C. H. Halsey to Samuel McCorkle
October 8th, 1861
Southampton
Dear Sir
I now sit down to write you a few lines to inform you of my
health which is good at this time, hoping this may find you enjoing the same
great blessing. I received your last letters which was dated July 25th
in due time, and was glad to hear of your good health and that of your crew. I
am now looking every day for a letter from you on your arrival at St Helena and
hope you may have been successful in taking some of those large sperm Whales
which are sometimes taken on that ground. I hope you may have received those
letters which was sent by the way of England to St Helena, on your arrival at
that port. I think we mailed them in February. It was but a short time after
that my dear Brother Jesse was taken
sick with Bilious Intermittent Fever,
and died after a short illness of 8 days. He had taken a hard cold some too
weeks before, but thought he was much better even the day before he was taken
down to his bed. He was handled very severly [sic] and had his reason only at
intervals. You Dear Sir can better imagine than I can describe our feelings as
we stood around his dying bed and saw his eyes close in death, Methinks I see
him now as he reaches out his hand and calls Mother Father. You to have lost
Brothers and a dear Father and know by experience the feelings of those who
mourn the loss of dear departed friends. I feel assured of your ready sympathy
and it affords us much consolation to think he was with us and that all was
done for him that could be both in Medical attendance and nursing to save life.
God has in his Providence seen fit to sumon [sic] him, perhaps from the end to
come, and we hope although his body lies moulding in the dust his spirit is now
singing the praises above. He was indeed a lovely youth, beloved by all who knew
him and I need not tell you how much we miss him, at the family alter, at the
table, on the farm there is an empty seat, a vacant place. God has said he does
not afflict willingly but that it is for our good that we may profit thereby.
Our hearts were made glad by the safe return again of our
dear Brother Willie on the 18th of August last. He is very well and
thinks to go up to N. York with uncle Edward tomorrow. Father’s health is
somewhat better than it was last spring, when he was very unwell and I was
afraid [sic] he would never be much better.
Your Brother Robert has gone out to Pikes Peak and I have
not heard from him since he left. I am very anxious to hear how he stood the
journey and of his health. I hope it may have improved but it seems like a
great undertaking for one to go so far and that to with a team. Father and
Mother wrote to your Mother a few days ago and informed them of this
opportunity to send letters. I received one last eve directed to you and shall
send it in care Mr. S. P. Reeves. Mr. Phillips still occupies the House—and has
been punctual in paying the rent. He was making enquiries a few days ago what
you intended to do when you go home. I told him I could not tell until I had
heard from you. I have fenced off six acres in the east Lot joining the pasture
Lot in Sabboick Lane and hired it out on Town Meeting day for pasture for
$21.50, West Lot $16.25, Barn Lot $8.25. The mowing grass which was sold 25th
of June last amounts to the sum of $57.18. I am in hopes to have some money to
send to your Mother this Fall if Mr Lincoln does not take it all to carry on
the war. The taxes will probably be very high this fall on account of the
$150,000,000 loan which you and I have got to dig and delve to pay. There is a
certain class who love or whose object it is to free the Blacks South only to
make slaves of us, for I consider that slavery enough to be burdened to death
with taxation and this question has been the sole cause of the present state of
things. I hold to maintaining the Government but I want it done on
Constitutional grounds, that is—give the South her rights as they are under the
constituion. There is now about 400,000 men drawn up against each other, in
nearly equal numbers in and around Washington and it is said that a struggle
between these immence [sic] armies cannot long be postponed. James Post has
joined a regiment and expects to go on to Washington when called for. He has
been home to bid his friends Good bye. Charley Bishop is agoing [sic] in one of
the Gun Boats on the Mississippi. I recieved [sic] a letter from Charley Fowler
dated St Helena July 25th I thought to have recieved [sic] one from
you but I supose [sic] you have anumber [sic] to write and could not get time.
I hope you will write however before you leave port and let me know when you
expect to be home and what you wish me to do about hireing [sic] out the
pasture land &c. If you should get home by the first of April you could
attend to that your self; if you do not I shall not hire out the Barn Lot as you
may wan tto use it your self. Good Luck Much Love Good Bye
Yours as Ever
Chas H Halsey
P. S. Your secret is safe as is my slave as yet.
From Incident on the
Bark Columbia: Being Letters Received & Sent by Captain McCorkle and the
Crew of his Whaler, 1860-1862; ed. Helen Halsey, New Haven, April 27, 1941;
The Cummington Press, Cummington, MA.
