Fortress Monroe, Virginia.

September 19^th 1863.

 

Dear Friend Anderson,

                                    I was very much gratified on receiving yours of the 3^d inst. The good sizable envelope gave token of the contents, and on opening it, I settled myself back in my chair for a good long chat with you. I should have answered it last Saturday—Sunday I mean, but I went to Norfolk and that took the time. Today I've been directly on my "write", as the boys who keep "dages" express it. First I wrote a long letter to Alice, then a long communication to the "Independent" for the Captain, then one to the "Herald" and now my undivided attentions are yours, and first, I'll discourse a little of myself. I suppose that I shall stay here at Old Point for the present. The Captain has doubled my salary, and promises to soon do better, and for the amount of work he gives me to do, I certainly cannot complain, but although for the past month, I have not averaged four hours per day, yet I am confined in my / room as close as a caged hen, and then the time is passing. I lost the first chance for the chief clerkship here, as he has given it to a man from the Chief Quarter Master's office who has been fishing for it a year. I was mighty in my wrath, when I heard of it first, but knowing it would not avail, I kept it all inside. I was on the point of leaving immediately, determined to be "either Caesar or nothing", but cooling a little and making close calculations, I concluded that I was as well situated here as anywhere for the present. If I ain't sick, I can lay up $100. per month from my income from last July to the 1^st of February next, at my present rate of wages, with the small outlay needed here for clothes and sundries, and I thought I had better claw that in, and lay it away, before I spread myself much again.

 

Here at the Fortress is a good place to start from if an opening worth going after shows itself in any of the seceded states. Passage from here to Charleston is to be had almost every day, if you can secure a pass, and so to any other port held by our forces. I am getting acquainted here as fast as possible with the officials that "run the machine" and think I can get transportation down there and / back free, when I get ready to go. Two of the P.O. clerks have been there already. Counting out this last part what do you think of my decision? There is another thing that I wish very much to accomplish, and that is a divorce. There is a lawyer in New York City who advertises to do such work, one H. Bateman, 658 Broadway. Advice free. Sure case or no pay. I've not much faith in quack medicines but if by hook or crook, he can do the job, he is the man I want. Do you know anything of him, and what do you think of the plan? I suppose he gets the facts and goes to figuring in some other state. If I was in New York I would call on him. Being out here alone, without any associates, and keeping but very little company, I've ample time for meditation, and this subject in particular troubles me. I see no way for me to accomplish anything anywhere, unless I get rid of that millstone. I do not suppose it is very agreeable for you to be bored with these affairs, but you know all about it, and are the only person that I feel free to talk to about it, and I need advice on the matter. I spend most of my leisure time in reading as I brought some books out with me. I've read Kinglake's Crimean War, which I like very well, Reid's Arnold's Lectures on History, Chesterfield's / Letters, which I reckon as time well spent, and two volumes of Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations. He is the champion of free trade, and very ably supports his theory, but he is not as clear or as pleasant a writer on political economy as Bowen. I've my Blackstone with me, and when all else fails shall examine his "great mind" I also have the Boston Transcript, a miserable paper compared to the Journal, and the New York Herald which I think everything of now, although I believe I once laughed at you for expressing a taste for it. I would not have you think I worship old Bennett, for I do not, but I submit that he is ahead of any other man in getting news.

 

            I suppose our friend John was not particularly festive, under the circumstances under which he came home. I do not understand about his agency of the M [?] Savage Co. He wrote me that with his clerkship, his income would be about $1800 per annum. The Co. could not have paid him much. He has not lived in Washington to much advantage, if he has staid there two years and has done no better than that. I hear from John quite often, and am owing him one now, which I shall answer next week. Did he / say anything to you about Miss Tenney?

