Chapter XVI: Part 16

At Dr. Gates’ house a number of other Gentlemen of the first estimation in the City were viewing Jupiter through one of the best telescopes in America. Altho all the satellites and belts of the Planet, are plainly to be seen Dr. Gates will not give up the idea of its being the Comet—One gentleman whose reputation for Science is considerable could not explain the word Parallax—another enquired the meaning of Apogee—Excellent astronomers! Drs. Smith & Mitchell do not believe there is any Comet to be seen—I have not yet attended the theatre—I have not yet visited the Museum—in fact I have not had time. I tho’t I had gained before parting from home, a sufficiency of chemical knowledge, at least to begin to learn, but I mistook, the system I attended to, is entirely exploded, & a new system introduced, considerable study is requisite to gain so much knowledge of the new principles & nomenclature, as will enable me to understand fully the lectures of the Professor. The 42 dollars I brought with me will not last forever—Night before last, being at Lynde Catlin’s we were alarmed by the cry of fire, we ran to the top of the house to see it, but it was soon extinguished, one building only was burned. The bon-fire that cut such a devil of a shine here last winter has struck such a terror into the people, that the alarm bell seems to sound through their souls, as well as the ears. We hear that the man who set fire to Albany, is apprehended & has confessed that he did the pretty trick with a segar. One man has died here with the Yellow Fever, there are several other cases of it in town. Yet Dr. Bard informed me 3 days ago that he never knew a more healthy town at this season of the year.

You have found this letter a confused mass of dry heterogeneous materials huddled together as chance has dropped them—Dullness is with me the order of this evening.

Brother James, write me as long a letter as this—with you Polly, I shall not be satisfied, without receiving from you several letters, of 3 or 4 sheets each, well filled. Say some good natured things for me to every body you meet. Give my respects to those to whom it is due, & my love to my Sweetheart if you can find her.

Upon my word, a sentimental letter this.

Amen.

... tell Fanny, Maria, & Betsey to write me the first opportunity. An abundance of matter crowds upon my mind which I wish to communicate, but circumstances will not permit.

Monday 9 o’clock.—

TO MARY & JAMES PIERCE.—

(Torn off.)

No. 4

Although I have just despatched a letter to Ld. by Col. Talmage, yet, as so favorable an opportunity occurs, I cannot deny myself the satisfaction of returning a piece of an answer to your amusing letter—No James, my nose is not broken by the turning over of the carriage! The vessel has not run away with me! Nor, surprising to relate, have I even tumbled down my own throat. But pray has not Polly tumbled into hers? If she has not why did she not write by Mr. Deming—if she does not write the first opportunity that offers, I shall not stuff her mouth once with those curiosities that you say she is gaping so wide for—but instead of finding her descriptions of land and sea monsters I will—forget her.—You may tell Sally to inform those with whom she said my character in the gallanting line suffers so deeply, that there has been some misrepresentation, although nature has cursed me with the stiff manners of Dr. Orkborn, I hope I am not like him abstracted & inattentive to those about me,—tell them that if the three gallants I mentioned in my last letter with another Derby buck that the stage took up near N. Haven, are not enough to assist 4 girls in dismounting from a coach, the next time I happen under the like circumstances I will call together the neighborhood to assist.—I will attend to the matter of the locket.

The other evening I attended the Theatre & was much pleased with the exhibition of Shakespeare’s Othello. The part of Iago was acted by Mr. —— in my opinion perfectly well. The character of Iago is a horrid one, yet, Mr. —— made every action, every look, so exactly correspond with the subject, that ’twas with regret I saw him pass off the stage at the termination of each scene. Mrs. Merry, wife of the poet, appeared in the character of Desdemone, all seemed highly satisfied with her performance, I could point out no place in which she seemed particularly defective, yet I believe a Mrs. Siddons would have contrived somehow or other, to have drawn from me more tears. But Mr. Fennet in the character of Othello, met with unbounded applause, not from me however,—he displayed a strongly expressive countenance, & told the story of his courtship inimitably. When I observed to my fellow boarders that the part was overacted, I found no one whose opinion corresponded with mine—we find that the style of acting most pleasing to those who are much used to Theatrical exhibitions always appears overstrained, overacted to those who have never attended the theatre—& which have the most reason to think themselves in the right? those that have seen nothing but nature, & consequently have no other standard to judge by, or those who have long lost of nature, & judge of acting by comparison with some favorite actor? They tell me my taste is not sufficiently refined,—I tell them theirs is vitiated—one poor half starved tear only did Othello draw from my eyes. In the succeeding farce called the Romp, Mrs. Martial acted the part of Priscilla very pleasingly, ’twas judged there were 1000 people in the house.

