My Dearest Julia by Ulysses S. Grant

Author:Ulysses S. Grant
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Library of America
Published: 2018-09-13T19:36:57+00:00

54 Virginia Paine Grant (1832–1913), Grant’s younger sister.

55 Julia’s brother, John Cromwell Dent.

56 Margaret Getz, the wife of an enlisted soldier, worked as a servant for Grant.

✯ ✯ ✯

Columbia Bks. Fort Vancouver O. T.

December 19th 1852

My Dear Wife;

The Mail Steamer very unexpectedly arrived this morning before I had half my correspondence completed. It brings no Mail however to this point but leaves it at Astoria to be brought up by the river steamer. As the Mail Steamer starts back before we will get the last Mail I cannot tell you whether I will recieve any letters or not; but I am very sure that there are letters for me.

I am, and have been, perfectly well in body since our arrival at Vancouver, but for the last few weeks I have suffered terribly from cramp in my feet and legs, and in one hand. You know I have always been subject to this affliction. I would recover from it entirely in a very short time if I could keep in the house and remain dry. My duties however have kept me out of doors a great deel, and as this is the rainy season I must necessarily suffer from wet and cold. I am now intending to spend one or two weeks indoors, on toast and tea, only going out once per day to see if the supply of wood is kept complete.

This is said by the old inhabitants of Origon to be a most terrible winter; the snow is now some ten inches in depth, and still snowing more, with a strong probability of much more falling. The Thermometer has been from Eigteen to twenty two degrees for several days. Ice has formed in the river to such an extent that it is extremly doubtful whether the Mail Steamer can get back here to take off the Mail by which I have been hoping to send this. You must know the Steamer comes here first, and then goes down the Columbia about four miles, to the mouth of the Willamett river, and up that some fifteen miles to Portland, the largest town in the Territory, though an insignificant little place of but a few hundred inhabitants. I do not know enough of this country to give you the account of it I would like to, having a desire to say nothing that is calculated to mislead others in their opinions of it, but this I can say; so far as I have seen it it opens the richest chances for poor persons who are willing, and able, to work, either in cuting wood, saw logs, raising vegitables, poultry or stock of any kind, of any place I have ever seen. Timber stands close to the banks of the river free for all. Wood is worth five dollars per cord for steamers. The soil produces almost double it does any place I have been before with the finest market in the world for it after it is raised. For instance beef gets fat

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.