 

Sat. September 20, 1863

Let us return to our matters. You will find this a big letter. I propose to intrude myself somewhat upon your good graces, and ask you to execute a few commissions for me, hoping that sometime I may balance the account. First please give the enclosed letter to Alice. In this you will find ($155.) One hundred and fifty five dollars. One hundred and fifty in legal tender bills, and one demand note of ($5.) Five dolls. For this I wish you would get me 5-20 U.S. Bonds. two pieces, one of one hundred dolls. and one of fifty. I prefer the Coupon to the registered. I am not very particular about the date, but prefer May if you can get them with paying ¼% premium, that is .25¢ on the hundred dolls. The premium on the demand note is about 30% making it worth 6.50 with which you may pay the interest and premium on the bonds. Perhaps you can get the bonds at some of the Lowell banks, if not, the first time you go to Boston will do, or you may send by Tuck, just as you prefer. The balance, whatever it is, you may retain, as I shall have some other wants to be supplied and the bonds you may send me in your next letter. They are payable to bearer, so please put them / in a strong envelope. This morning a young fellow, who was a clerk on [?] St. paid me a call on his way to Norfolk, to fill a situation in the Commissary Department there. He brot the news of the destruction of Ayer's Emporium and also plenty of scandal respecting the feminine youth of Lowell. If everything is as free as he states, I presume that you do not suffer from abstinence. I hope you will always remember Paul's admonition, "to keep the body under". I hear that the "Hotel de Giles" is to have several new boarders, and some of rather a different class than formerly. I think it must be agreeable rather than other side to you, to have it so. I suppose Major Norcross will not be at home much. You escaped a hard place, when you resolved not to accept the situation of clerk to Patch or rather Lawrence, although some clerks who are on their "make" realize three and four thousand a year by looking after "stoppages" for the sutlers. But among those most conversant with such things, both the Paymaster and his clerk, are considered to earn all they get. In regard to the case which you mention of the man in the 6^th, who was not paid when the Company were, it is I think like this. / His captain, on finding that he had not been paid, should have issued to him a set of "Final Statements" as they are called. Form 4 Pay Dept, Army Regulations, just the same as if he was discharged or deceased, if he had brought you these, on application with their presentation, you would have experienced no trouble. The great trouble with soldiers pay, is because their Captains are too lazy or ignorant to do their duty. I think if you should make an errand to Major Emory's Paymaster in Boston, and talk matters appertaining to this business, over with him, you would be well paid for your trouble. I saw him several times, when we were doing up our affairs, and always found him very gentlemanly and ready to afford any information, which is more than can be said of most of them.

 

            I had quite a pleasant trip over to Norfolk on Sunday. It takes only a sail of about an hour to bring one there. I went to church at St. Pauls Episcopal in the forenoon, the first time I've been to church save the ministrations of our Chaplain—for more than a year. The edifice was a venerable old pile, built in 1739 and standing in a church yard, such as we so often read about in English stories, where the tombstones are flat, affording easy rest / for the limbs of tottering age, or a convenient place for blooming youth to sit and watch the coming and going of the pretty damsels who are at church. The sexton did not confine his efforts to those who chanced to enter the porch only, but was out in the yard cordially inviting the strangers to walk in, and it was more owing to the kindness of his invitation, I think, than anything else, that drew me inside. The service was marked with the usual ups and downs that distinguish the episcopal worship, and was as prosy as usual. Before it was over, the windows of heaven were wide open, and the rain descended in torrents. This put an end to all perambulations on my part, and so I came back to the Point at 3 o'clock, without going about any more.

 

            What a poor set of men Sewell boasts of. Few men and precious little money she will give the country out of the number drafted. Didn't Bowles play the baby game well? How could he have turned the matter to better advantage? It isn't every red headed young one, that can earn $300. before it is a year old. Please remember me to Mr Tucker & his wife. Hoping you will write me very soon I am as ever, Truly Yours

                                                                                               

Selwyn E. Bickford /

 

P.S. Will you please tell Williams at the Post Office that his bill of $6. will be paid the 1^st of October. I would also like to have you get of him the Merchants Magazine for July, Aug, & Sept of this year & send them to me, and also ask him what he will furnish them for the year commencing July 1862 and ending in June 30, 1863. He formerly let me have the nos. at 37¢. I sent a love letter that I took from some correspondence that I found here, to Alice. Ask her to show it to you, and tell me your opinion of it, as I know you to be of deep experience in such matters. I've the whole correspondence, with pictures and particulars, if you care enough about it, I will inform you about. She is a handsome young lady, and only 21, at the date of the epistle. She—Allie—is to return it to me, and will not show it to any one but you, for the parties—one of them—lives too near Lowell to have it made public.                                                                                                           

S.E.B.

SOURCES