Kosciusko has left town, while here he made a practice of kissing the ladies who came to see him—of 2 young ladies intimate with the family to which I board, one who was saluted by him resolved that no other person should kiss her for three weeks, for after being saluted by so great a man, the kisses of all others had become insipid,—the other swore she would not wash her face in a fortnight. Do you think the Litchfield ladies would so far prefer the kisses of the brave to those of the pretty fellows who are every evening fluttering about them? or is their taste in this kind of commodity less refined? 3 sons of the late Duke of Orleans M. Egalite are in town,—curiosities abound—here is a panorama in which if we can believe the keepers of it everything worth seeing is to be seen—aerial representation—wax work—The learned pig is also displaying his wisdom here—he draws many spectators—but he will have more wit than I think he has, if he gets 4 shillings from me.

Give my respects to everybody. Nabby Smith I think wrote from Aurora to have Fanny get into the Pulpit next Sunday & give her love to the whole congregation—do the same kind office for me—I have received no letter from Fanny, Betsey, & Maria, they promised to write.

5th Oct. T. PIERCE.

You must look over and correct this letter yourself. I have not time. On the 10th about 1000 French books are to be sold at vendue, if I can buy some for nothing, I shall make a few bids whether I have money or not.

I have spun out this epistle to such a length, that I shall not have time this evening to write every one—therefore each one may appropriate this to him or herself, & give me credit for it upon their letter account books.

Lynde says, “the pay of the youngest servant of the bank, is 500 dols—the next 600—& so on—but there is no prospect of a vacancy—in this line of business you cannot make a living unless you obtain promotion to the higher places”—this is very uncertain.—“I have been in the bank 8 years (I think he said 8) & have gained a place barely lucrative enough to maintain my family in an economical frugal way the business in which you will be employed in the bank has no relation to merchandise & you are mistaken if you think you can go at any time into that business—to trade with a probability of making a fortune, requires a knowledge of traffic which can be gained only by long attention to the business, so that if you should be disgusted 2 or 3 years hence with the dull uniformity & confinement of this business, there is no respectable employment whatever into which you can immediately enter.” Therefore he advises you not to embark in the business—but if you still have an inclination, the first time a vacancy happens he will exert his influence to obtain the place for you—you may be sure. I think of Mr. Burral’s favour.—The business will require a clear, neat, upright handwriting, elegant figures & the utmost accuracy.

Nancy, I forward those rings from Mrs. Pierce to you by Col. Talmage. I hope they may please you as much as they did me—I long to have an evening conversation with you about Dr. Bard & other New York folks, but we are so circumstanced at present that I fancy it will be a difficult matter to effect.

Addressed to James Pierce outside.

No. 5

BROTHER JAMES:—

I have received two letters from Mr. Allen since he has been at Philadelphia & have written 2 to him, his last contained the paragraph which I have enclosed in his own handwriting, my last letter to him contained the following paragraph as near as I can recollect in answer to what he has written me concerning you. “I receive frequent letters from my brother James, his abilities are ... &c. &c. ... heart &c. Yet I fear his dislike to the law will prevent his making that application to the study of it which is necessary to form the able counsellor.” In his last letter he expressed a desire to enter as a Clerk into the Bank. Mr. Catlin has promised him his influence in procuring the next vacant clerkship, but at the same time earnestly advised him not to engage in the Bank, the reasons he urged in support of this advice appeared to me sufficiently forcible to prevent his further thinking of the scheme. I wish you would write to him upon the subject, your advice will perhaps fix his attention upon something, &c. &c. You have here the import of what I wrote concerning you, but I hope it was not so badly expressed. So if he does not forget it, he will soon send you some good advice, perhaps you will think I have been too officious in this business.

I have been purchasing a few Medical books, some of which are _dog cheap_, others _devilish dear_.

Chaptal’s Chemistry 1 Vol. 3 dollars.
Darwin’s Zoonomia 6 Vols. 6.25 cts.
Cullen’s Materia Med. 2 Vols. 2
Bell on Venereal diseases 1 Vol. 1 dollar.
Bell on Ulcers 1 Vol. 1 „
Smellie’s tables 1 Vol. 1 „
Hamilton’s Obstetrics 1 Vol. 1 „
New System of Anatomy 3 Vols. 3.37 cts.
Huxhum on fevers 1 Vol. .75 cts.
—————
19.37

I shall subscribe for an edition of Darwin’s Botanic Garden now printing in an elegant style in New York. This with a few other books that I intend soon to buy will make a clever little library.

