Amos F. Garrison II to John Kirby, 26 October 1862
Office Chief Comsy. Subs.
Sante Fe New Mexico
October 26th, 1862
Dear Sister.
Your very welcome letter of 27th
September is received. I was very glad to hear
from you and to hear that all is well.
What is the reason Henry
would not tell me what he was going to do. I hope
that it is nothing he is ashamed of.
Waters I suppose you have
have heard from him ere this as he left St Louis for
Jersey some two weeks since, you will find
him a very lively, jolly young man, socially;
and a quick active business man. things have
changed a little here of late, but still a good
man who is willing to work can always get
plenty to do at a fair salary. Genl. Carleton
issued an order for the Captain to discharge
one of his clerks, which will be done first of
next month. on the strength of this rumour.
I had three gentlemen to offer me situations
paying quite as much if not more than I
get here, but it is not me that is to be disch-
arged it is a young man who has been in the
office for five months back from St. Louis by
name of Wm Borchet.
Any railroad guide will show the ways to get
to Kansas City and then you stage it 900 miles
across the plains the expenses from $175 to $200. this
is travelling genteely, it can be made from Salem
in 16 days, the stage leaves Kansas City every Friday
and arrives in Sante Fe in 11 days.
Tell Nell and Kate the year is very near
out. I think I shall get home next Christmas a
year to see old Kris come down chimney (without
I go below) tell them their kisses are very sweet. I
expect they are quite big girls now. I should like
before I come home to go through old Mexico to
California, and then come home by water from San
Francisco to New York, but I don’t know.
I do not want John to work for me for
nothing but if he is kind enough to do it. I
want him to let me bear all necessary expenses for
doing it.
Hedge, you say gets a thousand dollars a
year that would not keep a family very well in
this country. my pay now, interest money and all
amounts to over $1600 a year and if I have good
luck I will make enough out side to save very
near all of it, but if I do it, it will be close work
as everything is very high in this country, but I
did not come here only to make a living.
I think that I am falling into the ways
of the far west so that I shall never be satisfied
to live in the East again, there is a free and
independent way of living here without the
restraints of fashion and etiquatte which suits me.
We have organized a series of weekly
surprise parties of which another gentlemen and myself
are the honorable committee of arrangements which
I think will tend to keep me partially civilized
as I have never since I have been in the Territory
called upon an American lady, these parties are
composed of Officers wives and daughters, and with
the exception of myself and one or two others, the
gentleman are all officers. Genl. Carleton is one of them.
I have written a lot of trash which you
will have to excuse write soon. Kiss Nell & Kate for
me.
Give my kindest regards to all inquiring
friends.
Your loving brother,
A.F.Garrison, Jr.
Mrs H F Kirby
Salem, N.J.
DATABASE CONTENT
| (573) | DL0068.018 | 14 | Letters | 1862-10-26 |
Letter from Captain Amos F. Garrison, United States Volunteers Commissary Department, Santa Fe, New Mexico, October 26, 1862, to his sister Mrs. H. F. Kirby, Salem, New Jersey; Accompanied by Cover
Tags: Family
People - Records: 2
Places - Records: 2
SOURCES
Amos F. Garrison II to John Kirby, 26 October 1862, DL0068.018
