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Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Emmeline (Austin) Wadsworth, 29 April 1861
Manuscript letter
Cambridge April 29th 1861.
Dear Emmeline,
Although I have written you so lately I am tempted to do so again, to thank you for your charming long letter just received. You are in ‘Firenza la bella’ looking upon those gloomy old palaces whose stubborn walls recall so many feuds of the past, while we are in all the tumult of a similar conflicts [sic], as between men of one nation, but otherwise far nobler, for it is the absolute defence of the best government & nationality the world has seen against a formidable rebellion seeking to destroy both. All parties understand now that no compromise, no degradation [p. 2] could have saved us against this long planned conspiracy to seize Washington, & recover lost power by asserting a slave government. At last peoples eyes are opened, but if it had only been sooner the Southern arrogance could never have reached such a height. We have been trembling, from day to day, for the safety of Washington, but now that our noble Massachusetts soldiers (who fought their way so bravely thro’ Baltimore) are there, with the N. York regiments, we breathe easier & believe it in less peril.
Well may you sigh ever such a state of things, but painful as it is it is better than our past apathy, when we yielded principle & power to these corrupt men until they believed they could make us obey their behests like their own slaves. Now the North is aroused with a glorious [p. 3] heart-beat for liberty, such as has never been in our time, & the South is amazed & chagrined at the unanimous feeling of loyalty. It hoped we were too divided in opinion to stand against them, & cannot comprehend the intense love of country, & not of state only, all classes here display. I am proud to live at such a time, - & sublime as was the spectacle this summer of such a prosperous people risking all for an idea of right, - it is even more thrilling to see it aroused like one man, & making every self-sacrifice to sustain its flag from further outrage. It was worth some loss of life & property to [crossed out: see] behold the heroic virtues so alive after our long dream of self indulgence. It is not against the people of the South we wage war, but against these rebels & traitors who have silenced their loyalty, & tried to overthrow ours. [p. 4] Our young men that remain are all drilling, & many have gone to defend the forts in the harbor, which were quite unprotected. Young Adams leaves that stern duty to be married tomorrow to Fanny Crowninshield – as his father sails on Wednesday for England. Poor Fanny! it is a sad time for wedding bells. Mrs Sears feels so much Mrs Grant’s death that she will not be present, & of course the family are all in mourning. We are all saddened too by the departure of poor Laura Winthrop, who has been very ill all winter, with jaundice & complaint of the liver, & is now released from her sufferings, & whose funeral is also tomorrow. She had so kind a manner & so warm a heart all regret her, & you will, I am sure, so an old friend.
My father thinks himself more feeble, having no good nourishment from his food, & his strength lessening – Tom & Willy have now to carry him up stairs. We hope for some favorable change [p. 5 marked 2] but almost against hope, & he himself does not desire to endure long such helplessness. It is refreshing to me to turn my eyes & thoughts from all these sorrows, & our flag-hung streets, where the ‘Stars & Stripes’ are no longer a mere holiday decoration but have a deep significance, & where the constantly passing soldiers are looked at with such different eyes than when they played at war – to you & your now peaceful surroundings. I hope you enjoyed the Boboli gardens as I did, & Frisole & Bello Squardo & all the pictures within & without those ancient walls, & are now deeply quaffing the magical goblet of Rome & Naples. I do [crossed out: deeply] truly rejoice I went in my youth, tho’ I should now appreciate more understandingly, but as you have always retained a fresh enthusiasm in our banan land I am sure those skies must keep it high & glowing. [p. 6] Think of me at Prestum, when you see the blue sea, such a heavenly sapphire, beyond those grand ruins, so majestic in their desolation, like ghosts of another age ever haunting that lonely shore, & at Sorrento & on the Campagne, ‘grave of nations’ - & wherever & whenever you are most deeply stirred & lifted, because I too did enjoy those places as much as any soul, in the flesh, can, & they are as vivid as ever in my recollection. I can see still the very colors & form of every thing. The sun of youth stamped them better than any photograph upon my memory, & they can never fade out. Pictures on the walls I more forget, tho’ certain ones in each gallery are immortal to me - & I took leave of them as from friends. I hope we shall have a peaceful old age, dear, to talk over all this, tho’ I do not despair yet of renewing my impressions with my children. [p. 7] Henry’s brother Sam is in Italy & I wish you could meet, he is so full of taste & appreciation of that “dear dangerous land.” His letters are very full & delightful.
