt. Sevt.
B. Hammatt Norton,
President of the Rough and Ready Association.

Dear Sir:
        The Clay Festival Association of the City of New York will celebrate by their Tenth Annual Festival - the 12th of April next - the Birthday of Henry Clay.
        The members of the Association looking upon you as almost the last of these, who with Mr. Clay, were always found contending for conservatism and Constitutional Rights, have directed me to invite you to be present at the Festival and to join with them in perpetuating the name of one who died as he lived - Great, Good and Honest.
        With the sincere wish, Sir, that you will be present at our Festival, and that the Great Ruler of Events will allow us to repeat our invitation to you for many coming years,

Sir:
        A painful and melancholy duty has been assigned to me. To announce the death of the young, under any circumstances, excited emotions of Sorrow. I feel how difficult it is to apprise a Father of an event that calls upon him for the exertion of his utmost fortitude. Your son William is no more. He died at this post yesterday at 12 o'clock M after an illness of seven or eight days.
        His brother officers condole and sympathize with you and with your family in this bereavement. They feel, however, that no expressions of their [sic] can alleviate your loss.
        When he was taken sick there was nothing to excite apprehension of danger. He complained of a severe cold, but did not call in medical aid for several days. For the last two days he was delirious, though not so much so, as to prevent his recognizing his friends, until within a few hours of his death. He was attended by Surg. Randall and Asst. Surgeon Leonard, U.S.A. with unremitting care and kindness, an his friends may be assured that whatever medical skill or personal attention could effect was done. His burial took place today, with the usual honors.
        Enclosed is an Inventory of his effects made as required by the Articles of War. All his papers, that I found, and every thing of value that could be, are packed in his trunk, which will be sent to you as soon as practicable. The remainder, which are of no great value, are left with the Asst. Qr. Master, at this post, for such disposition as you may direct. No money was found in his possession. It is believed that he is somewhat indebted to the Sutter (?) at this post, and possibly to other persons.
        If my services should be required in any matter relating to him, they are at your command. My address will be, to "Fort Clinch".
        I have the honor to be, With much respect,

Inventory of the Effects of 1st Lieut. Wm. D. Berrien, late of the 6th Regt. U.S. Infantry, who died at Fort Brooke, E.F. on the 2nd day of December 1840.

1 Gold Watch	1 Silk handkerchief, old
1 Gold Ring	2 Towels
1 Gold Brooch	1 Razor
1 Dress Coat	1 Looking Glass
1 Frock Coat	1 F. Cap
1 Fustian Coat	1 Pr. Silk Gloves
3 Prs. Woolen Pantaloons	6 Blankets
3 Prs. White drilling Pantaloons	1 Pillow
1 Pr. Blue drilling Pantaloons	1 Rifle, stock broken
1 Black Silk Vest	1 Shot Belt
1 Black Silk Stock	2 Prs. Saddle Bags, old
1 Linen Shirt	1 Pr. Spurs
2 Cotton Shirts, linen bosoms	1 Map of Florida
1 Calico Shirt	2 Memorandum Books
2 Flannel Shirts	A number of books
2 Cotton Shirts	1 Sett Small Seals
3 Linen Jackets	Several Sheets of Music and Prints
2 Prs. Socks	A Quantity of Mess and Kitchen Furniture
2 Prs. Boots	1 Concert Flute

        It gave me great pleasure dear William to get your "postal" yesterday evening - not having heard from John or Richard though I wrote to them likewise - I did not to Charlie, not being altogether sure of his address.
        Now for y'r questions. In January 1882, when y'r Aunt Lou and I were in Savannah, your dear Mother told us, she had in her possession, a very old piece of family Silver, a Silver flagoon, with I think the date of the year, and the name Amy Bliss engraved on it. My recollection is, that (she told me) Grand Mother Anciaux had given it to her - that it belonged to some of Grand Mother's ancestors.
        Aunt (Valeria) Gibbons was Grand Mother Anciaux's Sister - and their maiden name was Richardson - of "New Ports" Rhode Island, and Mrs. Richardson was Elizabeth Eatton, their Mother. Grand Father Anciaux's Father was Chevalier De Wilthiem. Grand Father Anciaux was born at Frankfort on the Main in Germany, though his commission in the Army was signed by Louis 16th of France. He came to this country with the French Army during the "Revolution" under the command of Count Duponte and met Grand Mother, then Miss Lydia Richardson, at Newport, Rhode Island.
        Please copy for me, with the dates, the letter of Gen. Jackson tendering to my dear Father the mission to the Court of St. James. Colonel Hunter's (Mamma's Father) told me he had received this letter. It is never mentioned by your Grand Father's Biographers.
        Give my love to Lillie - I wish I had photographs of her lovely children. I hope one of these bright days you will bring them all to see us. Sophie has been in Georgia for the last six weeks at Scottsboro, near Milledgeville, with a descendant of one of the Eatons, a Mrs. F.C. Furman, a daughter of Professor Joseph Le Conte, now of the California University.
        What have you all done with the dear old Homestead in Congress Street? Do you know, dear William, I think now is the time for Charlie to move into Savannah, with his interesting family. His children will have to be educated, and Eugenia is such a charming woman in Society as well as at home. Indeed I am sure we ought to be grateful for such lovely nieces as you four Brothers have given us. My precious Sister Valeria was very proud of them, and devoted to their little children.
        Cousin Charles Jenkins is very, very feeble we hear. Loulie Williams and her Aunt Catherine passed through Columbia within the last day or two, on their way to "Caesar's Head" near Greenville, So., Ca.
        Write soon, dear William. I am very sad without my dear Sisters. With love to Lilla and family.

        "---find your copy I shall be sorry, but I will look up my copy and give you all the information I can.
        "Mamma was born (Eliza Anciaux Berrien) June 30, 1826. She must have married General Bartow in 1844, for she was 18 when she married him. I have heard Mamma say she was born at "Social Circle" in Bullock county, where her parents were spending the summer.
        "Papa and Mamma were married in Savannah, at home in Grandfather's house, by Bishop Elliott April 7, 1842. Their eldest child Mary Parsons was born February 10, 1843. Their second Eliza Anciaux, October 3, 1844. The third Sophie Parsons, October 25, 1846. The fourth, Margaret Macpherson Berrien, was born November 19, 1849, and the fifth child, Williamina Moore October 4, 1852.
        "The address of Loulie is Mrs. T.D. Kendall, 1500 Gervais St., Columbia, S.C. Loulie is living just one square from us, in a pretty house that Dr. Kendall has just rented from Mrs. Julius Walker. Loulie is well, and is looking remarkably well. We don't see much of each other, but when we meet we are always very friendly. I am glad your health is good, and that you have Lilla and Leighton living with you.
        "Your Cousins Sallie Wallace and Kate Taylor are both well, I believe.
        "Let me hear from you again, my dear Willie. Lilla joins me in love to you and your dear children.
        "I am always your attached cousin,

        I know my dearest Jane you will participate my joy when I tell you that our dear friend is improving rapidly in health, he has walked near a mile and a half this morning without any shortness of breath & Dr. Couper says he only wants a Scotch summer. We are preparing for a trip to the Highlands and shall expect you to join us immediately on our return. While we were at Manchester I got excessively allarmed, I almost feared for his life, however I thank to Almighty he seems now to get stronger every hour.
        We found his friends quite well, and his poor mother in a perfect extacy at his return to her arms. You may conceive the rapture of my heart at a prospect so delightful as the one which now opens to me of his being spared to protect and give a charm to that life which would be almost a curse if deprived of his tenderness. We travelled one day seventy six miles and he was the next day better than he had been for months. You would be quite charmed to see how much better he is.
        Imagination can present nothing more lovely than the scenery of the lakes. You must come by them for I fear it will be too cold for Mr. Shaw for us to go by them when we return to England, and I would not have you lose the delightful prospect from the mountains on any account.
        I am just preparing to dine at Dr. Couper's who I like very much. Mrs. Couper is no more to be compared in point of manners to our dear friend of the same name than light is to darkness. Miss Couper is very pretty and appears quite the lady. I can not tell you my dearest Jane how much I regret our seperation. I have not enjoyed a thousand scenes of enchantment half as much as if you had been with me to participate in my pleasure.
        Have you seen anything of Mrs. Carruthers, and how is she? I have not time to write her today, I pray you therefore to give her my love and tell her to try the Quakers Black Drop for her cough, it has acted like a charm on Mr. Shaw and is highly approved of by Dr. Couper.
        From what I can understand of the Physician's opinions here I think we shall spend the summer here and the winter in Bristol. Recollect then to get our chess men for the long winter evenings, ask Capt. Low for them.
        I still think with delight of the charming Mrs. Dixon and the pleasant hours I spent in Liverpool. Give my love & kiss her sweet children for me.
        God bless you my much loved friend. I am very much disappointed that I have got no letter from you but I judge your feelings by my own and attribute your silence to anything but want of affection. Mr. S. joins me in truest love.

Addressed
Miss Jane Johnston
Care of Ogden Richards & Shelden
Merchants, Liverpool.

I am suffering from an affection [sic] of the kidneys, which affects my eyes and makes writing a positive pain. Besides, I have had so often to confess ignorance to you, that it really mortifies me. But I will answer your questions to the best of my ability, and if I seem short, attribute it please to the pain in my eyes.

1st. I was called after General Greene's daughter because she was a much loved friend of both my parents. Mrs. Shaw was in no way related to us.

2nd. I do not know where you could find a portrait of Grand Father Anciaux. Your Mother had the only portrait of Grand Mother Anciaux that I ever saw. It was in her drawing room.

3rd. My Mother's picture was sent to your Mother's home with the portraits of my Father and Grand Father and Grand Mother Berrien for safe keeping during the war. I learned that these portraits were divided among your Mother's children after her death, with the rest of her effects. We on this side of the river have been entirely shared out of the family portraits. And I have a real longing for my Mother's picture, and I have a better right to it than any one else, I think.

5th. My sisters M. and V. were in the home of Dr. Montgomery who married one of Grand Father Berrien's sisters, when at school in Philadelphia. I do not know where that school was.

6th. Sister Margarette left a son Berrien Kennedy who I heard went to Texas, and died there during the Civil War.

7th. We are related to Dr. J.B. Lindsley through the marriage of another of my aunts, I forget which, or whom she married.

8th. Mrs. Berrien entertained Henry Clay when he was a candidate for the Presidency at our home on Broughton street, corner of Habersham. She never entertained any of the presidents.

9th. I think Major Berrien lived in the house on Broughton street afterwards owned by Mr. Dunning. I have nothing belonging to him or any of his relatives.

10th. I am afraid the graves of Grand Mother and Grand Father Anciaux are in the old plantation in Bullock County in a very neglected condition.

11th. George Macpherson, whose address Kate Anderson can give you, I think may be able to tell you something of the Macphersons.

My dear Child:
        I am so sorry that your dear children are such invalids. You know I am one of the same sort, now, though Ih ave been fighting hard against it all my life. I so often think of what the poor little child said, "I don't want to be cross, but I am just that miserable I can't help it". Think of your long suffering Auntie. Ten weeks on Saturday since I was gripped by La Grippe, and from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet there's no soundness in me. At the end of five weeks I was persuaded to take a ride, and enjoyed out a doors for four days. And then I came back to my room and was tortured for eight days and nights with Muscular Rheumatism which even now has me by the neck. Dear! I thought Inflammatory Rheumatism was a pain, but Child Muscular Rheumatism is a torture. I am still shut in and only enjoy out a doors from looking through the windows.
        But let's think about something pleasanter. Our landed Estate in Bullock. Oh Child, how well I remember it. Coarse sand and pine saplings, squash water melons, nubin corn, and wormy peaches, all presided over by our good Puritan Grand Mother, who played the thimble rig on my unhappy head, because I did not knit as many rows on my stockings, or do them as well, as my sainted namesake Louisa Greene Shaw. Ah well, there is such a thing as compensation, even in this life. And if this aforesaid Estate can be made to produce even a few thousands, they shall cover up the painful memories of thimble rig. I think you have made a wise selection of lawyers as I am told they are considered the best, and I am sure you will do the best that can be done in this matter. Don't let the lawyers enjoy the Law's tedious delays, or this old woman may not have the satisfaction of transferring her share of the landed Estate in Bullock to Atlanta.
        Darling, excuse this stupid scratch, and with love and sympathy for all your sick and suffering.

There would be messages of love from both Kate and Louisa, but they are both out preparing for Louisa's birthday picnic, which comes off tomorrow. Thank you so much for the stamps. They are a great satisfaction. Please tell your dear child that why I wrote so briefly I did not want to say anything of suffering in a note that should have told only of gladness.

        The necessity of making many arrangements has prevented me from personally conveying to Mrs. McNish the accompanying deed of trust.
        It is drawn so as to accomplish both the purpose I was instructed to effectuate. The blanks in the deed are to be filled with the names of Roswell King or whoever may be selected as Trustee, and this should be done before the execution of the deed.
        The deed is to be signed first by Mr. H. then by Miss McNish and then by the two Trustees opposite the seals. These signatures should be witnessed by two persons not parties to the instrument and not interested in its trusts, one of whom had better be a judicial officer or notary public for the convenience of registering the deed, as otherwise it cannot be recorded without very great inconvenience. The deed should be recorded within three months from its execution, in every county in which any property conveyed by Mrs. McNish and Miss McNish should be at once recorded in the books of Chatham County. This would add to its value, and would be a great security in case of the loss or destruction of the original. I consider this important because this deed is referred to in the settlement, which in some parts is explained by it.

