[Page 1]
You must take care of yourself, I do not
care how much you romp if you will only
be careful to do yourself No injury. Do not
give yourself any alarm concerning my
health as I know how to take care of myself
and am as robust as there is any need
of being.
I received a letter from Mother yesterday
evening and a paper announcing our Mar-
riage, I have cut out a complimentary notice
from the paper which I send you. I am
sorry to learn in my letter from Mother of
the Death of William Allered. What a terrible
blow it will be to his wife, who by the way
is in a delicate situation. Oh! how I pity her
so shortly married and as soon sepparated
I suppose you have heard of his death.
I wrote to dear pa & ma a few days
ago encloseing a letter to you. I also sent
the letter announcing my change of position
to them to be read and forwarded to you
I want to get another opportunity to write
before our forces leave if I have time. I want
to go to camp however this afternoon to see
Colonel Averell and report to him the condition
of the institution, and procure any letters
[Page 2]
that may be there for me for I expect that
dear immage of your darling self this
afternoon, & Oh! won't I be disappointed
if I do not get it. My darling, darling
wife shall I endeavour to express one half
of my love for you, or how much I want
to see you, I feel it would be impossible, and
I shall not make the effort. I do not doubt
dear one that you want to see me, but indeed
you must not let it worry you. Now darling
try and not do this will you, for my sake, I know
this is the strongest appeal I can make. Oh! how
I feel that God has blessed me in giveing me
such a dear, good, loveing wife, and I so
extremely unworthy too. But I hope I shall
be more worthy some day, as I shall labour to
be,
I regret very much that I was unable
to see Aunt Willie's boys, but really darling my
time was so much occupied for the last few
days I spent at Harrison's Landing that
I was unable to go anywhere. I did meet a
portion of Rush's Lancers and inquired for
Will but found that the Company he was with
were with General Porter.
Darling you must direct your letters still
[Page 3]
to my Regiment as our General will in all probability
take some means to send them to me, and I can-
not tell yet how long I shall remain here
untill our forces leave and communication
is opened with Richmond, as soon as this
is known I will make every effort to in-
form you. It is useless for you to address
your letters here at present as there is no
knowing how ling I shall remain, and
I may be away before this reaches you, as
long however as our forces remain I shall
keep up a daily communication with
you, and remember always that it is
necessity compells when I do not write
for I shall never let an opportunity slip.
Remember me kindly to sister Annie and tell
her I would like to see her. You had better
if you have time write Pa & Ma ere the
reception of this and give them an [illegible]
of my reasons for being left here. The govern-
ment has supplied the institution with
thirty days rations for the inmates and
I think we shall get along very well, if the
Rebels do not take possession in that time I
shall draw upon General Dix at Fortress
Monroe for another supply
[Page 4]
I must stop now darling, as I have given
you perhaps enough to cogitate over for a lit-
tle while, at least untill tomorow.
Remember me kindly to all and dont ne-
glect to write as often as usual to your
loveing and devoted husband
Thom
A kiss for you here
[Page 1]
Eastern Lunatic Assylum
Williamsburg Virginia August 23d 1862
Your letters of the 12th 13th
& 15th just came to hand last evening. After I had
become installed in my new duties, and when
I was becomeing very lonely on account of the strange
ness of my position. I fear the letter I wrote you
day before yesterday will give you causless alarm
but at that time the situation confered upon me
was one of such a strange character, and had
come upon me so suddenly that I had hardly time
to form any definite conclusion of what was to become
of me. I will now relate some of the circum-
stances connected with the institution that has caused
my being assigned to the position I now hold. In the
first place the institution is one (of the largest
(if not the largest) charitable Institution in the
state, and is one of the most important. It has about
three hundred and ten inmates two hundred and
eighty of whom are under treatment for various
forms of Lunacy. The building and grounds are very
beautiful and the latter includes some 21 acres
of ground. The carrying on of the institution has
cost the state some forty thousand Dollars
anually.
At the time of the occupation of the town by our
forces the Management of the institution passed
into the hands of the federal Authorities, on
[Page 2]
account of the death of the Superintendent Dr
Galt and shortly afterwards the Governor of Western
Virginia (Pierpont) appointed a new superintendent
and took control of the institution by Authority of the
Legislature of Western Virginia. Our government in
the Mean time has been supplying the
necessary subsistence & Medical stores.
On the falling back of our Forces from Har-
issons Landing Dr Watson the Superintendent felt him-
self unsafe in his position on Account of his
having taken an active part in the Politics
of Western Virginia and fearing the Rebels would
proceed to extreme Measures if they suceeded
in capturing him, he abandoned the insti-
tution. General McClellan knowing that the
institution must be left in the hands of some
Federal officer for the purpose of manageing
its affairs and drawing supplies untill the
time the government of the State of Virginia should
resume its control, directed General Averell
to select some one for that purpose and leave
them here on the Abandonment of the town by
our forces under a flag of Truce. That selec-
tion fell upon Me, and although I rather
regretted it at first on your Account, I
now think when you come to understand
my position here you will be satisfied
as it is one in which every feeling of Philan-
thropy Cannot but be engaged, and it will
tend very Materially to the Advancement of my
interests.