I was much entertained by your political sketch. I have but little time to spend to read the Newspapers. Give my respects & love to Mamma, some of you wrote she was sick,—in your last letter she is not even mentioned.

TO JAMES.

No. 6

TO MY BROTHER & SISTERS, GREETING.

In your last letter Polly, you say of yourself “If I can get sense enough to rub through a short life decently, I shall be satisfied—But I despair of that!!” Why do you despair of that? Or why be content with rubbing through decently when it is in you power to shine. The mind is made of such plastic materials that with a little attention we can mould it in any form we please. How happens it that the memory of one person is better than that of another? It is not owing to a more perfect structure of the brain, but to a habit of exercising the memory acquired in early life. The Judgment & all our other faculties may be greatly improved by exerting them. Thus habits of exertion form the _Sage_, and habits of relaxation the ninny, I do not know that I have clearly expressed my meaning—but I suppose you would prefer reading something else, to hearing a further explanation.

You desire me to forward you some French books if I have purchased any—but whenever I have attended the Auctions, French books have been sold for more than I chose to give—so that I have as yet, procured for you only one book, a poor solitary, mutilated volume of Rousseau’s Emile. It has been kicked about the Library of some empty headed French man, who seems to have made no other use of it than curling his locks, or wiping his razor with the first 4 pages. If I were to judge from its appearance, I should say—that it has been _read_ but little, yet _wormeaten_ a great deal. The worms by making many a delicious repast upon the _inside_ of the book, have certainly shown good taste, more relish, for this elegant work of Rousseau, than the light headed French man who used it only to look at & abuse its outside. By the way I bought it for almost nothing otherwise I would not send you an incomplete work—but Polly can amuse herself with it whenever she takes it into her head to read French (which I fear will be very seldom) till I have an opportunity to send others.

I have just called upon Mr. Tisdale the engraver, he says the pictures are finished, but will not be perfectly dry till tomorrow morning—so that if Mr. Seymour sets out before 9 o’clock, they will be obliged to wait for another opportunity. You are surprised that the pictures have not been finished before. Tisdale is a good engraver, & an excellent miniature painter, but he has lately taken to writing poetry—which is as great an hinderance to punctuality as taking to liquor. You remember that I wrote word that they were promised for the next week.

Kiss little Ann Pierce Brace for me and tell her I hope she may make as fine a lady, as little Ann Pierce Pendleton intends to be.

Give my love, compliments, & respects, to all who wish for them.

TIM’Y PIERCE.

No. 7

CAMP, 10th. Sept. 1799.

DEAR BROTHER:—

I met with a cordial reception in Camp last evening & lodged with Capt. Ranny—for the first time under a canvas roof—In regard to warmth my quarters were comfortable enough but I could sleep only a small part of the night. This was owing to my attention being kept awake by the novelty of the scene, the noise of the Camp, certain interesting reflections which the occasion suggested, the nature of which I will leave to you to guess, & by an attack upon the Camp by at least a whole regiment of fleas. These hopping enemies, if my calculations are accurate, will shed more blood, from our regiment, than will be drawn by the French or any other foreign foes. The rascals march into our lines, by the day in spite of bayonets, & steal upon our station by night without the ceremony of countersign. But it is to be hoped that cooler weather will before long screen us from their invasion. A little change of temperature will defend me from the bites of fleas, the bites of bedbugs, the bites of mosquitoes, & from all the bites except the bite of _Jack Frost_.

It will be necessary for me to supply the furniture of my own Markee. Therefore whatever articles either of sleeping or waking domestic use that can without inconvenience be spared from home will be thankfully received. I shall yet be obliged to set the fashion for surgeon’s dress, therefore Polly may send on some cravats, A black stock would save some washing—Our other Surgeon’s mate has not yet come or accepted, & our Surgeon departs for a day or two, therefore for some days or perhaps weeks I alone shall hold le cleff d’acheron. Be careful that my trunk shall come on the next stage. There are 3 or 4 sick in Camp, one with quite a grievous dysentry, but I hope this fine weather may prove a reviving cordial to him. Idea requested me to bequeath to her at my departure a portion of the Esculapion Spirit. I found leisure to write a few simple directions, which may be of use, but forgot to hand them to her, you will find them scrawled upon the back of a letter from Dr. Mitchel directed to me, perhaps they are unintelligible for I had no time to review them. She will find rules for simple cases very plainly laid down in an old rusty book in the bookcase, called Buchans Family Physician.

I shall not want a horse at present.

Give my love to the girls at our house. I wish some or all would be good natured enough to write to me. My knee is my table, you might guess it.