Dear Mr. Burroughs:
        My mother, Mrs. Charles L. Huston, has asked me to reply to your letter of June 4th, as I have been interested for a number of years in family history.
        I think my aunt, Mrs. Judkins, (formerly Mrs. Leaken) of Savannah, has the correspondence you referred to between Dr. Wm. B. Burroughs and my grand aunt "Madgie" Reid. I have a letter he wrote to my uncle, Wm. R. Leaken, in 1913, but cannot at the moment lay my hands on some correspondence I personally had with him.
        For several years I have hoped to find one of the Burroughs connection who might furnish a few clues through which we could discover the early history of the Eirich family. Often they turn up in the form of deeds, wills, letters, Bibles, unexplained Christian names, traditions and even furniture and silver.
        I will give you below what we have gathered together to date:
        On April 29th, 1763, Adam Eirich of Charles Town in the Province of South Carolina, Planter, acquired a town lot in Savannah, known as No. Eight Second Tything Anson Ward. This property, either then or later, contained a house, mentioned in 1776, 1809 and 1827, when it was sold by the Burroughs Estate to the Owens family. For a long time it was Mrs. Thomas's (nee Owens) garden and stood just across from the beautiful Owens house on State Street. It was sold a number of years ago and is now occupied as an apartment house. Miss Meta Thomas tells me that the house must have been torn down at the time their family purchased it, or shortly afterwards, as she has no old photographs or pictures of it.
        Adam Eirich's wife's name was Catherine and he had two sons, Alexander, (our ancestor), and Adam, Jr.
        On May 3rd, 1768, Adam Eirich made application for a Crown grant for 500 acres on the Ogeechee in St. Phillips Parish, and affirmed that he had been in the Province of Georgia five years, had a wife, two children and five negroes, and was entitled to 250 acres for his family and 50 more for each negro. This was granted to him on Dec. 6th, 1768, on the North side of Black Creek, on a cane branch about two miles from the lands of Rev. Frink (who I find was one of the prominent men of that period).
        About 1924 I took my aunt, and Mrs. Leaken's colored butler (at her insistence) on an expedition to the Black Creek neighborhood and found, through a lawyer in Statesboro, who knew the local traditions, the probable site of the Eirich plantation buildings. It is near "Iric's" Branch (a corruption of the name Eirich). The country is absolutely unromantic.
        Other Crown Grants were made to Adam Eirich on April 14th, 1769 and May 5th, 1772, the form being "George the Third by the Grace of rod of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth to all of to whome these presents shall come Greeting, Know ye that we of our special grace, etc., etc., etc., do grant unto Adam Eirich, his heirs and assigns all that tract of land, etc., etc. " The grant Of May 5th, 1772, of which I have a copy, was signed by "his honor, James Habersham, Esq., President in Council".
        On April 27th, 1771, the name of Adam Eirich, Planter, appears in a List of prominent members of the German Lutheran congregation in Savannah, to whom a lot was conveyed for what is now The Lutheran Church of the Ascension.
        On Nov. 10th, 1776, Adam Eirich having died intestate, Catherine, his wife, was made Administratrix by the Council of Safety (one of its first acts).
        He appears to have been a man of considerable ability, for his sons divided between them 1050 acres of Georgia land, situated principally near the Ogeechee River, and thirteen slaves. His son, Adam Jr., in 1777 was a messenger for the Council of Safety.
        Where his South Carolina property was is still to be learned. From a clue I shall mention later, it is possible that Catherine Eirich's maiden name was Sturges.
        Numerous Eirichs and Iricks, in both North and South, to whom I have written, do not know anything about the Colonial history of the family. The name is to be found in both Germany and England and is believed to have been originally "Eric".
        On October 20th, 1775, the name John Adam Eirich appears on a petition from Prince William's Parish, South Carolina, to the S. C. Council of Safety, to have officers appointed for their Company, which became known as Capt. Charles Frown's Volunteer Company of Dragoons.
        This spring, while in Summerville, South Carolina, I learned of a number of negroes in the neighborhood of the name Eirick or Irick, which would indicate the former existence of a white family of slave owners by that name in the locality. So far inquiries around Summerville have not been fruitful.
        Alexander Eirich, who inherited part of his father's plantation property and the house and lot in Savannah, is traditionally supposed to have been a member of the "Colonial Parliament". I have never been able to verify this, although I have to date never located a complete list of members of either the Georgia or South Carolina Assemblies. He is described in 1777, 1779, and 1788 as a "planter", and is said to have been shot by mistake for another man while coming out of the Assembly building in Savannah. In 1788 he was appraised with one horseman's sword, which would indicate that he was a gentleman.
        His wife was Ruth Erwin and they had three daughters, Catherine, the wife of Benjamin Burroughs, your ancestress; Isabella, the wife of Dimas Ponce, and Ruth, the wife of Francis Harvey Welman, my great great Grand-mother.
        Adam Eirich, Jr., had a son, John Adam Eirich but the family disappeared from the Savannah records shortly after 1800.
        Ruth Erwin was born in County Antrim Ireland, June 8th 1754, the daughter of Christopher and Ruth Erwin. According to family tradition, after Christopher's death, Mrs. Ruth Erwin came over to Charleston, S. C. about 1770, with at least five daughters. One of them, Christiana, married Capt. Loyer of the French Army, ancestor of the Davants; another Isabella (?) married General Jared Irwin, Governor of Georgia, her cousin; another married a Mr. Dennard; another a Mr. Livingston, and of course, Ruth married Alexander Eirich.
        Mrs. Irwin owned a 300 acre tract of land in Bulloch County which was divided after her death in six parts, so that she may have had another child whom family tradition hasn't accounted for.
        Her daughter, Ruth, was married twice, the first time to Alexander Eirich and, after his death, to John Armour, by whom she had Jane Armour, who late in life became Mrs. Bryan, of Mt. Zion, near Sparta, and is buried in our family lot in Bonaventure Cemetery, and Hugh Armour, who died while still a young man at the Red Sulphur Springs, Va., in 1821. Judging by the quality of the books he left, some of which we have, he possessed considerable literary taste.
        After her marriage on Jan. 1st, 1793, to John Armour, Ruth Erwin Eirich moved from the Eirich house on State Street to an interesting little building on Congress Street, which remained standing until twenty years ago. It was one story with brick walls, but had a pink plaster front cut to imitate stone, and was surrounded on three sides by a garden. In the back was the old slave quarters with a quaint arched door for Mrs. Armour's riding vehicle.
        It was from this house that she married off her three oldest daughters.
        In 1914, in order to satisfy some of my Reid cousins, who owned an interest in it, this property was sold and the house pulled down for the Cooley Laundry.
        Mrs. Ruth Armour seems to have had a well developed business and social sense. She owned over 650 acres in Chatham, Bulloch and Early Counties, and some Savannah property. The tax records are interesting. In 1809 she is taxed by the city of Savannah with several properties, 1 chair (a riding vehicle) and five slaves.
        I have not gone into the Erwin family history very thoroughly so far. A branch of the family who spelled their name Irwin came from Ballymany, County Antrim, to Alexandria, Va., about 1790, and they have always maintained a relationship with ourselves.
        Some of this family moved to Baltimore and are represented by the Careys, Cousin Charles Carey told me that the Irwins were among the gentry of Antrim County.
        You will be interested in hearing about a trip Mrs. Judkins and I made two years ago to Pleasant Valley, the home of Aunt Ponce (Isabella Eirich). The portraits of Aunt and Uncle Ponce were given by Uncle Ponce to my great grandaunt, Isabella Ponce (Welman) Stewart, some of whose clothing, as you know, mother and I have recently presented to the Telfair. For about fifty years they hung in the ball room at "Stewartfield", my granduncle's estate near Mobile.
        Isabella Welman was a younger sister of my great grandmother, Ruth Erwin Welman (Mrs. J. H. Reid), and her husband was the oldest brother of my grandfather, Major J. T. Stewart, which made our relationship to their daughter, Mrs. Field, who died in 1933, a complicated one.
        About nineteen years ago, Mrs. Field presented the Ponce portraits to my mother, and ever since then I have wanted to see Pleasant Valley.
        Aunt Ponce's portrait is of a very aristocratic old lady, with a sort of Mona Lisa smile and, after seeing it, one can well believe the tradition about her.
        We located "Pleasant Valley" through Mrs. J. S. Wood of Savannah, who is a great niece of Governor Jared Irwin, and thus a sort of remote connection of our family,. It was near Sparta and Mt. Zion.
        The house in 1933 was standing in the middle of a wilderness. The porches had both fallen down and some of the windows had been blown in. Uncle Ponce, after Aunt Ponce's death, had distributed her possessions among her family and friends, and had married as his second wife, according to the local account, a woman who was considerably younger than himself. By Isabella Eirich he had had at least three sons, Alexander Sturges Ponce (buried in Augusta); Dimas, Jr., said to have died during the Mexican War, and Francis, who is said to have left home after a quarrel with his father.
        The second wife refused to live on the Plantation, and they moved to a house with tall columns in Sparta, selling "Pleasant Valley" to a family by the name of Underwood, just before the War between the States. Miss Underwood was still living in one room of the building in 1933; The house was quite spacious and they told us that it had at one time been considered a show place of the neighborhood.
        The hall and drawing room still had the original French scenic wall paper, that in the drawing room being particularly fine. The design was of a river flowing around the room. There were some fishermen's boats on the river, and on the near bank several gentlemen in the costumes of 1830 were having a horse race. On the far bank were grouped famous European buildings. The colors were still fresh. The paper was pasted to linen and then tacked to the wall. I tried to purchase it, but couldn't come to terms with Miss Underwood's nephew. In 1934 the house burned down.
        As Dimas Ponce was a Spaniard, the name of their son, Alexander Sturges Ponce, may help eventually to solve the mystery of who Adam and Catherine Eirich were.
        Trusting that this rather lengthy letter will give you some slight information you have not already had.

P.S.: Items in the Welman branch of the family which I know to have come from Ruth Erwin and Alexander Eirich are as follows:
        An old Bible printed in the early 1600s belonging to Mrs. Judkins. This, to my recollection, has no records in it of value. It has been rebound and I have what I think is the fly leaf. On one side of the page is written "Mrs. Armour's Rook". On the other side are given the dates of the marriage and birth of John Armour and of his children (no Eirichs).
        A large oval drop leaf mahogany table, with biscuit feet, of the period 1730, belonging to Mrs. Judkins.
        A large mahogany box or chest, with brass Chippendale handles, of the period 1780, belonging to Mrs. Judkins.
        A smaller mahogany box of identical design, including the handles, of the period 1780, belonging to Stewart Huston. (This used to hold the more valuable family jewelry). We have always called it "The Box".
        One decorated silver tea spoon marked R. E. (Ruth Erwin or Eirich), belonging to Stewart Huston.
        Six decorated silver tea spoons marked R. A. (Ruth Armour) belonging to Stewart Huston.
        Five plain silver tea spoons marked R. A. (Ruth Armour) belonging to Stewart Huston.
        One plain silver tea spoon marked R. A. (Ruth Armour) owned by the late Josephine Stewart (1st wife of J. Irby Gibson of Savannah.
        One pair of decorated silver sugar tongs marked J. R. A. (John & Ruth Armour) belonging to Stewart Huston.

Dear Mr. Burroughs:
        Thank you for your letter of June l8th. The photographs of Uncle and Aunt Ponce were, of course, for you to keep.
        The name seems to have been spelled in several different ways. The earliest form seems to have been Eirich, and I think in one case it was Eirich. In the old flyleaf in my possession, mentioned in my letter of June 10th, there is noted the marriage of John Armour and Mrs. Ruth Eirick.
        I have seen my great, great, grandmother's signature spelled Ruth Irick and her daughter Catherine Welman, who married Robert Reid of Mobile (no relative of John Hope Reid, his brother‑in‑law) appears in the flyleaf of an old book as Catherine I. Welman, (the "I" probably standing for Irick).
        Your quotation about the division of Adam Eirich's property is interesting and I believe outlines the share Alexander Eirich received from his father's estate. There is another list which I have not been able to locate recently, signed by Alexander, and which I think gives Adam, Jr.'s share. There is a doubt about the Battle Creek property being 2100 acres, some of my notes (made by Wm. R. Leaken and others) giving 2100 acres and some 210 acres.
        The tablet on the site of the family vault in Colonial Cemetery was placed there by my grand‑aunt, Margaret Welman Reid ("Madgie"), who seems to have had the unfortunate habit of placing erroneous inscriptions on gravestones. This is responsible for two mistakes in Bonaventure. It is one of my ambitions to have the stone removed and an appropriate monument of the period substituted, with a more accurate inscription. We have no positive information that any of the persons mentioned on the stone were buried there with the exception of Ruth Welman and John Hope Reid. It was found more convenient to remove the interesting old brick vault, which probably looked like the neighboring Burroughs' vault, than to repair it.
        When you are in Savannah the next time, I know my aunt, Mrs. Wm. D. Judkin who lives at 14 East 37th St. will be glad to see you. I wrote to her about your letter. She has a pastel portrait of Ruth Eirich (Mrs. F. H. Welman in her wedding dress, which, although not a work of art, is interesting in giving details. The very elaborate set of pearls she is wearing (originally consisting of necklace, earrings, hair ornaments, etc., but now combined in one necklace) is still in the family, as well as a handsome watch and chain, shown in the picture, and the wedding veil and lace from the dress.
        The Welman family has narrowed down to the children of my grand‑uncle, Capt. W. A. Reid, who live in California, but will leave no descendants; the children and grandchildren of my uncle, the late Mayor, Murray M. Stewart, of Savannah; Mrs. Judkins, who has no children, and my mother and her children and grandson (my brother's baby).
        The family has, curiously enough, taken no outstanding political part in Savannah (in the sense of Senators, Ambassadors, Justices, etc., but as far back as we can trace, and at least from the time of Ruth Erwin's marriage to Alexander Eirich in the 1780s they seem to have been popular socially. The Irwin family took a very similar position in Baltimore.

