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ASHAEL SUMNER DEAN

 CIVIL WAR LETTERS TO HIS FAMILY

 

 

U.S.S. Harvest Moon Navy Yard Washington Mar.4 1864

 

Dear Virginia

   I am yet in Washington and think I shall remain until the middle of the week.  You have by this time rec'd my letter and also my telegram  I did not know how short my stay would be there and I sent a dispatch so you would have time to write to me before I have to go south for I shall not receive yours that you have already sent until we go to Charleston, which will be soon  I found out M.C.  they are living in a very common but respectable manner and received me very kindly Mrs. C has been very ill with pneumonia but is improving  She inquired very particularly for you  Sent her regards and remarked that you was a "Dear little creature when  in the Normal School and she was very glad to learn that you was so happy  She seemed exceedingly glad to see me and both talked incessantly and Mr. C said he was very glad to know I was in the service  I made an explanation which he said was entirely satisfactory.

   I have been in the Capitol and I never saw anything so grand and I am certain nothing so imposing  Mr. C. says there is but one building which is its equal that in St. Petersburg I have all the time and every place is open but I do not go much for I have no one to explain anything to me But I shall go and see the White House and the Public Buildings  Today I have not been out of the ship today as I have had some extra duty to do  Yesterday I saw Mr. Sumner and the Vice President  I mean to get a view of Uncle Abe before I go I have been from you it seems most a year and yet 'tis but a fortnight  I do not see how I am to endure it  I think sometimes that I could afford to pay four dollars per day to be with you  It will be so long before I can cancel my debts even at that rate that I am almost discouraged and after that I might not see it to be my duty to resign  and now I am twice as homesick as when I was near Port Royal for I was some time away from you but now I could reach you in twenty hours had I leave to go but it cannot be  Do you feel happy and contented with me away?  Do you bear it like a brave little wife?  or do you rustle and fret and sigh for your Sumner?  I was very much pleased with the view of the river and of Mt. Vernon  But ;I shall have to wait until I get home before I can tell you much of it  One thing however, I saw the horse pens on the bank and also the place where the condemned ones are shot  One or two were dying as we passed  I saw one shot  The river is about as wide as from our house to Mrs. S. Conrey's  The Navy Yard is not near so extensive or pretty as the one in Boston  I learn officers may be detached at any time  I will mention that the Admiral may not return immediately There are rumors that he will not go back but Farragut will take his place  Everything here is expensive  I put out a day of clothes to wash and expected to pay as much for doing it as they are worth

 

 [The letter ends here with no closing. Possibly this is one of a number that has the closing pages missing.  The group of pages as the end  is very difficult to match up-ed.]

 

ps. C has been very ill with pneumonia but is improving  She inquired very particularly for you

 

 

 

 

 

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HARVEST MOON HISTORICAL SOCIETY

March 2006

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