The Nortons are well & full of interest in the war (they are strong Republicans you know) & think it will do us great good like a kind of Spring medicine! Many ladies are offering themselves for nurses, & some are studying in the Hospitals – all the rest of the sex are working in some way for the soldiers, but Mrs Agassiz girls had the mortification of having their work returned as not done well enough ie strong enough.
Sewing machines are going like a factory in many houses, & Papanti gave the Boston girls the use of his hall for a week, winding up with a ball! I think if we can blockade the Southern ports soon enough the rebels will be brought to terms with out bloodshed. We need much a young [p. 8] leader. Scott & Wool are notable generals but both old & slow. In New York they are getting ferocious & like not the defensive policy only. Baltimore has been in a fearful state, a reign of terror from the mob, the Union men silenced & fleeing for their lives. Those little, gay, chattering women must be as silent as birds in a storm. But our resolve to have free access to the Capital has apparently roused them to better loyalty. Sumner had a very narrow escape the day before our troops passed thro.’ The mob found out he was there, & shouted for him until midnight threatening the hotel (Batmus) but he changed his room, locked his door, & went to bed, & was off by day light, & is now here safely. I am trying to read Motley & find it most interesting, but with history acting before our eyes it is hard to read any thing but news papers. The 19th of April has a new appreciation, one we shall be as proud of. Pray for us that God will shield the right [p. 5 cross] if that needs praying for. ever & ever yrs Fanny E.L.
[p. 1 cross] the departure of the 7th regiment from N. York must have been very touching. It has the flower of its best youth. The papers describe the many private carriages at the side streets with mothers looking out the back windows, their faces streaming with tears. The women have as yet all the suffering & that is bitter, but they send off their loved ones to fight with the devotion of 76. Mrs John Blake sent 6 sons, & wishes her 7th a boy of ten was old enough!
Dear Emmeline,
Although I have written you so lately I am tempted to do so again, to thank you for your charming long letter just received. You are in ‘Firenza la bella’ looking upon those gloomy old palaces whose stubborn walls recall so many feuds of the past, while we are in all the tumult of a similar conflicts [sic], as between men of one nation, but otherwise far nobler, for it is the absolute defence of the best government & nationality the world has seen against a formidable rebellion seeking to destroy both. All parties understand now that no compromise, no degradation [p. 2] could have saved us against this long planned conspiracy to seize Washington, & recover lost power by asserting a slave government. At last peoples eyes are opened, but if it had only been sooner the Southern arrogance could never have reached such a height. We have been trembling, from day to day, for the safety of Washington, but now that our noble Massachusetts soldiers (who fought their way so bravely thro’ Baltimore) are there, with the N. York regiments, we breathe easier & believe it in less peril.
Well may you sigh ever such a state of things, but painful as it is it is better than our past apathy, when we yielded principle & power to these corrupt men until they believed they could make us obey their behests like their own slaves. Now the North is aroused with a glorious [p. 3] heart-beat for liberty, such as has never been in our time, & the South is amazed & chagrined at the unanimous feeling of loyalty. It hoped we were too divided in opinion to stand against them, & cannot comprehend the intense love of country, & not of state only, all classes here display. I am proud to live at such a time, - & sublime as was the spectacle this summer of such a prosperous people risking all for an idea of right, - it is even more thrilling to see it aroused like one man, & making every self-sacrifice to sustain its flag from further outrage. It was worth some loss of life & property to [crossed out: see] behold the heroic virtues so alive after our long dream of self indulgence. It is not against the people of the South we wage war, but against these rebels & traitors who have silenced their loyalty, & tried to overthrow ours. [p. 4] Our young men that remain are all drilling, & many have gone to defend the forts in the harbor, which were quite unprotected. Young Adams leaves that stern duty to be married tomorrow to Fanny Crowninshield – as his father sails on Wednesday for England. Poor Fanny! it is a sad time for wedding bells. Mrs Sears feels so much Mrs Grant’s death that she will not be present, & of course the family are all in mourning. We are all saddened too by the departure of poor Laura Winthrop, who has been very ill all winter, with jaundice & complaint of the liver, & is now released from her sufferings, & whose funeral is also tomorrow. She had so kind a manner & so warm a heart all regret her, & you will, I am sure, so an old friend.