My dear Leight.-
        It is a long while since I have written to you. More than two years I believe, no matter, this must make up, and may be you will think more than make up for it, before you get through.
        I have been in bad health, indeed threatened with lung complaint this winter, and am now so sick that I am obliged to leave my work. I have been sick here for a week, and yesterday George came very kindly to see me, he advised me to leave and more than that to come and see you, it seems to me to be making rather too much of a convenience of you, but he said I must go anyhow, that you would be glad to have company to help out some of the long winter days. He urged me so strongly that I concluded if you have room for me and would be glad to see me I would come and spend a part of the winter with you. I have been wishing some time to make Cousin Mary and Marie acquainted and have not had the opportunity until now. I wish also to pay Uncle Robert a visit so that I can do both at the same time.
        I have been steadily at work at my profession since I left you 5 years ago and as much pleased with it, and I assure you it goes hard with me to be obliged to leave it, particularly as the Location, the pleasantest part you know is about to begin. I have been making surveys for the last two months, and have had charge of the party which was quite pleasant. I I [sic] wonder you sometimes dont turn out at it again, it certainly is a very fascinating profession, but I suppose Cousin Mary would put her veto on that.
        George tells me you have moved to the Satilla and turned rice planter, much to your comfort and prosperity. Where abouts is your place, and how can I hear of you? I think I shall stop at Uncle's for a short time and see him and then come over to you. Bob also I hear is at Brunswick. You have got all together by some means.

George is sitting by me, I asked him if he wanted to put a postscript, "No", says he, "I wrote a long letter to the rascal Leight and he has not answered it yet". Fine account of you.
        I must stop now, as I feel tired and have several letters to write this afternoon. Write me to "Columbia, South Carolina" as I shall be there by the time I can hear from you.
        Give my love to Cousin Mary and the children, and my best regards to Mrs. McNish and Miss Johnston.
        Hoping to see you soon I am, My dear Leight,

L.W. Hazlehurst, Esq., care of R. Hazlehurst, Esq., Bethel, Glynn Co., Georgia
Forwarded to Waynesville, Wayne County, Ga.

        I wish you happy returns of this day my dear Leighton, & as many of them as may be for your good, both temporal & eternal.
        I am happy to be able to say that I perceive much improvement in you during the year, especially in your manners. I am very desirous to see you more attentive to your religious duties, & I trust if we both live to see another anniversary of your nativity, I may be permitted to remark on your taking greater heed to the "one thing needful". It is my daily prayer for you my dear boy that you may "grow in grace" doubt not that God will answer it for Jesus Christ's sake.
        I enclose what will purchase you a pocket Comb, which I have searched for in vain in the neighbourhood. Some fine morning you must look for one yourself.

My dear Leighton,
        The receipt of your long expected letter afforded me the sincerest pleasure, & as an opportunity offers of replying to it free of Mail charge I readily improve it, although it will so soon leave you again in my debt, the only alloy I presume you will experience by this new proof of my love & attention!!
        I am gratified that you still honour me as "a Confessor", I allude to the subject "procrastination", but this is not sufficient, & I want you, & exhort you to turn from your evil ways. When once sensible of our defects there is no excuse for not endeavouring to overcome them. Stir yourself up therefore, & place the goad in your own Mary's hand who will use it gently I doubt not, & with judgment will prompt you to punctuality & method, both of which are necessary thro' life. I am happy to hear you read so much altho' of a miscellaneous description. I send you some numbers of "the Cabinet" which have afforded me real pleasure in perusing, & I am sure the farming hints at least will be useful to you. The little seal I saw at a store a few weeks ago, & was so fortunate as to find it still there yesterday. It contains our family crest, & as you are the eldest grand-son, are entitled to the use of it. I observed no inscription on your seal, & hope you will find it useful. The little emery cushion for Mary is in new style & I hope it may remind her of one who though distant, feels that she is near to her as being so closely connected with a beloved relative, & that it will prove serviceable auxiliary to her work-basket. The little roll for Abbott Brisbane contains the notice by Bp. White of our Grandfather Hall, with a facsimile of his writing, & which he was so anxious to have that I copied it for him, & he promised to call for it. I send it thinking you may see & hand it to him. He went away in haste from Phila. as his father informed us. The latter spent an evening with us. He is unchanged excepting in the outer man, which bids fair to rival Shakespeare Alderman, if the increase of flesh progresses.
        I am not surprised to hear the regret expressed respecting dear Elizabeth's expected removal from your neighbourhood. She is deservedly loved & respected. I wish my dear Leighton you would find out & let me know why she had her commissions executed by the one to whom she entrusted them. It caused the most profound amazement to every member of the family. I cannot think why she should have put such a slight upon me. I have pondered in vain to discover the reason. In the choice of what is fashionable, even the ladies of the best taste have to consult their Mantua-makers & Milliners. As respects economy in expenditure I know not that there is more carefulness, in short it is a mystery I cannot solve. Do not say anything to her about it, as I would not mar her present felicity in one iota, but try to discover & let me know her reasons, as I feel curious to learn what has swayed her mind.
        The day after I received your letter I took a charming ride with Mrs. Drayton, accompanied by Miss Rutledge & M. Warley. A handsome Barouche drawn by fine horses conveyed us to Gray's ferry, Hamiltonville & Fair Mount, passing over the wire bridge (a view of which I send you) in an hour & a half, on one of the finest afternoons experienced this Month, which has been a very warm one. She expressed great pleasure in hearing such recent accounts of your happiness. The interest for you seems in no measure to decrease. The Col. is in his usual health, but is arranging his affairs as his disease of which he is well aware, may take him away suddenly. At present he is in N. York. Henry is travelling [sic] & has visited the White Mountains in N. Hamp. He appears much pleased with his medical studies under Dr. Morris, & improves fast.
        I called to Pet for an answer to your query, "does she like pets?" her reply is "I hate pets of all sorts", Juliana adds "because they are his rivals",
        I hope the crop of your setting next year may yield an hundredfold & relieve you of all embarrassments! The planting business is truly a precarious one. Earnestly do I trust my dearest Nephew that in the momentous charge of the souls & bodies of so many of your fellow-creatures you may be found faithful, & kept from the odious aim of tyranny so hateful to God & man. Watch dilligently [sic] against it, and at the same time require your people to do their duty as your perform yours. And may the grace of God be abundantly bestowed on you whereby alone we can discern, & perform our allotted task in the state of life in which we are placed, & a blessing attend you & yours continually, is the prayer of

(a portion of the following letter is torn away and the last sheet is missing--MHB)

My dear Leighton:
        Our dear Father's portrait was brought home yesterday perfectly restored. You would think it had just been taken by an artist. I hope it will not be long ere you see it, as you spoke so strongly of bringing your dear wife here next season. The cost of the restoration is $30., re-gilding the frame $5.00. Postal $35.00. I have written to George as he desired me, stating that "he would immediately write to Mr. Plant to remit the amount when I informed him what it cost".
        It gives us great pleasure to have our loved [torn] more among us, [torn] so life-like a manner [torn]. Mr. Barlo is an enthusiast in his profession, & so gentlemanly & amiable in his manners. He admired the countenance of our dear Father, & listened with interest & respect to the delineation of his character. He met my views & feelings exactly when I wished to know if the frame also could be preserved. Undoubtedly, he said. "I would have no other. Every portion must be restored."
        The portrait is to hang in the recess occupied when you were here by the piano, which is to be removed into the back parlour. We have decided my dear Leighton that you & George are to claim this memorandum of this bequest (as we shall do also) that there may be no dispute hereafter. The picture was presented to us after the death of Uncle Hazlehurst by Cousin Sam's family, so we have a right to dispose of it.
        How often I think of your pleasant visit! It was only too short. I met Isaac Hazlehurst who expressed great regret at not seeing you. He & James called at the Girard as soon as he heard of your being in Phila. intending to take you & [torn] to spend the night.
        [torn] nut Grove, but the [torn] told him you had all left.
        Give my love to Mary & say I hope it will not be long ere I have the pleasure of meeting her, as you spoke so strongly of bringing her on next season.
        We feel anxious about George. I hope he may remain in Macon until the epidemic ceases.
        Juliana has been quite feeble lately, but trust the cold weather may restore her. We took a drive with Mrs. Vanx this week & she felt the fatigue several days afterwards.

My dear Leighton,
        Your letter of the 13th Inst. was received this morning, & we were much gratified at your affecte. anxiety expressed in our behalf, so much so, that I answer it forthwith to calm your fears on our behalf, & to give you a true statement of affairs. There have been no mobs, no riots. Abundance of drilling, which, together with the thousands of flags make the City very lively in appearance. The only cause of sadness & depression is, that the 100,000 troops mustered at the call of the President, (75,000 in one week) are for the unnatural warfare of brother against brother. These things ought not to be. Mr. Edwin Stevens is raising and equipping a regiment at his own expense, & his sister Sophia has presented a 1000. Bond of the Cam. & Amby. R.R. to N. Jersey for the furtherance of the War. Our millionaires give without stint, & others according to their ability. Money & men will not be wanting here, as more offer than are accepted. It is the cause of the people, & each man be his station high or low is equally interested. A Canadian colonial regiment was offered, but declined by the Administration, and Gov. Curtiss refused leave for them to pass thro' Pennsyla. The moneyed colored men of this City offered their services & $1,000,000 besides; all were refused, as there are white men enough, & money also.
        The feeling here is the absolute necessity of self-defence now, after long hoping that the South would see their error, but there is no bitterness, no rancour. The prayers which are daily offered in our Churches & individually are for all, & not a portion of the people. I could not pray otherwise. It is rather singular that at the beginning of the hostile feeling, your mild face was constantly before me day after day; & I cannot abide the thought that the lineaments should ever bear the impress of hatred to your brethren. God grant that peace may soon be restored!
        I am happy to learn of the uninterrupted health of your family, & hope the summer may be passed in the enjoyment of this special blessing. I dare say you will see Harriet, as a drive to the Sand Hills can vary the monotony of Brunswick where she now is, but with "nothing to wear", as the dress purchased by her direction here can not be forwarded. She says she "never was in such a quandary in her life'. Her letter breathes much thoughtfulness, & grateful feelings to her Aunts.
        Your faithful Preceptor A. Bolmar died on 27th Feby. He was found dead in his bed. His Exr. W. Townsend sent me an invitation to his funeral. He was buried in Oakland Cemy. Mrs. B. is in feeble health. She came to the City immediately, Mr. & Mrs. Thosbecke receiving her, Lucie & Sophie at their house, & showing them tender attention. Anthony is learning farming near W. Chester, the younger boys are at boarding school in Phila.
        It must be a great disappointment not to be able to send John to school. It was one of my first thoughts & regrets that the Sewanee University would suffer by the intestine feuds. It was such a deside-ratum in the South. With $4,000,000 indebtedness to the North, all such schemes must at present be given up.
        Julia Good has been making us a pleasant visit of 8 weeks. She is so cheerful, & equal in disposition, well read, & willing to be pleased. She will return from W. Chester in Octr. & has engaged lodging in Walnut St. James' course of studies will finish in a year. 3 Medl. Lectures in the day, & drilling in the evey, keep him very busy.

My dear Mary,
        I have been making enquiry for a Governess according to your request, & hearing yesterday of Miss Gertrude Taylor, I called upon her this morning & was much pleased with the interview. I read three letters of recommendation from Mr. Peter the late British Consul, his wife, & the gentleman in Albermarle Coy., Virginia, whose family she last instructed. All highly satisfactory, & my own impression is very favourable. She seems to have no doubt of her abilities as a Latin & French Teacher, was a scholar of Mrs. Gardelle when you were there. She described your appearance exactly, & remembers you as a pattern scholar & a great favourite of Made. Gardelle. She was French Governess in Margt. Cox's school in Cincinnati for years. Leighton remembers the Cox family of Burlington with which we were on such sociable terms, & Margt. had to exert herself after the loss of their fortune, by school-keeping.
        I was pleased with the frank & candid deportment of Miss T., her amiable manners & those of her mother. She will write you to-day according to my request, & you may thus judge of her abilities in a great measure. She will also tell you the particulars of Mrs. Gardelle's death & burial at Damascus in Syria. From her & Mr. Picot (also dead) she could have referred you with confidence.
        I took your letter myself to Miss Bayard, fearing the "Despatch" might prove faithless. She read your letter, & promised to look out for a teacher, although she thinks there are few who combine all you require. Your omission to mention the salary is a difficulty, as she says that is the first question asked. I was at a loss also when Miss T. made enquiry. Miss Bayard will write if she hears of a suitable person. Her school-room is really stylish. The young ladies seated around as in their own elegant parlour. Maps adorn the walls, & tables occupy the center. They all rose as I was introduced, & bowed. In the drawing room above a young lady was practicing & showed great proficiency. She was undisturbed by my presence & several other visitors, and I was much pleased to listen to such sweet sounds while waiting for Miss B. She has one of the Blight houses which Leighton will remember, in Chestnut below Schuyl. 8th.
        Should I hear of any other teacher I will inform you.
        Thank you for your kind invitation to spend the winter with you. We are now comfortably fixed, & both Harriet and I prefer a cold climate. I wish with all my heart we were in nearer proximity. You would then find me a frequent visitor in your loved & interesting family.
        Give much love to Leighton & Lilla & a kiss to the little ones.
        Mrs. & Miss Taylor enquired anxiously about the healthiness of your place. Be sure if you write to mention your experience of the climate.