[Page 3]
It may be the Rebel Government may not resume
its control of the institution, for I do not think they
will ever come down the Peninsula in any force
and I may be retained here for some time, if
such happens to be the case I shall send for
you. I am extremely nicely situated, I have a
magnificent room nicely furnished, have plenty
of company, eat at the table of the Matron, who
by the way has a very sweet daughter who
would make a nice companion for you if you
were here. The grounds are very lovely around
the institution with plenty of nice fruit and
flowers. The poor simple minded inmates
become very much attached to any one who
is kind to them, and they are continually
bringing me some evidences of their good
will in the shape of fruits and flowers.
I shall have a good deal of practice in the
town I expect, as they are allreaddy calling upon
me for medicines there being only one Physician
in town.
Oh! Darling you have no idea how I have
been longing for a letter from you, and how in-
expressibly happy I was to receive the letters from
you notwithstanding the novelty of my sit-
uation. Three deear little missives and I have
read each of them now three times although I
only received them late last evening. Oh! if I only
had you here I think I should be perfectly content
it matters not what might occur, any way I think
my stay here will terminate favourably for us for if our
[Page 4]
Regiment leaves here before the Rebels come, and get
off of the Peninsular before I am able to join it, as
soon as I leave this institution I shall come home
to you, and spend a little while. The only inconvenience
we shall experience is that I shall not be able to
hear from you for some time as the Mail fa-
cilities will be interupted as soon as our
forces leave here, but I will try and get
a letter to you as often as possible. I dont
know how soon our forces will leave here, per-
haps not for a week yet, but the may leave
allmost any time, as soon perhaps as all the forces
are shpped from Yorktown.
You mention in the letter written from Williamsport
that you had mailed me your Photograph the even-
ing previously, it is strange that that should be the
only letter of the series that I did not receive I hope
however ^I shall receive it this evening. One of our Officers has just arrived to see
me, and I shall have to stop for awhile. My Friend
Lieutenant Ford has just brought me my baggage which had
been sent to Yorktown, and which I was compelled to send
for, as I had not a change of clothing to put on.
I have just returned from visiting the various wards
of the institution, and find the inmates are doing
extremely well. You would be astonished to find how
many varieties of lunacy there are nearly every one is
afflicted differently.
Darling you alarm me about your health and I
fear you grieve too much on account of my absence.
You must cheer up, I hope we shall be very soon together
again. The pain your side was owing to your having
taken cold in some manner that caused a little Pleurisy
[Page 1]
Head Quarters 1st Cavalry Brigade
August 21st 1862
Dr. Thomas H. Sherwood
Assistant Surgeon 3d. Pennsylvania Cavalry
Sir
The Eastern Virginia Lunatic Assylum
having been abandoned by the Superintendant, who
was placed in charge by Governor Pierpont, the inmates
are left without proper attendance or supplies,
Humanity dictates that we should do all
in our power to alleviate the distress that must neces-
sarily ensue from this neglect or inability of the Civil
Authorities to administer the affairs of the institution.
You are therefore temporarily relieved from
duty with the 3d Pennsylvania Cavalry, and will proceed to the
Eastern Virginia Lunatic Assylum, and assume the
superintendance of it's affairs.
The Brigade Commissary has been di-
rected to supply all the subistence that can be spared
from the stores of this Brigade.
You will report from time to time
as long as may be practicable, the condition of affairs
[Page 2]
in the institution.
In the event of the town being occu-
pied by the Confederate Forces you will report to the com-
ander thereof showing him this order for his con-
sideration and action
I am Sir
Very Respectfully
William W. Averell
Colonel Commanding
1st Cavalry Brigade
[Pages 3 and 4 blank]
Williamsburg, Va.
One bright, cold February day
In a dilapidated old omni-
bus, bus which might well
have come down from the
days of Thomas Jefferson,
and from its simplicity
have given pleasure to him,
we made our entry into
old Williamsburg, the
old Capitol of the Old
Dominion, just 12 days
ago. Perhaps some of
you have visited this
old town, the oldest
incorporated city in
the United States. If not,
the next time you go to
Old Point Comfort, as I
hope you will all do,
do not fail to make the
little trip of one hour by
rail to Williamsburg for
a day there, returning at
6 o'clock to Old Point, in
Fortress Monroe. Before
going down to Virginia
my ideas of Williamsburg
were vague. I knew of course
that it was the site of
William & Mary College and
that all of the histories
of colonial Virginia
are full of mentions of
this old town, to which
the seat of government
was removed when
Jamestown was found
too malarial. But how
much was to be seen there
now I had little idea.
Behold us then, in the
ancient omnibus
rattling up the streets of
the little town of 3000
2)
inhabitants. For a few mo-
ments, seeing a great old
square stone house, from pictures I recognized it as
the old Wythe House, home
of the eminent jurist
Edmund George Wythe, and Wash-
inton's Headquarters.
