Letter to Spotswood W. Corbin

Scope and content:

Written from Bowdon, England. Letter regards personal news and mentions that Yankees are trying to raise money in England.

Language:

English .

Other descriptive data:

Bowdon England
1 May 63

Dear Corbin:
I was glad to get your letter. It was very satisfactory and interesting.

I now fancy that I see no end to the war, until the Yankees get themselves into trouble with some other nation, or until after the 4th March of `65. John Bull is drifting into war and the public mind here is beginning to chafe under the doings of Wilkes and his [c ]. Still if there is war it will not be through any the least spark of sympathy for us. I think the Government is determined to stop any more Alabamas if it can - and I think the feeling of the country is with the Government in that matter, as it is in all others that touch its conduct towards us.

Can't you find time to find a better place for our folks, as in Lynchburg or some other town a little further from the enemy's lines. They are now much nearer than is agreeable. Then they want to be in reach of schools and a little more society for the young ones than they can have in the country. Pray let there be a family council & then see what you can do to carry out what may be decided to be the best. If they board, let them if possible have a parlor to themselves.

Wilkinson don't come any further than the island nearest you, but I will bear in mind yr request.

I am trying now to get a box off for the ladies on a vessel that takes this - one that Crenshaw is sending out. I have a letter from him this morning dated 3 days ago, saying she would sail in a few days - So I have sent an express message to Ferguson in Manchester who took the lists more than a month ago with a promise to fill them - I have asked him to send all 3. Bob's, Lewis' and mine if he has them ready, if not ready, I have asked him to double my order for dresses and to make them suitable to the memory of my precious Davy Jones. He said the money was of no consequence when I gave him the lists, but perhaps the want of it prevented him from attending to it, however I sent him the money for mine - all I had, and told him that I expected in a week or 10 days to have the money for the others, and to send my box anyhow. I don't know the name of the vessel but it's Crenshaw's. They will tell you the name in Richmond and the box will be marked c . "R.H. Maury, Richmond". Do ask them to keep a look out for it.

Bobby Walker is here trying to raise a Yankee loan of £50,000,000. Moneyed men here say some that he can't "place it" some that he can, if he will get Peabody and [Br gs ] black & [ ] - to take hold and spend a £100,000 or so in floating it. My own notion is he will spend money like fury to get his loan to go - and I see what looks to me like a sign that he had already been "[ploughing]" with some of the yearlings of the Times. Saw them stepping out of the way in its city article of yesterday to explain away certain things. It looks suspicious. This "City Article" as it is called is more read by moneyed men than all other parts of the paper. The "City Article" is the first thing they look at.

So I am on the lookout for something [further]. This morning's Times will be here before the mail closes and if there be any more indications I'll clip them out for you.

Please let Nannie copy such parts of the letter as relate to public affairs and send them to Mr. Seddon. I wrote him Dec. 11 Jan 20- & 31 March - and ask him to see that the new Navy Bill does not operate prejudicially in one's absence.

Explain to R.A.M. about the boxes. I wrote nearly a month ago for money from [Jody] for him & L. as I had it not.

Where is Jack stationed now? Give my love to Jack - He is a kind hearted fellow.

This is May-Day. Some ladies called in their carriage to take me to see the country people - May-But I had not the [ ] and I proposed to stay at home and [ ] home.

Send also to Ludlow the slips that you think he would like to see. Love to Uncle Jordan and Nannie and all hands.

Yrs. truly
MF

I go to London Monday of Tuesday and then to France. It goes hard to part with Brave. But he likes his school, is getting interested with the boys - and his vacation will commence 13 June - Six weeks hence when he will join me again.

Subjects:

United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865
Correspondence

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