Addressed
Mrs. M. Hazlehurst Care of Leighton W. Hazlehurst
Waynesville, Wayne Coy., Georgia

My dear Leighton,
            Your letter o the 13th Inst. was received this morning, &c. we were much gratified at your affecte. anxiety expressed in our behalf, so much so, that I answer it forthwith to calm your fears on our behalf, & to give you a true statement of affairs. There have been no mobs, no riots. Abundance of drilling, which, together with the thousands of flags make the City very lively in appearance. The only cause of sadness & depression is, that the 100,000 troops mustered at the call of the President, (76,000 in one week) are for the unnatural warfare of brother against brother. These things ought not to be. Mr. Edwin Stevens is raising and equipping a regiment at his own expense, & his sister Sophia has presented a 1000. Bond of the Cam. & Amby. R.R. to N. Jersey for the furtherance of the War. Our millionaires give without stint, & others according to their ability. Money & men will not be wanting here, as more offer than are accepted. It is the cause of the people, & each man be his station high or low is equally interested. A Canadian colonial regiment was offered, but declined by the Admini9stration, and Gov. Curtiss refused leave for them to pass thro' & $1,000,000. besides; all were refused, as there ware white men enough, & money also.
            The feeling here, is the absolute necessity of self-defence now, after long hoping that the South would see their error, but there is no bitterness, no rancour. The prayers which are daily offered in our Churches & individually are for all, & not a portion of the people. I could not pray otherwise. It is rather singular that at the beginning of the hostile feeling, your mild face was constantly before me day after day; & I cannot abide the thought that the linements should ever bear the impress of hatred to your brethren. God grant that peace may soon be restored!
            I am happy to learn of the uninterrupted health of your family, & hope the summer may be passed in the enjoyment of this special blessing. I dare say you will see Harriet, as a drive to the San Hills can vary the monotony of Brunswick where she now is, but with “nothing to wear”, as the dress purchased by her direction here cannot be forwarded. She says she “never was in such a quandary in her life”. Her letter breathes much thoughtfulness, & grateful feelings to her Aunts.
            Your faithful Preceptor A. Bolmar died on 27th Feby. He was found dead in his bed. His Exr. W. Townsend sent me an invitation to his funeral. He was buried in Oakland Cemy. Mrs. B. is in feeble health. She came to the City immediately, Mr. & Mrs. Thosbecke receiving her, Lucie & Sophie at their house, & showing them tender attention. Anthony is learning farming near W. Chester, the younger boys are at boarding school in Phila.
            It must be a great disappointment not to be able to send John to school. It was one of my first thoughts & regrets that the Sewanee University would suffer by the intestine feuds. It was such a desideratum in the South. With $4,000,000. indebtedness to the North, all such schemes must at present be given up. Alas! for the cause.
            Julia Good has been making us a pleasant visit of 8 weeks. She is so cheerful, & equal in dispostition, well read, & willing to be pleased. She will return from W. Chester in Octr. & has engaged lodgings in Walnut St. James’ course of studies will finish in a year. 3 Medl. Lectures in the day, & drilling in the evey. keep him very busy.
            The remainder of my paper I must devote to Lilla, with love from Harriet united with mine to your wife, believe me affecty.

Dear Lilla,
            I must give you a condensed letter in answer to yours of 14th Feby. as I have nearly filled my paper in scribbling to you Father, but I may not soon have the opportunity. We have been taking some pleasant excursions lately with our friend Mrs. Vanx & her son. Point Breeze, Tristicum, crossing the new bridge at Penrose’s Ferry, then up Darby Road, stopped for ice cream at the Hotel, continuing to the Garret Road, alighted at John Hazlehurst’s where we were greeted by shouts & hurrahs, & passed a half hour delightfully, Elizabeth & her pretty daughter with the children giving us a hearty welcome, the latter dragging us to see their pets, chicks, calf, fish, pups & garden. We had good appetites for supper after a 20 mile drive.
            Our visit to Haverford was also very pleasant. Returning, the cars stopped at Marion Station & took up Isaac Hazlehurst & family, so we had the added pleasure of their company. They move to Walnut Grove this week, where we have been urged to visit them this summer, also our other Cousins at their charming country seats. So if we wish to leave the City we shall be at no loss.
            My scarlet cactus has 10 full blown flowers on it, each as large as my fist. It is a splendid sight. M. Plant carried some leaves. I hope they took root. She writes me frequently, & improves fast. You say nothing of your Governess. I should like to hear of your, & the children’s educational pursuits as well as of their pets.
            Give each of them my warmest love. I hope Mary will soon begin to correspond with me. There never was such a turn out of Citizens as that in honour of the Hero of Ft. Sumpter, & his modest demeanour delighted every eye. Order & decorum prevailed everywhere.
            The drilling furore has reached the young Quakers, a company exercising daily. One elderly man said to one in authority, “Thee knows Friends do not fight, but the money will not be wanting”. (For the war.)
            Let us hear from your family as often as possible, & be assured of the affection of

My dear Leighton,
            You do not know how much I was gratified at receiving your affectionate & sympathizing letter, it served to cheer me more than I can express to find your love unabated by years of absence. I have indeed been called to undergo a most severe operation, one so unexpected to me, but as soon as I found that it was required to undergo it from our valued & skillful family physician Mr. Morris I at once consented. I had for two or three months previous had a slight swelling in my right breast, but as it was attended by very little pain did not heed it, fearful too of distressing Aunt M., and I have very much to attend to as she now cannot attend to many matters, & on Thursday I consulted Dr. M., on Friday he brought his son a skillful Surgeon and Dr. Sam Ashurst to see me. They all seemed to think it was local as my health was so good, my skin also so clear, no glandular swellings, & the free use of my arm, on Monday they decided on having the breast removed & on Tuesday it took place. Dr. M. procured an experience nurse, two other physicians were in attendance, I was under the influence of Eather [sic] for an hour & half, & thank God was totally insensible to anything that went on, sat up in a chair during the time, & when they laid me on the bed I soon recovered from the effects of the Eather.
            I had skillful devoted Christian Physicians, men who I know begged to be blessed in the operation; & so far I am doing well they remarked that it seemed a miracle to them my speedy recovery, not one night did I lose my natural sleep, never had to disturb the nurse for even a drop of water, no fever or headache, my valued pastor was with me the day previous & prayed so fervently for me, & that the Physicians might be endowed with skill & the prayers of those Christian friends have been heard, for I have been most mercifully dealt with & if my life is spared may every walk be closer to my God.
            My friends have been devoted to me & every delicacy sent to me, I did not know I had so many friends until this trial. My breast is now well, able to use my hand and arm carefully, & my fingers still a little stiff as you may perceive from the tight bandages. I have rode out but the weather is so intensely hot that I think home is the best place, at present one of my feet is swollen so as to prevent my putting on my boot, but the Dr. thinks it will pass off, he comes to see me about once in ten days & says “you are perfectly well”. I have written you the particulars thinking you would like to hear.
            Aunt Mary has not been able to assist me in any way as her eye sight is so impaired, & she is so entirely unused to a sick room, & I have to care for her. The Dr. wanted me to go in country for a short time, but indeed, I do not know how I can leave home for Aunt M. could not go, & I do not like to leave her.
            Do thank dear Lilla for her affectionate letter which I received yesterday, & will try & reply to it soon. How blessed you are my dear L. in your family. What a cause of thankfulness to a parent, how happy you must be to have Mac with you, & then he is such a fine young man. I wish we could have one or two of your girls with us this winter to cheer us up, if I am spared. I think Lilla would enjoy a winter North. Love to all your circle in which Aunt M. joins & believe me your affect.

My dear Son—
            I was most happy to receive your kind letter of the 15th inst on my return yesterday from Macon, as I had long wished you to write me separated as I am so far from you, and often thinking of you all. I left Mac quite well and found him much grown and improved in every way. He is very gentlemanly in his manners and affectionate as ever. Lilla was not looking or feeling well. She was often troubled with headaches while I was with her, and altho’ cheerful as usual, was not looking as ruddy fresh and fair as she used to do. Elizabeth told me she had written to Mary to ask her to let L. remain the summer with her, and to accompany Mary to the Springs, which I hope she will do.
            I saw Irene and Harriet off before I left and anticipating much pleasure. The latter I fear will have but a limited field in which to muster her forces for a conquest as I learn that there are few if any beaux abroad. The --- (illegible) is still hanging on to her skirts, and I imagine my presence at Macon was not very agreeable to him as he kept out of gun shot range while I was there. He is a shabby dog and I have no respect for him having forfeited it by his own bad conduct when I ordered him from my door.
            Carrie received a letter from Col. Wright a few days since informing her of his promotion. He is now a Brigadier Genl. and I think will wear his honors creditably and well. He wrote that his regiment was engaged in a skirmish with the enemy lately in which both William and Fred behaved well. William was much mortified that his musket would not fire but kept snapping all the time until he got hold of one from a dead Yankee with which he thinks he did good execution.
            I had heard from Will that you had retired from military life and I think under the circumstances you are right to do so. As you say you may do a greater good to the cause incidentally by attending to your domestic duties, than scouting about the neighborhood when nothing active can be done until the fall. We are all comfortably housed here, but enduring many inconveniences one of which, the greatest, is, that I have to send every day to Augusta 5 miles there and 5 back for letters and papers. All are so deeply interested about those most dear to them in these times that nothing but the receipt of the mails daily will satisfy them.
            I have not been well a day since I have been here. Soon after my arrival I had to go to Marietta and Atlanta twice and each time took a bad cold, the last a very severe one which nearly killed me. Thinking a change would benefit me after leaving my room I ventured a trip to Macon, where I contracted another cold and was complaining while there. Altho’ able to go about now am far from feeling well. I think if I could take a few baths at Brunswick and inhale a little salt air I should feel revived. I thank you for your invitation to visit you and will do so if I possibly can but cannot think of it just now as I should like to be near Carrie during her trouble which is expected in about a fortnight’s time.
            I am glad that you saw Mr. Couper on your visit to Valdosta and wish you to make my most friendly regards to him when you next see him and to Mrs. Couper and family also. The Miss Wylly’s and Mrs. Fraser also. I would give anything to be near Mr. C. again and often grieve over my lost opportunities when I could have done so. He and his are fit “to tie to”. Make my congratulations to them on ---- (illegible) marriage which I have seen announced. Clinch and Hopkins I should think are bound to fight if unbridled abuse on both sides can bring it about.
            Give much love to Robert and family. I am sorry to learn that the former is looking so thin. He wrote me that he might make a visit here and one to Macon in the course of the summer. I hope he may do so. Can you not come also we would all be most happy to see you. Am sorry to learn that Mary ahs been so sick with the mumps but hope she is well again.
            With much love to Mary and the children and best regards to Mrs. McNish and Miss Johnston, believe me ever my dear son

(Note: Col. Wright referred to above was Gen. A. Rouse Wright, husband of Carrie C. Hazlehurst. William and Fred were sons of Robert Hazlehurst. MHB)

Dear Sally,
            Having written last to Mamie, I write now to you, acknowledging the receipt of her very welcome letter in reply to mine. It gave me all the desired information about you, such as I expected to receive. It was satisfactory to learn that you were both well, and getting along aw well as could be expected under the pecuniary difficulties and struggles for existence in these hard times, felt by many others besides yourselves. From what Mamie writes, I think your industry and efforts to stem the tide of adverse fortune will bring success in paddling your canoe, till I hope you may get to smooth water, and be free from any anxiety as to future difficulties, and from necessity of resorting to any disagreeable shifts of earning money to live, felt the more by you both who have seen better times.
            I do not see how many Brunswick householders are going to meet this extraordinary expense of sewerage. I do not know how much it will be, but no doubt it is heavy enough, and will make owners of houses, *with that and other expenses) put them in the way of thinking it better to rent than to own houses in Brunswick. It will be probably an additional expense, without any increased value of property.
            I suppose there will be a great exodus of citizens this summer fro Brunswick for fear of an Epidemic. I do not apprehend any cases of fever early in the summer, but judging from the experience of ’76 it is possible there may occur a few cases late in the fall. In that Epidemic, the late cases occurred in October and November. If you conclude to remain in B. this year I think you would incur but little risk, as you are Southern born, and have been for some time resident citizens of B. At present I reside in Memphis, but feel uncertain yet as to my future. This complication of sewerage expense in addition to other expenses attending my moving to Brunswick, puts a veto on my return thither, at least for the present. For occupation sake, I have been influenced in choice of a residence chiefly by the existence of a Public library here, which does not exist in Clarksdale or Bayou Sara. The weather here lately has been very unseasonable, fires having been comfortable on several days.
            Kind remembrance to Mrs. Wilder and other enquiring friends. Leight. Expects to visit Brunswick on law business this court, on compulsion. I hope the business will be wound up so that he may not have to go again.
            If you have leisure—not otherwise—will be glad to hear from you. With best wishes and love to Mamie & yourself, very affect.