Farewell.

Tell Polly to send me a cockade as large as she can lift.

Addressed to JAMES PIERCE,
Litchfield.

No. 8

In my last letter I forgot to mention that I wanted Moggy to make me two or three night caps. Desire sister Nancy to be so good as to send me those letters written by Gen. L. Kosciusko which are in her possession, to those engaged in military duty, anything relating to the Hero of Polish Liberty is, you may conceive, highly interesting. Some of our officers are acquainted with him & would be delighted to see the handwriting of their old friend. I promise that the letters shall be safely returned to her possession. Lucy, you have perhaps returned to Litchfield with a doleful story of the Camp, but the appearance of things is totally altered. The whole ground of the encampment is now as cleanly swept every day, as our kitchen floor,—wide bowers of evergreens are carried in front of the tents through the whole length of the encampment, supported by pillars thickly covered by intertwined ivy leaves. It really exhibits a most beautiful view, especially by moonlight, & when the tents are illuminated. Our Surgeon is gone & I have the whole care of the regiment. It is sickly in the Camp at present & therefore I have my hands full. Dr. Munson informs me there is much of the dysentery at present in New Haven,—At Washington it is quite sickly. Give my love to Lucy R. & tell her she may be assured I received her present with a great deal of pleasure, but I fear she will not receive the picture today nor tomorrow. I wish some of the young ladies would write to me. I suppose they would expect a correspondence would be begun by myself, but I know not who wishes to correspond with me & who would not. Some of them if the question were asked would probably desire it. But the strongest proof I can receive would be a _letter itself_, Whoever will be good enough to write shall be answered with punctuality & gratitude.

I lodge at present with our Colonel in his markee and diet at his table. I never experienced such agreeable accommodations. The Colonel keeps a table separate from the rest of the officers, & the other officers take their food at a place called Social Hall, where they are accommodated with excellent provisions. The expense of last week’s provisions amounted only to 8/6 per head. I shall become again a member of Social Hall when the Colonel sets out to visit his friends, which is expected in a few days. The 4 dollars I took with me are spent & as it is uncertain when I shall receive anything from Government a five dollar bill sent by a safe opportunity would not be used for wadding to my fowling piece. Give my love to all our young ladies.

MR. JAMES PIERCE, Litchfield. Yours, TIM’Y PIERCE,

No. 9

TO MY MOTHER, TO MY BROTHER, TO MY SISTERS, & TO MY FRIENDS,
GREETING:—

60 miles from Philadelphia, about 35 from New York—9 from New Brunswick—near 140 from home & far removed from the habitations of any human beings, except of those whose sole aim consists in devising every art that knavery can suggest to plunder the contents of our purses, such is the situation of our Camp.

The packet in which I embarked made a favorable run & landed us safe. Not at New Brunswick as was expected, for New Brunswick was not the place of our destination—but at Elizabethtown-point, whence after an encampment of two or three days, to wait for the other transports, we marched 18 miles & arrived at our present encampment, called _Union Camp_ upon Scotch Plains.

The transport carrying Capts. Young, Balford, & their companies were not so fortunate—You have heard the particulars of their scrape at Hellgate. Poor devils—I felt for them on the rock, half dead with fear, cold & wet as drowned rats. Fortunately, however, no lives were lost. The shock had nearly thrown half the soldiers overboard. Their vessel keeled almost upon her beams and very soon filled with water. The crew were brought off with ferryaugers—baggage well pickled with brine, & guns almost spoiled by the salt water. We waited for them at Elizabethtown-point, & they marched on with us to the place of our encampment.

New York is still forbidden fruit for me. In a month or two I shall visit that city & purchase a few articles of military dress, if I do not eat up all my money. New Brunswick is at such a distance that it will seldom be honored by my presence, for I shall keep no horse but have concluded it wisest to eat my horse’s forage myself.

The soil of Elizabethtown is luxuriantly fertile. The place contains about 180 houses, & in many respects resembles Weathersfield. New Ark which I walked up to see is a fine flourishing manufacturing town of nearly the same size. These towns are well worth the attention of travellers. The land about our station at Union Camp, looks considerably like Connecticut—but the farmers do not know how to work it right—they are not as expert as the yankee boys in the tillage of their soil, but in the midst of fertility most of them live in apparent poverty. Produce of every kind is much dearer here than in our state, particularly in the vicinity of the Camp. Here the griping marketers seem resolved to squeeze out our heart’s blood. Soldiers, they think, are foolish & imprudent & will give any price for whatever pleases their fancy—this the soldiers absolutely do. They think the officers full of money—& that they have a right to make them pay double for every thing they have—and the officers do absolutely pay double for most articles & for some treble the Conn’t price. You may get some idea of this by the following list of prices. New York currency. Butter 2/ & 2/6 per pound—Apples 5/ per bushel—Potatoes 5/—Small loaves of bread 1/ middling sized 1/6—Cider 6/ per quart—3 dollars the barrel—small pumpkin pies, fit pukes for dogs, 1/—Apple pies, crust rye & without shortening, spice or anything else & hard as cannister shot 1/ &c. So that I feel myself in the situation of the “soldier who lives on his pay,—and spends half a crown out of sixpence a day.”

