Raynors HCA 2017-12
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/7/2017
An exceedingly rare Confederate Blockade Runner's letter, 3pp. 4to., written by a certain "M.", Nassau, N. P., Feb. 4, 1863 to Harvard student Edward Hartwell Kidder, reading, in part: "I left home on 20th Jany last in the Schr. A. with cargo and arrived safe on last Thursday. I remained home five months being detained by the epidemic and contrary wind & some vessel that watch us pretty sharp. I brought your letters which I sent the day after my arrival. Some of them are rather old, but no doubt very welcome. Your family are all well. George is about home most of the time-things remain unchanged…your father is busy all the time, having a variety of occupations. He is making money and will not suffer materially by the war…the whole family were at the Sound during the epidemic…700 whites & 300 colored died. Many of our friends and acquaintances are gone…the scenes I witnessed seem like a dreadful dream…the war and pestilence have almost depopulated us…your family are delighted to know you are well…their hearts are always with you…God grant that this war may end ere long and we be once more permitted to meet in peace. I intend remaining in Nassau sometime…we are doing nothing at the mill. We are selling off our old stock of lumber & timber at very high prices, in fact, we are buying & selling all the time. The cargo of the A. brot 100,000 in Confed. money-salt $150 per sack!!. I don't think we will ever have more to do than now. We speculate always on a rising market. Miss. Alice DeRopet is married to Graham Davis, the former Sec. of Gov. Ellis…weddings are quite rare, war seeming to be a bad season for it…Miss. Urbana Hovey married Capt. Parker, a gentleman you don't know…Mr. J. H. Chadbourne made me promise to write his father that he & brother George were well and had substitutes in the army…I have lost the address. Will you write his brother or anyone that will convey the information as he is exceedingly anxious…Mr. L. is making salt…Yours truly, M. The original transmittal cover is included. Near fine.
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