My dear Sister,
            I hope that you have heard of dear Irie’s illness, that you may be in so a degree prepared for the sad tidings that I must now give. Her illness lasted 9 days, when her gentle spirit returned to God who gave it. These few words, so easily written, bear with them the crushed hopes of many hearts, and a loss that no time can fill; she was buried yesterday next to little Leighton; and in the same grave with her, Anne’s little boy who died from the effects of the Measles, a few hours after our dear Irie. The winter brought to Isie much care & sorrow, her Father’s death Anna Lou’s distressing situation called for her energy and love, and each day we feared that she would lose her infant, but she seemed to weather the storm of calamity that had settled beneath her roof, and looked well & strong, but news came last week that she had miscarried, with a little babe of 6 months, but was doing well. They kept her very quiet, & I did not see her until Monday, (she was first taken sick on Thursday,) she then complained of great thirst, & had been very much nauseated—her limbs very sore to the touch, & sore throat; all of which we thought from cold, and the effects of Laudanum she had taken to prevent the first trouble; the fever commenced on Sunday, and continued on, with only slight moisture & no entire remission. She did not complain of much pain generally said she wanted nothing, and had none. Gradually the brain seemed to be affected, & it was hard to rouse her. Drs. Born & Hammond were called in to aid Dr. Nottingham, who is their attendant physician. An eruption was discovered on her body & arms, & strangely enough that of the body was Scarlet fever, on the arms the peculiarities of Measles. Remedies were then used to throw out this eruption, but all too late, —the throat became much swollen, the fever scorching, and the chest more & more filled, until with a sorrowful struggle, the weary spirit was at rest, and freed from the suffering body.
            We blame no one, for all was done that human love & aid could do, for no one dreamt of Scarlett fever, there have been but a few cases in town, & she could only have been exposed to it in the street cars, or in the only time she has shopped since her Father’s death—we all thought her miscarriage was the latent cause of all. The day she died, little Fanny sickened with the same eruption her Mother had, it is better today, but it is either scarletina or Scarlet fever, not determined which. It is all so strange that I walk even now as in a dream and wonder if it is indeed so.
            Poor George is heart-broken, and the dear children know not yet what a great grief is before them for life—the little George Wingfield is again motherless—Mrs. Nesbit’s cup’s so full of sorrow—Anna is very little better, and the dear babe in its wasting death seemed to look to all for help, and water for its burning thirst, it seemed a comfort to see it resting in its narrow home, among the flowers, and clothed in the robs that Irene’s own hands prepared for its Baptism, little Leighton too was interred in his. Irie’s mind as much affected by a dream she had of her Father lately, she was weeping at night, & he appeared to her, saying weep not dear Irie, for it will not be long, and you will be the next called, dear Irie. George says she never shook off its vividness, for the voice & all were as clear—then she dreamt lately of Pet, & felt she was to die as she did—she was no believer in dreams, but these were so vivid that they must have been premonitions of the last—at first, these I thought the worst features of the case, & George too was fully imbued with the feeling; and told me days before to prepare for the worst—she said she was not afraid to die, & took leave of her children two days before her end. The other world must be very near, when we see such fulfillment of its passage.
            You know the house that George has belongs to the Hines’, who wish it this month, so the next sad step will be to pack up and move somewhere. Mr. Plant is going to ask George to make this his home with the children, until at least, he can make arrangements that may be more satisfactory. I would willingly take the children & do my best for them, & dear George has ever been one of us, & we would love to have him come in and out again among us. At any rate, our arrangements would be for the present. How many orphans there are everywhere. Dear Sally with her little ones has her hands full, I feel that my work is done with my children, as they are grown, and would gladly shelter these little ones from the storms of life.
            And now dearest sister, let me turn to your happier home where I hope happiness may long dwell,—kiss the dear little stranger for me, she has passed through the first months, and each day will bring her closer to your hearts. Love to Lill and the dear girls, Leight & the Doctor, I hope to know him some of these days. Agusta [sic] seems a little better lately, was able to walk in the garden this morning.
            We would have written you earlier about Irie, if you could possibly have come, but the end came quickly, & we would not delay the interment, on account of her violent illness. Mr. Clisley[?] (the new minister) performed the services, at 1/2 past two yesterday afternoon, the hour was earlier than we wished, had to delay on account of old Mrs. McKinlin’s (Mrs. Boisfeuiellet’s mother’s) death, & burial at 5 o’clock, she ahs been sick very long, and lost her mind, so her release is a blessing.
            Good-bye—tenderest love to you all. George is writing to Mac today. Write soon to dear George.

My dearest Mary:
            Your welcome letter has just reached us, and I hasten to reply to it. Many thanks dear Sister to one and all of you for your kind invitation, and wish to see us, but much as I should love to see you all and make you acquainted with my dear little boy, I feel, in the absence of the railroad, that it would be too great an undertaking to transport Mother, nurse, child & luggage over those long weary miles, besides putting you to so much trouble and inconvenience. Besides dear Mary, I have been knocked about so much of late that I long for a rest, a lull, an exemption from the necessity of packing and repacking which literally makes my life a burden, and makes me long for a shelter of my own, where I can bestow everything in rightful drawers and wardrobes, banishing my trunks for evermore to the attic as relics of a byegone [sic] period of unrest. As soon as we can obtain a house this desire of my heart will be gratified, and then too we shall hope to have many a pleasant chat together under my own vine and fig tree, returning in some degree the many hospitalities you have so kindly extended to us in times past. For a reunion then dear Mary, we must look in the future, and accept for the present my warmest love and thanks, and exercise a lively belief in Julian’s perfections which to me are manifold, and which I hope to exhibit to you some day.
            And now to business. I have brought Lilla a beutiful [sic] blue muslin dress from Philadelphia together with a crimson ivory set, little acorn breastpin & earrings which are very fashionable there just now, so the purchase of a blue dress of the same material in Savannah would be useless. Write me then whether I shall procure a dress for her of another color or simply the hat. I went into the stores today, but saw nothing pretty, they are all expecting goods next week when if I see anything very pretty I may get it, without waiting for your reply.
            Where on earth did Lilla pick up that antiquated scrap of blue ribbon? Tell her if she expects to get a dress of that shade she will be grievously mistaken as it is a tint that has completely vanished from the world of fashion, emphatically “out”, the Coburg blues having taken their place these years past. All the other articles I fancy I can get without difficulty. Now tell me how I am to get them to you, as I have not the faintest idea. I hope Leight. will come to Savh. As I should enjoy seeing him once more; and my doubts would then be at an end. Mr. F. says he does not remember any “old debt”, that there is nothing of the kind, all Confederate claims being extinguished with the enemy. So let us have no more about it.
            Excuse this miserable scrawl, a man is playing on the piano down stairs in such a frantic manner as completely to upset my ideas, and I have written hurriedly too, having to write to Aunts before the steamer calls. Love to all. Write soon. Mr. Flemi—unites with me in love. When L. comes send the baby’s likeness. As ever Your attached H.

            I am ashamed to think dear Mary of the length of time that has elapsed without my sending you a line of acknowledgement, or thanks for your most kind and valuable present to Mr. F. and myself, which is safely stored away for future housekeeping, having been rendered useless for the present by my sudden departure for the North, of which ere this you have doubtless heard, with as much surprise as it occasioned myself, having had but a few hours of preparation for so long an absence from home. On my arrival at Lincoln, where I had intended passing the summer, I found that the depredations of the negroes among our poultry and stock had been so great as to present but a slight prospect of chickens & provisions for the summer, while but few vegetables had been planted as we were note expected, for the season, and as it is a country where nothing in the way of provisions can be bought, every one planting barely enough for his own use, I saw nothing but starvation staring us in the face if we remained, so determined to leave for Madison where I heard board could be had for a small sum at the Hotel, but on my return to Savannah to consult with Mr. F. he thought it too warm a place, and finally decided that we had better go North, as he would be obliged to do so himself in the course of the summer, and we could live for less, and far more comfortably than in any Up Country town or watering place. So here I am delightfully established at Mystic, a town in Conn., beautifully situated on the Sound, with plenty of sea breeze, lobsters, fish, ice, fruit of all sorts, and mnay luxuries that we have been deprived of for years. Mrs. Anderson a friend of ours is with me, and we congratulate ourselves every day on our escape from the heat of Geo. which Mr. F. writes me is terrible—ther. 98 in the shade. He writes me he will be on in a few weeks, and meantime I hear frequently from him and dear Aunts, and have the satisfaction of seeing Julian grow and improve daily in this fine air & climate. It has been so cold ever since we came that we have had to wear flannel and thick winter clothing. I have two large fine roots in the neatest of houses, and the table is excellent. I am delighted now that I came, though I was opposed to it at first, from dislike at leaving Mr. F.
            And how are you all getting along? I heard through Irene of Lilla and Mac, who were both well. I have been hoping to hear from Lilla, but have been such a Nomad of late that I suppose she does not know where to locate me.
            Julian is beginning to talk very fast, and says and does so many amusing things that I can never feel very lonely. I have a very fine white nurse for him who is a treasure to me. Do write to me, I shall be so glad to hear from you. Direct Mystic P.O., Conn. With renewed thanks to Leight and yourself for your kind present, accept my warmest love for all, not forgetting your dear Mother & Miss Johnston.
            Tell Leight. Cousin Emily is dead. Has had a cancer 21 years.
            As Mr. Plant always says, Julian “would send love if aware I was writing”. Here is a kiss from him to dear Aunt Mary. X

            Had I not so frequently exercised your patience, My Dear Mary, with long accounts of my fears when disappointed in the receipt of a letter from you, I would most certainly devote these pages to this interesting subject. But think not Miss Mary that I shall be thus mercifully inclined another time; I will give you the full benefit of my griefs in detail—I know I must touch a respondent chord.
            I strolled yesterday halfway to the P. Office to meet the mail—perhaps you can imagine my feeling when I found that my darling Mary had—(shall I say, forgotten me? no, I cannot think so.) I wrote you a long letter two weeks, today, requesting a reply by the following mail. I suppose I must attribute your silence to “a great press of business”! I will however not content myself with the supposition of so important a fact. I will go on and see with my own eyes what can justify your cruel treatment of me.
            I will not attempt to express, my dear Mary, my joy at the prospect of being with you in a few days. As the coming month will convince ourselves and the world, that the future is to be passed with and for each other, it will be necessary for me to see you as soon as possible to make the necessary arrangements for cet heureux evenement.
            If nothing happens I shall be with you the latter part of this week, say, Friday.
            As my visit is a hasty one, Lib will not be prepared to accompany me, but I’ll promise to take her on the next time. She, like others of my acquaintance, complain much of busy times! Rob. has not arrived. I hope to have the pleasure of introducing him myself at the Hermitage, as he is expected here next week.
            I suppose you know all the gossip of the County through the attention of your female correspondents. I am glad to inform you, however, that your dear Leight is not so guilty of heart-breaking by one as you endeavored to persuade him. Report has given Miss E. Gignilliat to a Mr. Pelot. This I think clears me of that case.
            Tomorrow the ladies appear bent upon a visit to the “rich widow”, where it will be my sad lot to accompany them.
            Give my love to your Mother & Tante, and

Mrs. Maj. Hazlehurst,
Dear Madam,
I acknowledge in the name of the principle Surgeon and myself, the receipt at the Brunswick Hospital, a box of Sheets and pillow cases for the use of our sick soldiers. For which we return to you Madam, our sincere thanks and ever ready to receive with gratitude any favor convenient for you to render with your fair hands and willing heart. I have the honor to be

Dear Sir—
Having recently assumed command of the 14th Geo. Regt. I have been engaged in overhauling the papers, Books & letters &c. belonging to the Regt. Among the letters I have discovered one from yourself bearing date Decr. 11th 1861, notifying the former Col. of this Regt. (Brumby) of the shipment per Express of a Box of supplies for the sick & destitute of this Regt. contributed by the good ladies of Waynesville, Geo. & I am informed that through gross neglect the receipt thereof has never been acknowledged, & I take the liberty as present officer in command to inform you that the box came to hand some time since, & it affords me much gratification to be able to state that its contents have contributed very materially to alleviate the sufferings of many poor soldiers who lost their all in the Mountains of N.W. Virginia. You will please return the thanks of the Regt. to the noble & patriotic ladies of Waynesville, with the assurance that the lively sympathy for our sufferings & the kind interest in our behalf evinced by our lady friend in Old Georgia, will infuse new vigor into the spirit of determined resistance to Northern aggression, with which we left our home, and add tenfold strength to our arms & nerve to our blows, when called upon, (as in all probability we soon shall be) to stem the swelling tide of Abolition fanaticism on the battle field.
With many thanks Sir for your kindness in taking charge of & forwarding the box.

Robert W. Folsom Lt. Col. Comdg. 14th Geo.
C.B. King, Esq., Savannah, Georgia

Mrs. Hazlehurst,
Allow me on behalf of sick in Hospital to return you their sincere thanks for the nice jelly you sent them. It was the very thing they needed. Such kindness will never be forgotten.