At present we are encamped in tents, having no floors in our markees as in New Haven, but our feet are accommodated with a carpet, a la mode de hog pen, that is straw spread upon the ground. But as we shall have log houses in two or three weeks made convenient & calculated to last several years as a durable habitation for future armies, or for our _Standing Army_ that the Democrats tell about. Government has purchased 80 acres of land here consisting of good parade ground, & a fine piece of wood for the building of huts & firing. But sending us here to build our own huts, was a sad piece of economization in the U. S. A. For wood at this place will sell for [illegible] a cord. The wood stands thick upon the ground, consisting almost wholly of black oak & walnut, straight, trim, & making excellent timber & it is calculated that the logs we shall employ in building would sell for more than the cost of comfortable frame barracks. If I have time to draw it I shall send a plan of our present encampment & of the log houses erecting for our winter accommodations.

Almost all kinds of religious persuasions prevail in our neighborhood except those dictated by reason. Baptists, Saturday new Quakers &c. abound. Last Sunday I attended a Quaker-meeting—Total silence prevailed, the whole congregation sat motionless the old men & women with their fingers upon their mouths, waiting for the access of the spirit, & engaged in pious meditation. My thoughts were more intently fixed upon home, than heaven. At length one rose & observed that nothing human beings could offer before the throne of grace would be more acceptable than meditation & awful silence. That young & inexperienced as he was nothing would have tempted him to interrupt that becoming silence if he had not feared that some of the congregation were walking the downward road to perdition. This was the whole purport of his discourse. The friends then shook hands with each other & retired to their homes. The dresses of more wealthy Quaker ladies are plain, rich & becoming—One young Quaker of about 18 years of age, carried the sweetest look & most graceful manners I have seen this long time. I promised myself some pleasure from her society, but was informed that she lives 10 miles distant. Many of these Quakers attend these silent meetings steadily from a distance of 12 or 15 miles. Tell Mamma that some time since I purchased a testament, & have kept it so _nice_ that I have not yet _soiled_ it in the _least_. The Quakers & other inhabitants about this place like the Yankees much better than the York troops, or even than the Jersey men. A respectable Quaker merchant told me yesterday that “the New York soldiers & officers gave them a great deal of trouble, but those from Connecticut were very civil in their behaviour & gave them no trouble at all.” Most of the New York officers live so freely as to expend the whole of their pay & many of them more than their wages. Several have become discontented & resigned their commissions—6 or 8 have deserted from the New Jersey Reg’t since stationed here. 4 or 5 deserters from the New York line are in custody,—one,—two, or more of them will probably be shot. For military execution a whole plattoon of soldiers stand a few paces distant from the criminal & pour the balls at once into his bosom. A court martial will be held in a few days upon one of the York artillery officers, for taking money of soldiers who had enlisted, for releasing them, as I am informed. The Yankee lads have the reputation throughout the Camp of being formidable young sprigs. The soldiers of York and Jersey reg’ts are in some measure at variance, but both court the friendship of the Yankees. A day or two ago, a two handed fellow from Cap’t Rod’s company, was gaping about in the York quarters, when a stout Yorker strutted up to him & told him to go home,—he replied that he would when he was ready—upon this Yorker bustled up to him, but the Yankee laid his opponent sprawling by a single blow. Another Yorker came up, but immediately measured the ground with his length—a third shared the same fate & our victorious countryman set his arms akimbo & walked to his tent at his leisure. A few similar incidents have given the Yankees the names of brave lads. Our music is much better than that of the other Reg’ts. The tune of Yankee Doodle is very often played, & is known by the name of the _Invincible March_. _Did you ever see a Yankee who was not a good brag?_

Our regiment has been remarkably healthy, we return generally only from 15 to 20 each day—3 or 4 have died from the York regiment, since the recruits service began, & not a single man from ours—_See what the Dr. can do!!_

As for myself I am hearty as a buck, & grow fleshy rapidly & could spend my time very agreeably if I had a few companions that I could select from our Litchfield society. We have some fine fellows among the officers—but as to female society—I have given up all expectation of its delights for this winter.