It faces the green space
known as Palace Green,
and adjoins the church-
yard of old Buton
Church, one of the most inter-
esting old churches in
America, I [illegible] believe.
Making our way to the
inn and sounding the
great old brass knocker
we entered, to find this
little village inn stuffed
with beautiful old mahog
any furniture, old portraits,
silver, china, and glass, all
heirlooms.
Making inquiries, we
found the college to be only
half a mile distant, and
we walked there at once.
The town was laid out
with one very broad
street, lined with fine
trees, we one mile long,
called Duke of Gloucester
Street. At one end stood
the college, at the other
the ancient House of
Burgesses, facing each
other. The latter is gone,
but its site is easily
traced in its stone foun-
dation, and a boulder
and tablet mark the place.
The broad street is shaded
with fine old trees, elms,
lindens and many queer,
knotted, old mulberry
trees such as grow all
in the South of Italy.
3)
The college founded chartered by
W. & M. in 1693 stands on a little
slope, well shaded by fine
old trees. An old marble
statue of one of the old
colonial governors
standing in front. The
building has been 3 times
burnt, but still the old
walls remain and it has
been rebuilt on the old
plan. A few proffesors
houses & one new building
are grouped around, but
we only entered the one
main building. Bulit
of red brick, the great old
door admits one to
the bare hall, leading
straight through the
building, in true Virginia
style. We found the
library, where one would
like to browse for hours.
Of course we knew that
Thomas Jefferson was a
student here but we did
not know that President
Monroe, John Tyler, Chief
Justice John Marshall
and "12 Cabinet Officers
19 members of the Conti-
nental Congress, among them Peyton
Randolph its first President,
4 Justices of the Supreme
Court of the U.S. - together
with a long list of Senators
governors and military
and naval officers, and
five signers of the Dec-
of Independence were also students.
The library is hung round with portraits
of the Page family, there
is one lovely old portrait
of the daughter of President
Tyler. She is now living
in the Louise House, Washington
We went also to the
4)
chapel, where is a portrait
of [illegible] Dr. James Blair
for 50 years first Pres't
of the college - Coming to
Va. as a missionary in
1685, he used great
endeavours, both in England
& America and raised
the money to build the
college - and he was
for over 40(?) years past
rector of old Bruton
church. The chapel is most
pathetic in its bare, cold
dreariness - The old patched faded carpet on the platform
and old, painted benches -
A fine old candelabra chandelier
hung from the ceiling -
Not one of your school
buildings here but is
more luxurious - There
are 250 students now
in attendance - When one
reflects upon what
Harvard College has
become - and all our
old colleges at the North
the comparison is
sad. Williamsburg has
suffered! We passed
camp earthworks,
relics of the civil war,
before & battle of Wmsburg,
before reaching the town.
Wounded of both armies in the church.
Leaving the colllege
we met the courteous
and delightful rector
of Bruton Church. Rev.
W.A.R. Goodwin, who
was thereafter our
invaluable guide. He is
making his life work
the preservation & resto-
ration of the old church.
Before entering the
church he took us up
stairs in our old brick
building, formerly the
slave quarters of a
5)
a private home near the
Parish House, the rector
showed us the old pray
Church prayer book, used
before the Revolution and
brought to our notice
where in the days of excited
feeling against King George,
the old rector had in
the all the prayers
scratched out the words
"King of Kings & Lord of Lords",
and written in the margin
the words "Ruler of the
Universe." The old patriots
could not hear the word
"King" used, even of the
Almighty! Here also
was written in the
prayer for the President
of the United States.
Here we saw also
the old marble font
brought from Jamestown
in which Pocahontas is said
to have been [illegible] baptized -
Tell story of Pocahontas's
sprinkerl 'pot' -
Then we went to the
beautiful old Bruton church
[illegible] built of faded red
brick, cruciform in shape,
in a churchyard full
of old gray stones,
surrounded by a brick
wall draped with ivy
and wild vines. One
end of the church is
covered thick with ivy.
It might easily, with
its setting be an old
English country church.
The church is now
in confusion, in the
hands of workmen
being restored - (Read
from yellow & white book,
page 5.) Read [illegible]
from large book: and Read
notes - tell of old glass -
John Marshall - Parke
& Cocke tablets - Mrs.
Ann Timson.
Tell old silver - page
10 small dark book -
old silver -- have refused
offer of $25,000 to execute
reproductives in gold, of
one piece, from a man
in Vermont Mr. Goodwin
said "We want money
very much but not as
much as that!"
They lack about $9000 still
to complete restoration.
We visited also, the
old house in which
La Fayette was entertained
- fine old panelled room.
Saw & were graciously
received in the beautiful
old Basset Hall, home
of Pres't Tyler - His son
is now Pres't of the
college - Saw the home
of Peyton Randolph, and
I am ashamed to say
did not visit the old
Powder House or maga-
zine, from which Lord
Dunsmore had the
powder carried away
and was forced to
bring it back.
Pardon my taking
so much time, but do
go to see old Williams
burg for yourselves!
Written for Olean Chapter D.A.R.
in 1907
Miss Lilla C. Wheeler
Portville, N.Y.