            Ah Lilla! Carissima mia! With sweet music floating over & around me as carrys me back to those hours slow, sweet and still, so lately passed at your side, do I take this unfeeling paper to try and speak to you. As, one by one, we turn from those with whom we have talked and wept, and smiled out life’s joys and sorrows, we drop bitter, sometimes scalding tears, so I, dearest, as I see you pass to the keeping of another, drop a tear upon this page. Forgive this selfishness! but it has never seemed to me before that I could lose you. Your voice falls upon my ear with no mean reminder of days that must, henceforth, be to us, as the bright things in life we clasp to our hearts just once, ere we turn from them forever! For this I weep tonight.
            Do not misunderstand me, darling, when I say, that marriage is the tomb of friendship. And naturally so; for a great, absorbing love, such as fills your whole being, can admit of no division, and again, as the years roll on, other loves—other ties must take the place in your heart which was once mine. I speak from sad experience, Lilla. Marriage has robbed me of first one and then another of my girlhood friends, the distance ever widening between us, until now, we are nothing to each other. I feel satisfied that, as far as you are concerned, this can never be, yet somehow or other, I feel as if I had not the same hold upon you, as a few months ago.
            Dear, dear Lilla, I can never tell you how sweet and precious your love has been to me. You took me to your heart at a time when I was weary of the burden of my life, and whispered peace and hope to my desolate spirit. There have been times during our friendship when life seemed insupportable—then came your letters, so many white-winged messengers with healing on their wings. It is so refreshing, in this world of change, to find something always true; something that clings to us through all our unworthiness. For this, dearest, I thank you!
            I have no fears for your happiness, Lilla. He, to whom you have pledged your heart & hand, is rich indeed, and I think, knows the value of the prize he has won. The wealth of a true woman’s heart, few men appreciate as they should. I had hoped to witness your marriage, but were the arrangements otherwise, circumstances would detain me here. But I shall be near you in spirit, my love, with a kiss for your pure forehead and a blessing for all your after life.
            Lilla, mine, I rejoice in your happiness, and though a sadness is over me at this moment that I cannot dissipate, I exult in the love that has blessed your sweet life—in the years of joy and peace that, I trust, the Future holds for you and yours. May the Angels visit upon your bridal, and Love walk with you, hand in hand, even to the end!! God bless thee, dear one, and keep thee in His love is the prayer which I invoke for you tonight. A long, warm kiss from

Dear Sirs:
            My sisters have asked me to write you concerning a dress made by our mother which they very much desire to have preserved in a museum or other place of like nature.
            The dress was made shortly after the Civil War and all the work on it was done by our mother. The thread was spun by her from cotton from her father’s plantation, and the cloth was woven by her from this thread. There are two colors of thread, white and brown, the brown having been dyed by her with the stain of walnut shells, or hulls.
            We believe the dress is worthy of preservation as showing what the women of the South could, and did, do when they were thrown upon their own resources following the freeing of their slaves. The dress was made by Lilla Hazlehurst at her home “The Lodge”, near Waynesville, Ga., before her marriage to Dr. William Berrien Burroughs.
            We would like to have the dress remain in Georgia, and in Savannah, if possible, as our father was born and reared in Savannah, and we are hopeful that you might have a place for it in your galleries. It, of course would be a donation.
            The dress is in need of cleaning, which we would have done, but would prefer that it be done in Savannah under expert direction.

My dear Mr. Burroughs:
            It is very nice of you to think of the Telfair Academy of Arts & Sciences in connection with the historic dress of your mother.
            Mr. Charles Ellis, President of the Telfair is away on his vacation, but your letter was immediately referred to a member of the Committee on Permanent Collections, and have directed the writer to say that they will be very happy to receive this dress, which will receive our best care and attention.
            As to cleaning. The Telfair will be very glad to pay for this, but would prefer to have this work done under your supervision and if you will have this done will appreciate it very much.
            It may be that Mr. Ellis will not return to the City before about the middle of October, but immediately upon his return you will receive his official and personal thanks for your generosity.

My dear Mr. O’Neal:
            Under separate cover I am sending you today the dress about which I wrote you on September 13th and which you so graciously accepted on behalf of the Telfair in your letter of September 14th.
            The dress did not respond to cleaning as well as we had hoped it would, and shows the result of the neglect which it has been allowed to suffer over a long period of years.
            I enclose a memorandum written by my sister, from which the information for the identifying card may be gathered.
            We are indeed glad to have this article placed where it will be preserved, and are grateful to The Telfair for giving it a permanent home.

Dear Mr. Burroughs:
            Since my return to the city we have had a meeting of the Trustees of the Telfair Academy and I am requested to express to you their unbounded thanks and appreciation for the dress that you have given.
            It is a valuable thing to possess and the history of it is most remarkable and I think you can safely feel it will be held in the proper place for posterity.
            I hope it will not be long before you will see it yourself on display here.

Dear Mac—
            I am almost ashamed to write after leaving your letter so long unanswered. Of course it would be useless for me to attempt to explain, as you never think we have anything to do, or that any circumstances could arise in our house which would prevent our doing exactly what we ought to do! I am sorry it has happened so, and hope you will forgive and forget.
            We certainly appreciated your writing and inviting us to be present at your marriage. Of course you have heard that Fussie is in Tulsa again, but even if she had remained at home we could not have been present for many reasons. I shall be thinking of you at that time, with all my heart wishing that every happiness may be yours thru life! I am so glad you are coming to Brunswick so that I can meet my new niece, who I [am] sure I will love dearly not only for your sake but for her own. I am sorry Fussie will not be here to greet her too. She spoke of, and regretted it before she left, but her trip had to be made then.
            I feel pretty lonely of course, and certainly miss your coming in as you did before. I often think how good and sweet you were to me then, and how I used to watch for your coming.
            Good bye dear Boy, I hope to see you and yours very soon. Excuse this hurriedly written letter.

My dear Mac,
            You have been thinking some hard thoughts of me, I know, but do please be a sweet boy and forgive me for not writing sooner. It is not that I do not love you and think of you, for you have a very, very warm corner of my heart all to yourself, but I just put off writing to everybody.
            Coming out here was a kind of a surprise, but don’t think, dear Mac, that is [sic] has interfered with my going to your wedding, for much as I would love to do so, I could not have gone if I had remained at home. We are just too dead poor to get suitable clothes for such an event, or meet the expenses of the trip. That is hard to believe, but it is the truth. Of course this visit out to Oklahoma is a treat to me.
            My thoughts are with you constantly as the time draws near, and tho’ I hate to give up our boy Mac, I try to be reconciled, and wish you all the happiness that one life can hold. I am sure Lila must be sweet and lovely, or you would not have chosen her, and I expect to love her very much some day, as your wife, and my dear little niece. Am so sorry to miss your visit to Brunswick, but you must think of the absent when you are there.
            Please excuse pencil, I am writing on a book in my lap, where I can enjoy the delightful breeze that is blowing.
            Send me a card anyway, to tell me you forgive and lover your

Dear Sir,
As I presume you intend to continue keeping House during the absence of Mr. Thompson; and as I imagine you would have no objection to Company; and as I would wish to Diet in some gentele private House, I have taken the liberty of enquiring whether it would be Convenient, and to your liking, that I should Diet with you. I assure you that I am badly off in that respect, having no person of Character to associate with. I should be happy in taking common Fare with you; for which I would pay you £50 for the year, or so long as it might be convenient and agreeable to you. Or I would pay such a part of the expences of the House, but rather the former, which would particularly oblige.

            Dear Sir
                        I wrote you on the ulto upon receiving your letter of the 20th January enclosing your two dfts of that date drawn upon your Sisters for the sum of five hundred dollars each at 15 & 20 sgt [?] which amount to one thousand dollars, together with one hundred & thirteen dollars borrowed from your Sister Ann in Savannah—say in all eleven hundred thirteen dollars—you agree to receive in full payment of your one fourth of the Hermitage Plantation, and authorize me to give a receipt for the same &c.
            Your sisters being in Savannah I wrote them on the subject and by some mistake in the post office—only received their answer yesterday—of the 2d Inst. wherein they accede to your proposal, and agree to accept your bills at 60 days to which I have agreed well knowing that they will have difficulty to make up the amount even then, when received your directions shall be followed viz to remit 956# [?] say nine hundred and eighty six dollars to you in New Orlean—& in case of no bills being procurable to Mr. George Johnston of New York. I shall be in Savannah soon & if your sisters’ acceptance can be discounted I will have it done & forward the amounts. The fourteen dollars will also be paid to Mr. Morrison who as your attorney give formal Titles in your behalf.
            The widow Johnston’s 1/4 of the Hermitage was sold lately at public Sale and bought by your sisters for two hundred dollars. Her estate being insolvent—had that property been valuable the creditors would have bid it up. Your sisters now holding 3/4ths it becomes an object to hold the whole which will enable them to sell when they can—but I assure you that in my opinion they will not over $3000 for the whole.

            I can not, my amiable young friend, see you quit a house where I have long viewed you with the affectionate feelings of a Father, without some regret at parting, tho’ I hope not finally. Indeed it is some consolation to know you are going to a situation that will be more conducive to your happiness; in spite of reason however, we are selfish.
            Your sister is now happy with the husband of her choice, the connection I only notice as it bears upon you, tho’ independent yourself and at the age of discretion, still your sex are doomed to some degree of dependence, you are now happily placed under the protection of a kind Brother-in-law. And tho’ I hope, expect and believe you will soon have a husband equally reputable, yet I now consider you in the single state and presume to advise, which I am sure will not be taken amiss.
            In every situation of life we are rendered more respectable by independence, even amongst our nearest relations and dearest friends our own feelings are so interwoven with this object that the idea constitutes the reality. I know you will ever find the most cordial welcome in your sister’s family. And indeed to be deprived of your society would be to her a serious affliction, yet I wish to see your company considered (even by them) as a favor. I therefore advise you to improve The Hermitage, I hope jointly, but as a home for you and to call you the mistress whilst you remain Miss Johnston. When tired of the dissipation of a town life a few days in your garden would renew your health and spirits—a ride on Sunday would make a pleasant family party. I yet hope to pop a few more bottles of Champaign with you all. Now I see you sneering at me, “Well let that again pop”. If you are engaged elsewhere so much the better, Mrs. & Mr. Mac. and myself will drink your health at the Hermitage.
            This introduction is meant to say that whenever you wish to withdraw a part or the whole of your people it will occasion no inconvenience to me, I shall only deduct from their years hire the months they are absent. Prince can manage a small plantation, with him you would require no overseer. You will recall there is $700 due you now for hire of 1818. The sooner you gradually commence improving the better. I wish I was better acquainted with your land and nearer to give you advise.
            I can not relinquish the hope that you will spend part of your summers with us on St. Simons which will enable us to retaliate on you in Savannah in Winter. Poor Bell will be the severest sufferer by your leaving us. Mrs. Mac requires no assurance of my respect—tell her I won’t again have that black look by calling her Mrs. Daubignon [sic].
            My sincerest wishes attend you in every situation and my wishes that you may be as happy as you merit, and I remain,

Dear Brother—
            I hope on your arrival at home you found your family and friends all well. I arrived here on Wednesday afternoon, in perfect good health altho some what fatigued with the journey. But have now got the better of it as also of the fatigue I had for some days before I left Scotland. I have met with more of my acquaintances here than I expected, there is Mr. and Mrs. Kincaid, a Mr. Powell, a Mr. Ingliss and a Mr. Jamieson, (all from & going for Savannah in Georgia,) as also Mr. Warweek and as far as I can learn it will be two months before a convoy sail from this for that country. As Mr. and Mrs. Milligan are gone for Scotland, I had not the pleasure of seeing them, but when you meet I beg my compliments to them both. Mr. & Mrs. Clark is well as also Mr. James.
            I have had some conversation with Mr. Clark & some of my acquaintances with respect to the application, and its there [sic] opinion that it should be done, therefore if you can procure the letter or letters mentioned in oure [sic] conversation recommending the matter either to the Minster Lord North or Lord George Germain or some of the Lords of the Treasury, I make no doubt but it would have some affect, and the sooner the better.
            I hope Mr. Couper got safe home, please remember me to him, Mrs. Couper & Miss Jeanie as also to Mr. & Mrs. Lamont and all there good family. I shall put both these good Gentlemen to the expense of postage in a short time, Direct for me at No. 1 New Court, Throgmorton Street, London. I am with compliments to you, my sisters, and all your family, Dr. Brother,