Sally’s letter from New Haven was highly gratifying to me, especially as it informed me that Mamma’s health improved rapidly, by this time she has probably recovered entirely. But she must be quite careful of herself this winter, fatigue seems the one chief exciting cause of her attacks of the pleurisy, she ought therefore to avoid it, & perhaps it would be of use to her to take of the bark once now & then through the winter. I wish she was where I could take care of her, but I do not think she could have been left in better hands than in Polly’s.

A visit to the hill Sally mentions back of Amboy, would be very desirable to me, but its distance will prevent a frequent enjoyment of that water prospect she speaks so highly of. Yet whenever I visit Amboy, I shall pay grateful acknowledgement to that benevolent family who were so hospitable to our much lamented brother. I have heard nothing from sister Pierce. We hear seldom from New York, almost never from Philadelphia,—there are few papers taken in our Camp,—we so seldom have intelligence from them, that those two places seem as distant as Europe. We used generally to hear as much from them in one week, at Litchfield, as I have heard since our arrival in New Jersey. Yes, Sally it would have delighted me much to have visited the Museum at New Haven with you, & the rock you mention, & were it not for one doleful obstacle I might hope that, one of these days, after school in the afternoon, you would accompany me to a rock in the neighborhood of our present encampment from which New Brunswick, Amboy, & a vast extent of country may be seen at once.

If James wrote by the post as you mentioned, the letter has been lost, for no letter has yet been received though long anxiously expected.

If it was my aim to write fashionably, apologies would be thought necessary for the length of this epistle,—& for its concern—myself & my situation almost exclusively of all other subjects, but I feel as though a particular statement of situation &c. would be more acceptable from a friend of mine than a great deal of the fine matter of which fashionable correspondence is usually made up. Instead of apologizing therefore I will inform my friends that they can write nothing materially concerning themselves, which will not be highly interesting to me. Every transaction occurring in good old Litchfield that my friends will be good enough to write me an account of will be read with pleasure.

Yours, &c.
TIMOTHY PIERCE.

Union Camp, New Jersey.
Nov. 10th, 1799.
MRS. ANN BARD PIERCE—
Widow of Col. John Pierce.

No. 10

UNION CANTONMENT, Jan. 6th, 1800

MY DEAR FRIENDS:—

But stop,—permit me first to make my bow to the young _Squire_ in particular. Has not passing a good examination made him swell two or three inches in circumference with exultation? Since he has received the appellation of _Squire_ does he not strut at least, “one hair’s breadth nearer to the sky?” Has he learned so accurately to distinguish between _meum_ & _tuum_ as to convert them both into _suum_? Is not our house already thronged by his clients? Has he not obtained in its almost perfection the art of setting poor farmers by the ears & of rifling of their pockets during the affray? Does he not bid fair to rival the great Demosthenes & become the Cicero of America?

Mr. Smith sets out tomorrow morning for Litchfield, and the lateness of this evening allows me time only to throw together 15 or 20 lines, of any thing which comes handiest. Nothing important offers for communication, & I am certain I should write nothing this evening were it not for my wishing to throw the balance of letter accounts in my favour.

I beg leave to congratulate Lucy & Mabel upon their fair prospect of approaching relationship. I know they have long been intimately connected by the sweet bands of affection, & am highly gratified to hear that the Seymours are about to tie them together as sisters.

Horatio I conclude still continues _pretty middling busy_ about Lucy. So long as he has been, & so skillful a workman as he is, much business must have been turned off by this time, & it pleases me to hear that Moses has accomplished so much in the _line of his employment_.

Does Polly Pierce attract the attention of any buck in particular yet? Or is she still obliged to rely on other folk’s sweethearts for the amusement of her evenings? Has she still nothing to do but look on from 6 o’clock till 10 to see other folks court? I should be fond of a few particulars that can be relied upon, with regard to this matter. As for James, I suppose that if a fair damsel should melt his heart down at once he would never pay her particular attention, for the fear that it might excite the observations of others. I can now repeat with the emphasis of feeling a line from Nancy’s letter from Kosciusko. Oh, James, “you is one happy man, you is always with the ladies & we have not one.”

School consisting of 15 only—now there are so few I hope that the native ladies of Litchfield may stand some chance for a part at least of the attention of Mr. Reeve’s students.