My father thinks himself more feeble, having no good nourishment from his food, & his strength lessening – Tom & Willy have now to carry him up stairs. We hope for some favorable change [p. 5 marked 2] but almost against hope, & he himself does not desire to endure long such helplessness. It is refreshing to me to turn my eyes & thoughts from all these sorrows, & our flag-hung streets, where the ‘Stars & Stripes’ are no longer a mere holiday decoration but have a deep significance, & where the constantly passing soldiers are looked at with such different eyes than when they played at war – to you & your now peaceful surroundings. I hope you enjoyed the Boboli gardens as I did, & Frisole & Bello Squardo & all the pictures within & without those ancient walls, & are now deeply quaffing the magical goblet of Rome & Naples. I do [crossed out: deeply] truly rejoice I went in my youth, tho’ I should now appreciate more understandingly, but as you have always retained a fresh enthusiasm in our banan land I am sure those skies must keep it high & glowing. [p. 6] Think of me at Prestum, when you see the blue sea, such a heavenly sapphire, beyond those grand ruins, so majestic in their desolation, like ghosts of another age ever haunting that lonely shore, & at Sorrento & on the Campagne, ‘grave of nations’ - & wherever & whenever you are most deeply stirred & lifted, because I too did enjoy those places as much as any soul, in the flesh, can, & they are as vivid as ever in my recollection. I can see still the very colors & form of every thing. The sun of youth stamped them better than any photograph upon my memory, & they can never fade out. Pictures on the walls I more forget, tho’ certain ones in each gallery are immortal to me - & I took leave of them as from friends. I hope we shall have a peaceful old age, dear, to talk over all this, tho’ I do not despair yet of renewing my impressions with my children. [p. 7] Henry’s brother Sam is in Italy & I wish you could meet, he is so full of taste & appreciation of that “dear dangerous land.” His letters are very full & delightful.
The Nortons are well & full of interest in the war (they are strong Republicans you know) & think it will do us great good like a kind of Spring medicine! Many ladies are offering themselves for nurses, & some are studying in the Hospitals – all the rest of the sex are working in some way for the soldiers, but Mrs Agassiz girls had the mortification of having their work returned as not done well enough ie strong enough.
Sewing machines are going like a factory in many houses, & Papanti gave the Boston girls the use of his hall for a week, winding up with a ball! I think if we can blockade the Southern ports soon enough the rebels will be brought to terms with out bloodshed. We need much a young [p. 8] leader. Scott & Wool are notable generals but both old & slow. In New York they are getting ferocious & like not the defensive policy only. Baltimore has been in a fearful state, a reign of terror from the mob, the Union men silenced & fleeing for their lives. Those little, gay, chattering women must be as silent as birds in a storm. But our resolve to have free access to the Capital has apparently roused them to better loyalty. Sumner had a very narrow escape the day before our troops passed thro.’ The mob found out he was there, & shouted for him until midnight threatening the hotel (Batmus) but he changed his room, locked his door, & went to bed, & was off by day light, & is now here safely. I am trying to read Motley & find it most interesting, but with history acting before our eyes it is hard to read any thing but news papers. The 19th of April has a new appreciation, one we shall be as proud of. Pray for us that God will shield the right [p. 5 cross] if that needs praying for. ever & ever yrs Fanny E.L.
[p. 1 cross] the departure of the 7th regiment from N. York must have been very touching. It has the flower of its best youth. The papers describe the many private carriages at the side streets with mothers looking out the back windows, their faces streaming with tears. The women have as yet all the suffering & that is bitter, but they send off their loved ones to fight with the devotion of 76. Mrs John Blake sent 6 sons, & wishes her 7th a boy of ten was old enough!
Archives Number: 1011/002.001-031#010
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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
04/29/1861
Manuscript letter in Frances Appleton Longfellow Papers, Series II. Correspondence, A. Outgoing, 1861. (1011/002.001-031#010)
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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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