Dear Brother—
            I read yours by Mr. Dickson & am sincerely sorrie [sic] to find that you have not read any of mine since June ’85. I have wrote you twice since that time, one in Octobr. and the other in April ’86. This is the only one I have read from you since either of these. I informed you in the last of mine of my then having altered my situation in life and repeated my former requests of having one or two of your sons sent me. I am truly in want of assistance not being able to transact the whole of the business I have to do. I have been obliged to have an assistant for some time past to whom I give seventy five pounds Stg. a year, and God knows when I shall be able to bring my afares [sic] into the compass of my Plantation the manigement [sic] of which takes up the gratest [sic] part of my attention.
            The miscarriage of our letters is truly distressing and I can only impute it to the present moad [sic] of conveyance, there being seldom an oppertuinity [sic] from this to Britain, and no regular post from this to Charles Town. Letters go by privit [sic] persons, & as I live nine miles out of town, of course must leve [sic] mine with a friend to go by any oppertunity [sic] that offers either by land or water. To those circumstances I impeut [sic] the miscarige [sic].
            I see you have given up your former line of Business which I’m glad of, as I alyes [sic] thought the fatigue too grate for you. I am also glad that you are fixed on a spot so to your mind & hope that it will answer your expectations. I had a letter a few weeks ago from your son George. He said that at the request of his Uncle Mr. George Pottie he left Scotland in August ’85 but had the misfortune not to arrive til after his Uncle had sailed for England, for the benifite [sic] of his health, and that it had pleased God to call him off in ten days after he sailed. He says he is at present along with his Uncle’s partner, a Mr. Dick, who he speaks much in favor of. He ways he expects to live with him a while, but is not serton [sic] how long. In case of his leaving that Gentleman, I have requested him to come this way.
            Your desire my advice with respect to your disposal of your son William, mentioning at same time that you had wrote Mr. B. Couper on the same head. Should he have recommend any part of the world for him before this reaches you, I must give up my request of his coming this way, but at any rate I hope to see my name sake Tom in a short time. Be ashured [sic] it will give me grate [sic] satisfaction to see any of my family or connections, especially one from the house where my son makes one of the family. I hope you don’t flatter me when you tell me that John’s behaviour is such as is approved of, & that he pays attention to his Education, which is the gratest [sic] wish I have, for on that depends his own happyness [sic] and my satisfaction. And happy am I to have a Brother to whome [sic] I could send a child such a distance without being under any uneasyness [sic] with respect to the care of his person or Education, which while with you & my sisters &c I am fully satisfied.
            But there is sumthing [sic] which give me much consern [sic] respecting my not showing my gratitude to you, not only for his disbursments [sic] but for my own support on a former day. But I do assure you on the faith of a man & a Brother that it proceeded from nothing else than the veries [sic] failures and disappointments I have met with (since I have been here) in collection of old debts. I have at last ben [sic] obliged to have recourse to Law for the recovery of those old matters, and even then obliged to purchase the property that mae [sic] be attached, or go half unpaid, on account of the scarsity of cash amoungst [sic] us. I have lately ben obliged to make a purchase of one half of an Island, which I hope will turn out to good account, and in a few mounths [sic] the other half (I expect) must be sold on and of our consern [sic]. I mean to purchase it if I can, the whole of the Island consists of one thousand acres of the furst [sic] quality, which will make a prety [sic] property for John.
            In the course of the months of March and Aprile [sic] I must travel in each three hundred miles (with books of accounts) to attend Sirquit [sic] Courts, for the recovery of large sums, in one county there is upwards of two thousand pounds Sterling depending at that time. Thus I have given you a sketch of my disagreeable situation. But I still hope to have it in my power to write you more favourably & pay more attention to you and other matters.
            I had a letter some time since from your son John acquainting me of his being fixed at Dumfries on your joint accounts. I hope the business answers both your expectations. He at the same time mentioned the death of his Grandmother Mrs. Pottie, which leads me to inquire after the health and welfair [sic] of the whole of your family as well as the young folks, as my two sisters and son. As you don’t say that our sister is better, I’m afraid poor N. is worse.

-----to a Miss Dewes, a respectable younge [sic] ladie [sic], in whom I enjoy the blessings of the married life and by whom I have a little girl of two months of age. I must conclude by requesting that you deliver the enclosed letters, and accept my compliments and best wishes for yourself, family and all friends, in which I am joined by my wife who desires to be mentioned to you all. I am, Dr. Brother,

Dear Brother:
            We had the pleasure of writing you very lately by a gentleman who was to take his passage from London. To which we refer.
            Our friend Captain Wright was so friendly as to wirte me the other day that he intended to sail about the 20th for Savannah desiring I would send over to Liverpool any letters that me or my friends had for your quarter.
            I have only to inform you that all our friends here and at Dumfries are in their ordinary state of good health. I have often thought that you (as many others have done) ought to have applied to Government for Redress for what you suffered by being a Loyalist and a keen Government man. I wish you to make a real state of your losses, properly authenticated and vouched, with a petition from you to them. I don’t know whether it will have any effect or not as I am afraid you are too late. But send them over to me with the first sure hand, and if it does not good I am sure it can do no harm.
            Mrs. Lamont and family, James Couper and family are all very well. Betty and family join me in compliments to you and family.

(On the bottom of this letter, in the hand-writing of Thomas Johnston, is the following, evidently a draft of his reply—MHB)

I doubt not of your being long ere now informed of Miss Dewes’ marige [sic] with Capt. Ried. His sister is at present talked of with a Mr. McKenan, and about two months ago Miss Dawson and Mr. Dewes coupled in Holly [sic] bonds of wedlock. So you see we go on rapidly, and for further information I refer you to newspapers herewith sent by Capt. Middleson of the Ship Hannah for Kirkoudbright, who has favoured me in taking in his cabin half a barrle [sic] of Rice for a pouding [sic] for the Johnstons and Jordans and a little Cotton wool for my sisters to spin into a cotton ball or candle wick. These articles are as a sample of the production of Hermitage which I doubt not will make them the more acceptable.

My Dear Nieces:
            From my long silence I am really ashamed to address you, but I can assure you it did not proceed from the want of filial respect, but from other causes unnecessary to mention. My family and friends here are well myself excepted who at present am much reduced both in body and mind. For about these four months past I have been affected with a prodigious cold which produced a considerable coughing and discharge from my breast, particularly at night, and also a complaint on my bowels. These have reduced my body very much—what the issue may be God only knows, to whose pleasure and good will I desire and here to be resigned. I think I have nor real desire to live longer in this world if it was not for a great attachment and strong feelings for my dear Daughter’s two infant children which it has pleased God in his Providence to commit to my care, and for them and them alone I could wish that it would please God to spare me a little longer that I might have the pleasure to see their dear young minds opening to virtuous and liberal sentiments. They are really two sweet, engaging children, and I have great hopes that the great parent of us all will bless and enable them to be a comfort to their fiends and a blessing and ornament to society such as their dear Mother was, who daily gained the love and esteem of all who were acquainted with her. I presume you will have heard of their Father’s death also.
            I have made a decent and liberal provision for these two Orphans, the interest of which will do more than pay for their maintenance and education which I have directed and ordered to be Liberal and the best that the Kingdom can afford, with powers to send them elsewhere if necessary for that purpose.
            As is said before, the state of my health makes life very uncertain. I have judged of a duty encumbent upon me as a Parent and a Christian to arrange and settle my worldly affairs so that I may be in some measure fitter to leave this world when the decisive hour arrives. I have got the particulars of that business over with a degree of anxious and filial care to do what appeared to me to be right. In this last settlement which is almost modeled anew from the former ones, I have taken the liberty to put down your names for Five hundred pounds as a memorandum of your Uncle’s respect. I am sorry to say that your Brother’s behaviour by no means was satisfactory to me, for which cause I have taken no notice of him, and I know he is under the care of my son George who is much inclined to serve him, if he have prudence to improve, which I wish from my heart he may.
            My dear Nieces, as this probably may be the last time I may have the pleasure of addressing you in this world, there is still a duty that I owe you as your near relation, which is that it is my heart’s wished prayer that you live in Peace and Love with God, and your Redeemer, with yourselves, and with all those whose affections and friendships you wish to cultivate. But my Dears let these be few and well chosen, for in great measure on that your happiness in this world depends. As I feel interested in your happiness I most earnestly beg that you will take care to serve God daily with cheerful hearts by Prayer and reading, and attending with Sacred Reverence the Ordinances of His word. By these with His blessing your hearts and souls will be prepared to meet your friends and dear relations in a blessed and happy Eternity where friends meet to part no more.
            My dear Nieces, I pray that God’s blessing and my blessing may ever remain with you. My wife joins in most dutiful respect to you both. I remain

Dear Uncle:
            By the present opportunity I have only to mention that I am well. I hope you and your family continue in good health. From the number that are writing I dare say nothing for fear of repeating[?]. I have been very neglectful in writing, but in future I shall be more attentive and I shall take care to write when no body else is doing it so as I may have the praise to myself.
            John continues to observe his friends’ approbation—he writes you himself to which I refer.
            Mr. Wm. Muir was here lately and mentioned[?] many things to your credit which I knew was only your due. To Mr. Cochran[?] you are little obliged, but his character is so well known here that his word has small weight. He said nothing particular that would hurt you but he can speak good of no man and therefore he is below your notice. If you can do Mr. Muir a service be so kind as do it and mention me kindly to him if you chance to meet.
            I have nothing to mention only that I have lately got a son named William. The mother and son are doing well. All our friends are also in good health. I am sorry I have no particular news. Nelly joins me in kind wishes for you and Mrs. Johnston’s welfare, and will be glad to hear so by every opportunity meantime. I am, Dear Uncle,

Dear Uncle:
            I had the pleasure from London the day before I left it per Ritchie. I arrived safe here at the time mentioned and went to Millthird next day. It would naturally suppose. My Mother poor woman I thought was going to take leave of the little sense she has. I found them and they continue to be all well except my aunt who is still frail.
            I am convinced if I had not wrote them from London and they had been expecting me some days before I came they would not have known me. My Mother, Aunt and Miss Pert are vastly pleased with their presents. My Aunt (your wife) has established her good name with them for ever. She’s a wonderful woman says one, she’s this and that says tother, and my Mother is more pleased with her than them all because she thinks she’s one of her own kidney. I made a shift to smuggle a little tobacco for my Aunt which I presented her with the pope and she thought she was getting rich all of a sudden. The pipe is laid carefully up and she is to be in great company, she says, when she smokes it. I believe she would take it to heaven with her if she could, to take a whiff with some of the Angels.
            No person could have behaved to me better than my Father has done. When I was in London I could not deny myself the pleasures of the place, which you know is attended with a good deal of expense. That, with what I paid for my coming down, when I told him I had occasion for, he only said, "Since you're well George, it makes no odds." He asked me what I wished to do, if I wished to be pushed forward for myself. I told him I did not, that I was unacquainted with the mode of doing business in this country and that I would prefer looking round me for a little, till I saw what I turned up. For that reason I have fixed here as a clerk to Murray Rae & CO., a house lately established in the wholesale spirit and wine line.
            When I was mentioning to my Father how you had been maltreated in Georgia he wondered he said how I could think of settling among such scoundrels in fact I wonder at it now myself. The only reason he did not send out the goods I wrote for was because he thought I could do much better here. Numberless letters, it seems, he wrote us, but we were peculiarly unfortunate.
            Your Son came down here 8 days ago for to stay. He is bound to one Hannah, a Cabinet Maker, for five years the least time possible to be got here without paying an extravagant apprentice fee. My Father never would have bound him if he had not been very anxious and solicitous about it himself. I confess it meets with my approbation, and I am pleased to see a boy of his age act with so much Judgment. It can be attended with no ill consequences, unless in case of your death, and as Uncle Toby said, "By God you shan't die".
            We all mess together at John's. We are the majority of the house now and Tom who was formerly Premier, is now turned out of the Administration. That worthy, generous, good-hearted fellow John has got an amiable girl to wife. She is tolerably handsome in the face and seems as if she once could have boasted of a handsome person, but he has put her cursedly out of shape. This just puts me in mind to wish you Joy on the birth of my young Cousin. Tell him that though I cannot boast a personal acquaintance with him, yet I have a good deal of friendship for him, and since I love those I have seen I may be allowed to love those I have not seen.
            I can tell you nothing of my own knowledge of your Son's disposition as I was no time in Kirkcudbright and he has been but a short time here, but I will inform you candidly what his Uncle and Aunt say of him. They say he is one of the best boys without exception they ever saw. He is very much attached to this country. He says if you were but here he would not go back for 500 Guineas in gift.
            My Father is to be down here shortly and means to write. It seems my Cousin and him are to do it conjunctly. I could not inform my Father of this opportunity as I only heard of it today myself and the young gentleman expects to sail from Greenock on the 30th. Our whole family are much attached to Jamieson; it seems my Aunt and Sister were crying on account of his coming all the way here. I flatter myself he has found in my Parents what I experienced in you and my Good Aunt. I have fifty things more to say to you but am not admitting at present. I will embrace the first opportunity that offers again.
            Be pleased to make my best respects to my Aunt, Cousins, Miss Lawson, Miss Reid, Mr. & Mrs. Adams and Mr. D. Johnston and receive yourself the best wishes of, Dear Uncle,

P.S. Jamieson is six feet high without his shoes. Compliments to Jas. Johnston and family. Tell him the parcel with which he entrusted me for his Brother I am pretty confident he received safe from the mode I took of conveyance. G.J.

My dear friend,
            Trusting to the daily intelligence sent you, by Mr. W. whom I constantly see, I have not written to you for some time, although matters are in a most critical situation. I am not apt to despond, but I do not, I assure you, like the aspect of the times. A certain Ld., it is true, through an exertion, which was successful as it was well-tired, has failed in his object; but he has so shaken the minds of the Hd. Of G..l or rather the mind of its leader, that matters hang by a slender thread. As I know the ground to a nicety, you may believe that nothing shall be neglected on my part. Mr. W. is to dine with me today; and I shall give him my ideas, which he will communicate to you at full length.
            The unfortunate dilemma into which we have been reduced, by the neglect of sending us information, can better imagined than expressed. I fear we shall never be able fully to repair such a grieveous misfortune. I shall do my best, although my hands are most confoundedly weakened, by the want of support as well as intelligence. Unless both are on the way in the most satisfactory manner, we as well as they must be ruined. Much has been done; indeed, so much that, I fear, certain persons here think they have listened too far to our state of matters. I shall not willingly yield a single point! To yield an inch is to lose the field.
            Let me recommend it to you, my friend, to secure in the best manner you can. Your own private affairs. The opinions of man will be ever variable, with respect to the (blank), as to what concerns myself, I need not urge your best endeaverers. Wisdom as well as justice should induce them to what is proper and right. I refer you to Mr. W. being most faithfully

I am just setting sail for England. Pray write me and direct to me at Penns Coffee House, London.