Lucy, Mabel, Maria Budd, Miss [illegible] & who else at our house? At this time I suppose Idea’s black eyes are sparkling upon the beaus of Vermont. I feel for you on account of the loss of Jane, Nancy, Hannah, and Mary. Let me know how affairs _progress_ between Mary Wyllis & Miller.——Twining and Almira then? ’Tis well——Does Sarina Bull still attract the butterflies to bask awhile in the sunshine of her charms—& then flutter off? Does Maria Budd still act the “_heyday of the fantastic_?”

James can now no longer be excused from writing to me every opportunity on the score of preparing for examination. I shall therefore expect letters every week. Polly is also now at leisure. Dr. Orton has arrived & I also can afford more time to my L’d friends. I suspect from the tenure of your letters that I have written several that have never reached you. You mention nothing of Mamma in your last. I conclude therefore that she has completely recovered.

Yours, TIMOTHY PIERCE.

To JAMES PIERCE, Litchfield, Conn.

No. 11

UNION CANTONMENT, Jan’y 18, 1800

MY DEAR SISTER POLLY:—

N. Woodruff sets out for Litchfield tomorrow morning early—It is now late in the night & I am resolved not to encroach upon my usual hours for sleeping to write to those who so seldom favor me with letters as my sister & brother, 15 minutes only I will bestow upon you both, for you & for James. Your pleasant letter written some time ago gratified me extremely—Every line, every phrase, presented my rattling sister very vividly to my fancy. Let all your letters be cast in the same mould. When you have so much time upon your hands, when you write with so little difficulty, when opportunities of sending so frequently offer & when reading my sister’s communications is so highly gratifying, it is impossible for me to account for your not having written oftener upon any other consideration than this—that you have ceased to think of me—But I hope future punctuality will atone for past negligence. Oh Polly, I wish you had been with me the other day when I ascended a rock upon a neighboring mountain from which may be seen the river Raritan—New Brunswick—The bay of Amboy—Newark—Elizabethtown—The bay of Newark—New York city—Long Island—& the Atlantic ocean beyond—a vast extent of country to the southward of our station. This is perhaps the richest & most extensive prospect that is to be found in any part of the United States. When the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War lay in this part of the country, the great Washington used often to ascend the rock to descry the position of the British forces, that consideration at this particular time adds greatly to the emotion which this sublime view excites in the mind. I trod with reverence the rock upon which that great man stood, & my heart wept to think that the father of his country was no more.

MY BROTHER JAMES:—

Then the Democrats in Congress have been endeavoring to disband us—& send us back again to Connecticut. What can the stupid creatures mean—I thought in the present situation of our affairs as to France & Great Britain that both Fed’s & Dem’s would agree to the necessity of being prepared for effective defence—But that band of wretches who formerly endeavored “to stop the wheels of Government have now failed in their attempt to break the sword of their country.

You may depend upon it that the Connecticut regiment forms quite a respectable part of this _sword of our country_. It has the reputation of being as well, or better disciplined than any regiment besides in the United States. The officers are thorough in the performance of their whole duty—not a single instance of intemperance, or gambling have I heard of in any one holding a commission.—Among the soldiers, there are only 5 or 6 foreign old country men—the rest are well disposed Americans—& with the exception of a few invalids—very promising young men—Living as they do 15 or more in a room—30 in each small one story hut with no floor but the ground, some diseases must of necessity present themselves—but their being still all alive, while [illegible] in the regiment lying next to them have been furloughed to their endless home, reflects honour upon them for their cleanliness, their temperance, & their healthful management of their diet. It seems that you never yet have had an opportunity of sending on those shirts which were partly made at my departure from L’d—Capt. Ranny will be with you soon & then if not before they may be safely sent. Capt. Ranny has been extremely polite & obliging to me & I wish our people to treat him in return with the utmost attention. He has promised to call upon you & seems very solicitous to be acquainted with our family. He is a man well worthy of your friendship.

Good night,
TIM’Y PIERCE,

This morning a duel was fought in the 12th Reg’t by two Lieutenants, one was wounded in the leg.

Addressed to JAMES PIERCE,
Litchfield.

No. 12

CAMP, Sept. 30th 1800.

DEAR BROTHER:—

I wish you to ascertain if possible the date of my letter of acceptance, & send me notice of it by the first opportunity. It has entirely slipped my memory, & our pay-rolls cannot be drawn without it. We shall receive no pay for some time, therefore it is probable more money must be sent me from home. You mistake when you think our board a trifling expense. Each officer maintains a servant, & the servant’s board costs as much as his own. Therefore all things considered I might board with as little expense in Litchfield. My foods cost as much as that of any officer in the regiment.

