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Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Emmeline (Austin) Wadsworth, 19 April 1861
Manuscript letter
Cambridge April 19 1861.
Dear Emmeline,
You will be pained to hear that war is upon us. After every attempt at conciliation had failed, the South has taken this awful responsibility, & the spirit of rebellion is fast seizing the Border States, so long apparently loyal. Virginia has seceded, & I suppose the rest will follow, which will make the contest a very serious one. But the people North & West are roused to a state of patriotism which fuses all [p. 2] parties in the one resolve to protect the Government, seriously threatened at Washington, & volunteers are flowing south like a spring tide, with all the enthusiasm of ’76-, men leaving their business & families at an hour’s notice - & the poor women (who always have the hardest lot on these occasions) burying their sad thoughts in busy labors, - in making shirts for the soldiers, & possibly later will have the sadder duty of preparing for the wounded.
The South has so alienated itself from us by its atrocious acts, by its vile ambition & utter disregard of all the claims of the past, that this cruel necessity of war (for ours will be only in self-defense) is not as terrible as it would have been, & I, for one, [p. 3] should feel more one with England. I have no sympathy with the thoughts, desires, civilization (if it can be called such) of the South) & they seem more alien to me than English people. I have, fortunately, no private friendships to disturb this feeling, but still I abhor war wherever & whenever produced, & trust this will be a short one.
If the President had the right to cut them off from us peaceably forever I should be rejoiced, (for we can never make one nation) but as he has not & the people would not give it him, he must do his duty. He has been almost too long patient & forbearing, & the fall of Sumter (when 70 starved men had to yield to 7000 & most powerful batteries has [p. 4] stirred all hearts with honor & indignation. Boston has been full of the departing soldiers, & the Massachusetts regiments will be the first to arrive to the country’s aid. It seems like a dream to be living in such days, - & must seem stronger to you who do not get the gradual crescendo of events & feeling as we do –
Your old friend Mrs Grant has departed, & Elisabeth will be very lonely, despite the large family. Mr Bowditch, so long a patient invalid, has also gone to his rest. My Uncle Wm having had delicate lungs this winter, sailed for Charleston & arrived the day after Sumter fell, so he is in the enemy’s camp with Mr Wm Amory, & we know not how they will be treated! Henry’s sister Mrs Greenleaf & her husband are also at New Orleans. I am afraid Mary M. will not venture over to us now, tho’ I wish she could as my father continues very feeble, drives out every day, but can- [p. 1 cross] not move across the room without support. Tom has returned & is bright & cheerful. I hope you & your boys are well. Where will yr summer be passed? I wish you could have got to Italy this winter, before more fighting begins. Fletcher Webster offers to go fight here & I fear all our young men will be fired with like purpose.
Harrison Ritchie (one of the Governor’s aids) is much commended for his wise care of the troops in Faneuil Hall. Sad sad days, but ever lovingly thine F.E.L.
Dear Emmeline,
You will be pained to hear that war is upon us. After every attempt at conciliation had failed, the South has taken this awful responsibility, & the spirit of rebellion is fast seizing the Border States, so long apparently loyal. Virginia has seceded, & I suppose the rest will follow, which will make the contest a very serious one. But the people North & West are roused to a state of patriotism which fuses all [p. 2] parties in the one resolve to protect the Government, seriously threatened at Washington, & volunteers are flowing south like a spring tide, with all the enthusiasm of ’76-, men leaving their business & families at an hour’s notice - & the poor women (who always have the hardest lot on these occasions) burying their sad thoughts in busy labors, - in making shirts for the soldiers, & possibly later will have the sadder duty of preparing for the wounded.
The South has so alienated itself from us by its atrocious acts, by its vile ambition & utter disregard of all the claims of the past, that this cruel necessity of war (for ours will be only in self-defense) is not as terrible as it would have been, & I, for one, [p. 3] should feel more one with England. I have no sympathy with the thoughts, desires, civilization (if it can be called such) of the South) & they seem more alien to me than English people. I have, fortunately, no private friendships to disturb this feeling, but still I abhor war wherever & whenever produced, & trust this will be a short one.
If the President had the right to cut them off from us peaceably forever I should be rejoiced, (for we can never make one nation) but as he has not & the people would not give it him, he must do his duty. He has been almost too long patient & forbearing, & the fall of Sumter (when 70 starved men had to yield to 7000 & most powerful batteries has [p. 4] stirred all hearts with honor & indignation. Boston has been full of the departing soldiers, & the Massachusetts regiments will be the first to arrive to the country’s aid. It seems like a dream to be living in such days, - & must seem stronger to you who do not get the gradual crescendo of events & feeling as we do –
Your old friend Mrs Grant has departed, & Elisabeth will be very lonely, despite the large family. Mr Bowditch, so long a patient invalid, has also gone to his rest. My Uncle Wm having had delicate lungs this winter, sailed for Charleston & arrived the day after Sumter fell, so he is in the enemy’s camp with Mr Wm Amory, & we know not how they will be treated! Henry’s sister Mrs Greenleaf & her husband are also at New Orleans. I am afraid Mary M. will not venture over to us now, tho’ I wish she could as my father continues very feeble, drives out every day, but can- [p. 1 cross] not move across the room without support. Tom has returned & is bright & cheerful. I hope you & your boys are well. Where will yr summer be passed? I wish you could have got to Italy this winter, before more fighting begins. Fletcher Webster offers to go fight here & I fear all our young men will be fired with like purpose.
Harrison Ritchie (one of the Governor’s aids) is much commended for his wise care of the troops in Faneuil Hall. Sad sad days, but ever lovingly thine F.E.L.
Archives Number: 1011/002.001-031#009
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Correspondence (1011/002), (LONG-SeriesName)
, Letters from Frances Longfellow (1011/002.001), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, 1861 (1011/002.001-031), (LONG-FileUnitName)
, Letters from Frances Longfellow (1011/002.001), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, 1861 (1011/002.001-031), (LONG-FileUnitName)
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Longfellow House - Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site, Code: LONG
Longfellow House - Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Latitude: 42.3769989013672, Longitude: -71.1264038085938
Latitude: 42.3769989013672, Longitude: -71.1264038085938
NPS Museum Number Catalog : LONG 20257
Title: Finding Aid to the Frances Elizabeth Appleton Longfellow (1817-1861) Papers, 1825-1961 (bulk dated: 1832-1861)
URL: https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historyculture/archives.htm#FEAL
URL: https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historyculture/archives.htm#FEAL
2016-01-30
04/19/1861
Manuscript letter in Frances Appleton Longfellow Papers, Series II. Correspondence, A. Outgoing, 1861. (1011/002.001-031#009)
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Organization: Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
Address: 105 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Email: LONG_archives@nps.gov
Address: 105 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Email: LONG_archives@nps.gov
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