Dear Will
I wrote you a short letter just before I left Phila. And arrived in Scotland the 10th ult. I stayed but six days, so cannot be supposed to have seen much of the Country. We sailed along the Coast from the North West part of it to the Firth of Forth, & for two thirds of the way, I did not see a single tree; but when we came within a hundred miles of Edinburgh the Country is very fine & well improved.
The City stands partly upon a very high hill & partly in an adjoining valley; so that the prospects are very good, and the town very inconvenient. The sixth or seventh story of a house on one side will sometimes be just equal to the ground on the other. I shall attempt no description of London, as you must have seen better accounts of it than I am able to give; but will give you a little idea of the Temple, which is a collection of houses owned by different men. Every student hires his Chambers at the best rate he can, and is under no controll [sic] at all, either as to study or behaviour. The gate is always open and we carry our keys in our pockets. Those who are admitted into any of the Societies of Court are obliged to dine so many times every term, for three years in the hall, if they mean to be called to the Bar, and this is the only restraint the Templars are laid under. Westminster Abbey is the most venerable pile of buildings I ever saw, and strikes the beholder with solemnity, not felt from other objects. I have been twice to visit it, & the trifling circumstance of being obliged to enter it uncovered added to my reverence for the place which indeed was great enough before. You see there

                        “Long sounding aisles and intermingled graves.
                        “There the dim windows shed a solemn light,
                        “And awful arches make a noonday night.”

St. Paul’s Cathedral is very grand, & the whispering gallery pleases me very much. It is about 140 yards around, & a whisper on one side is distinctly heard on the other. The Drury-Lane and Convent Garden Theatres have just opened. I have been to neither of them, as there has been no plays of consequence performed. While Foote’s Summer Theatre was opened, I was several times there; but as he performs only farces & trifling comedies, I have no opportunity to judge of the actors of tragedy there. Foote you know is only a mimic & it is therefore impossible to make any remarks upon him, intelligible to one who never saw him.

(He wrote his father a letter the night before the assault on Quebec, addressed to be delivered only in case he fell—MHB)

My Dear Father:
If you receive this it will be the last this hand shall ever write you. Orders are given for a general storm on Quebec this night, and Heaven only knows what will be my fate. But whatever it may be, I cannot resist the inclination I feel to assure you that I experience no reluctance in this cause to venture a life which I consider as only lent to be used when my Country demands it. In moments like these such an assertion will not be thought a boast by any one, by my Father I am sure it cannot. It is need-to tell that my prayers are for the happiness of the family and for its preservation in this general confusion. Should Providence in its wisdom call me from rendering the little assistance I might to my Country, I could wish my brother did not continue in the service of her enemies.
That the all-gracious Disposer of human events may shower on you, my Mother, brothers, and sisters, every blessing our nature can receive, is, and will be to the last moment of my life, the sincere prayer of your dutiful and affectionate son.

Permit me, sir, to mingle my tears with yours for the loss we have sustained—you as a Father, I as a friend. My dear young friend fell by the side of his General, as much lamented as he was beloved; and that I assure you, sir, was in an eminent degree. This, and his falling like a hero, will console in some measure a father who gave him the example of bravery.
General Montgomery and his corpse were both interred by General Charleton with military honors.

Dear Sir:
Immediately on the receipt of your letter covering the commission in the cases of the Schooners Herald and President, I put the papers into the hands of Mr. Bache attorney at Law, requesting him to take the necessary steps, which he accordingly did. I am however sorry to inform you that Hillchop & Watson had both sailed from this Port previous to the receipt of Mr. McClames letter. We are however in hopes of getting hold of Kelly, and a Subpoena was procured; but he was gone off to New Orleans, as his master says without consent of knowledge, from which circumstance I am led to believe he has been induced to go out of the way; it is however said he is to return in March.

(George Macpherson Wiltbank later had his last name changed to Macpherson—MHB)

My dear Sir:
            It affords me pleasure to answer your letter of the 9th inst. which I have just received.
            For some time past I have been collecting material for the purpose of writing a sketch of the life of my great grandfather Capt. John Macpherson, and have now on hand very valuable material. If I am ever able to finish my sketch, and have it in print, it will afford me great pleasure to send you a copy.
            Before answering your questions allow me to say that Capt. John wrote his name thus—Macpherson and not McPherson as you have it, and this is important, for he was a nephew of the Chief of the Clan, and a cousin of the Chief Cluny of the rebellion of 1745. This Cluny has always been noted for his sufferings and devotion to the cause of Prince Charles. The Clan always wrote Macpherson.
            John Macpherson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, 1725, and came to this country 1745. He married Margaret Rogers, the sister of a then noted divine. His wife died June 4, 1770 in the 38th year of her age, and is buried in this city.
            Capt. John Macpherson had four children, two sons and two daughters; John M. Jr., and William M. The daughters’ names I have not been able to trace, having written to one of the Berrien family, and not receiving answer; in this you may be able to assist me.
            Young John Macpherson upon arriving in this Country followed the sea, and having passed through the graduations of service, took command of a vessel. He took command of the “Britannia” under letters of Marque issued by the British Government 1757, and did splendid service in the West Indies. The Council and Assembly of Antiqua considered him a defender, and voted him a sword. Capt. John Macpherson died Sept. 6th, 1792 and is buried in this city.
            I think I have answered your questions as to my great grandfather. Did time permit I could tell you much more—rest assured of this, he was a brave honest fighter all his life and never knew what fear meant. His son John was Aide to Genl. Montgomery in the operations against Canada, and fell with him in the assault upon Quebec 1775[?].
            William Macpherson, my grandfather, at the age of 13 was a Cadet in the British Army; then he held a Lieutenant’s Commission, and was made Adjutant of the 16th Regiment. At the breaking out of the war, he declined bearing arms against his countrymen, and resigned. He joined the American Army on the Hudson 1777, and received a Major’s Commission from Gen’l. Washington, who was always a true friend to him.
            The telling of the life of Capt. John Macpherson sounds like a romance. I have written this very crude letter in great haste, my time not allowing more care, pray pardon it, and consider it a private letter, not to be shown.
            You and I have much to be proud of when we think of the noble stock we come from.
            Should you desire any more information, rest assured it will give me pleasure to furnish you with such as I may have.
            Now allow me to ask you a question relative to a point that puzzles me very much. You will notice I say on sheet 2 “he married Margaret Rogers—his wife died June 4, 1770”. John Adams, who dined at Mount Pleasant (the home of John Macpherson) said of John M.—“he had the most elegant seat in Pennsylvania, a clever Scotch wife, and two pretty daughters”. This was October 1775[?]. The question I would ask you, is this—were the two daughters mentioned by John Adams, the daughters of Margaret M. (Rogers) who died in 1770, and could the wife mentioned by Adams have been a second wife, and the mother of the two daughters, or in other words, was the Margaret Macpherson, who married Major John Berrien, the daughter of Margaret Rogers, or was she the daughter of the second wife. Can you give me the name of the other daughter.

Dear Sir:
            I take great pleasure in acknowledging receipt of your two letters, containing so many interesting facts in regard to the Macphersons.
            The children of Capt. John Macpherson by his first wife Margaret Rodgers [sic], I am of the opinion were as follows:—
            1. John Jr. b. about 1754; Alumnus of Princeton College, N.J. 1766; studied law in the office of John Dickinson, author of the famous “Farmer’s Letters”, and at the “Temple” London, England; Major, and A.D.C. to Gen’l Montgomery; killed at Quebec, 1775. Unmarried.
            2. William, b. 1756, ensign 16th Reg. Foot (British) 1769; Lieut. July 1773; Adjutant July 1773. By Act of Congress Sept. 16, 1779 “Brevet Major in the Army of the United States”. Commander of the “Macpherson Blues” and other distinguished military and civil offices. Died Nov. 5, 1813. He was married twice, first to Margaret Stout, only child of Lieut. R.N. (Joseph Stout—MHB) and Mary Keen. From this first marriage I am descended.
            3. Peggy (so called in the old letters) stated by Capt. John M. Sr. to be his eldest daughter. Your kind letter states that you are descended from this lady, and I have incorporated your facts in my record. I should highly appreciate additional information, especially place of birth, date thereof, date of marriage to Major Berrien (his mother’s name), place and date of death, &c.
            4. Polly (so called in old letters) stated by Capt. John M. Sr. to be his younger daughter, of her we know nothing. Presume her name was Mary. Tradition tells us that she also married a Berrien. An old letter from William M. to one of his children, dated Aug. 12, 1812, speaks of “Dr. Berrien and your Aunt”. Can you tell me anything about this lady and her descendants? Capt. John Sr. married secondly Marianne Macneal, I think in Edinburgh, Scotland, between 1771 and 1773 during which time his son John Jr. was studying law at the “Temple”, London, as the old letters intimate that they went abroad together. Said to have been a daughter of “Macneil of Caskay” and a niece of the Countess of Dugale. As to the spelling of the name the old signatures show that the descendants of Capt. John Macpherson, Sr. of Mount Pleasant, spelled it as here written, as one word with the “a”.
            Maj. Genl. James Birdseye McPherson, killed in the Civil War July 22, 1864 was born in Sandusky, Ohio Nov. 14, 1828, and John Roderic McPherson, Senator from New Jersey was born in Livingston Co., New York. Neither of them are so far as I know, of our family, nor of the family known as the “Gettysburg, Pa. McPhersons”. These last have numbered many of the most distinguished citizens of our Commonwealth among them. They take their origin from Robert, b. 1747, who I am informed was not an emigrant but born here, but must have been of the “Clan Chattan” (as we are) in Scotland, for an ancient tomb stone to a member of this family in the Gettysburg, Pa. cemetery has upon it, the crest of the senior branch (ours) of the Macpherson to wit: “a Catt segant proper” and the motto “Touch not the Cat but a Glove” A very prominent representative of this last family is the Hon. John Bayard McPherson, L.L.D., Judge of the United States District Court, well known as an eminent jurist, profound scholar and courteous gentleman. This gentleman had two ancestors in the Revolution, Lieut. William Mcpherson (1737-1832) of Albright’s Co. Penna. Rifle Reg., and Col. Robert McPherson (1730-1789) Second Battalian, York Co. Associators.
            The spelling of the name in Scotland seems to follow no fixed rule, we find Macpherson, McPherson, and McPhersone.
            The origin of the name “Macpherson” is as follows: Ewan or Eugine, called Baan from his fair complexion, lived in the reign of King Alexander the Second, and as sirnames [sic] about that time were become hereditary, he was called (and his posterity after him) Macparson (Macpherson) the son of the parson, for the reason that his father was Muriach or Murdoch being a younger son had been bred to the church and was parson of Kingousie, but this parson’s elder brother, the Chief of the Clan, having died without issue, he the parson obtained a dispensation from the Pope, Anno 1173, and married a daughter of the Thane of Calder, and had Ewan Baan and four other sons; hence Ewan Baan was called Macparson, or the son of the parson.
            Some of these facts have come to me since writing you: many of them no doubt are already known to you, a few however I hope are new to you and will I trust be of interest.
            Permit me in closing, to ask your attention to my desire for knowledge of Mary Macpherson and her descendants, and for dates, &c. of your own line from and including Margarette Macpherson.

My dear Sir:--
            I owe you an apology for not replying to your kind favour of Aug. 27. On our return from Europe in the early summer, my four sons (eldest 12 years old named William Macpherson,) became ill, and on their recovery I was obliged to take them away for change of air, hence my correspondence has fallen greatly behind.
            I am greatly pleased to know that you are identified with the Colonial Wars, it is a strong, patriotic and energetic society. I hope that I shall have the pleasure of meeting you and Mr. Neely at some future meeting. Last June the General Council met in Portland, Maine, where we were the guests of the Maine Society, which is composed of the most prominent men of that State.
            There is no portrait known to me of our distinguished ancestor Capt. John Macpherson. The following will however give you some idea of his appearance. It is taken from the original record, Division of Public Records, Penna. State Library, Harrisburg, Pa., and has never as far as I know been published.
            “I hereby certify that JOHN MACPHERSON was commissioned Commander of the Armed Boat Anti-Traitor May 17, 1781, said Armed Boat being his personal property and carrying Two Carriage Guns, Four Swivels and Forty Men, being of Ten Tons capacity.”
            Description of Captain is as follows:—“—age 55 years, statue [sic] five feet nine inches, dark hair and brown complexion.”
            We an well picture our brave and gallant ancestor from this curious fragment of history.
            I have lately become the owner of a copy of the first Directory of Philadelphia compiled and published by Capt. John M., a rare and most interesting book. I shall take great pleasure in sending you additional data when I get it, as I hope to do. Any information you may favour me with in regard to the family, I will greatly appreciate.

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