TO SISTER POLLY:—

Your good letter deserves a longer & a better answer than I am at present in condition to afford you. For about four & twenty hours past I have been afflicted with a sad sick headache, & have not felt myself in a proper state for writing or anything else. Instead of cutting the figure which you say you shall be afraid to speak to, my appearance has “improved only for the worse” as paddy would express it. Being the only physician in the regiment during the severe prevalence of the dysentry among us for near a week, I experienced a constant hurry of practice through the day & was often called up at midnight. In consequence of this and the anxiety I underwent for two or three of my patients, I have got out of the habit of talking, bend over more than usual, & look ten times more serious & Don Quixotical than while at home. My sister need entertain no apprehensions with regard to the sword & hat which you mention with fear—for those articles will not be purchased before we retire to winter quarters—: before that time I shall make you a visit—and after that visit you will see neither me nor my sword until next spring. You say you wish me to write upon speculative subjects—if anything new had lately occurred to my observation, I would communicate it for your criticism with pleasure—But all my late speculations, relate only to Ipicac, Salts, Dysentery, Rhubarb—fever &c. Subjects that will not be interesting to you.

To COUSIN ELIZAB’ H.

She will find me more “presumptuous” than Mary would permit _her_ to be—for her cold “_compliments_” I beg leave to return her my _love_.

To MARY BREASCARD:—

I assure you that the “Dr.” feels himself “highly honored” by the postscript with which you have favored him, is “highly gratified” to find you have sent him “some” of your love—& takes the liberty to send you an _abundance_ of his love in return.

To J. WATKINSON:—

Whether “the disposition of Jenny Witless is malicious” or not, I was fearful she would not have remembered me, even to have “vented her spleen upon the Dr.”—But whatever may be the state of her feelings toward me, I thank her most cordially for the two lines and a half of P. S. at the end of Polly’s letter—& feel very sorry that the headache prevents a longer reply. In the first part of this letter I have desired some money from home, but upon further consideration I suspect it will not be wanted—please tell James not to send it without further notice. Desire Polly to send me a list of the things which have been sent from home since the arrival of my trunk. Give my love to all our young ladies. Tell Lucy Russell to write another letter for me to carry to her parents, I have taken a _fancy_ to the old Democrat her father, & want another excuse for paying him a visit. Starks Edward & Mr. Tod have spent a considerable part of this afternoon with me & I have promised to call at their houses in the City. Therefore if our young ladies wish to write to Henrietta, I will convey letters to her with pleasure.—goodnight.

Oct. 1st. After thinking the third time upon the subject of money, I believe James may send me some if he can conveniently—it may not be wanted—but perhaps it may be used advantageously under present circumstances. Should it be sent, the earlier it comes the better—It need not be sent unless it can be spared very conveniently.

TIM’Y PIERCE.

I would relate an amusing case of a love sick patient if I had time this morning, but Mr. Collins will call immediately for this letter therefore the history of it must be omitted till another opportunity. When Dr. Trowbridge returns, or when another is appointed to assist me I can devote more time to my friends.

(Addressed to MR. JAMES PIERCE, Litchfield.)

No. 13

CHARLESTON, Dec. 3rd, 1800

DEAR BROTHER:

Thank God, here I am safe at Charleston at last, after a tedious passage of 17 stormy days from New York. We sailed on the 15th of last month, & within the first 24 hours were driven so far from land by a heavy wind, that it took 12 hours to regain the coast. We entered Egg-harbour, run upon a shoal of quicksands, & lay there three days until the spring tide lifted us off. Upon extricating ourselves from this difficulty an heavy north wind carried us like lightning to the southward, we flew by the capes of Delaware at about 400 hundred miles from shore, passed the Ches’pk Bay & a few hours more carried us to Cape Hatteras, but the west wind which now set in pushed us to such a distance from the cape to the eastward, that the eddy of the gulf stream carried us back 60 miles in 24 hours, however we kept free from the stream itself for a few hours & attempted to gain the shore, but in vain, a violent northwestern gale set in which drove us notwithstanding our efforts in the Gulf stream itself. As we entered it dismal indeed was our prospect. The rapid current meeting the north wind rolled its waves to a frightful height. Its waters are 12 or 14 degrees warmer than that of the ocean through which they run & smoked in the cold northern squalls, which constantly assailed us like the water of a boiling pot. 5 or 6 sharks attended into the stream, two water spouts one on each side of us passed near and soon after we saw them pour their heavy weight of waters upon the flood. The surges poured over the deck, so as at times to hide it entirely, & even beat in at the top of the cabin door. In two or three days we found ourselves about two degrees below the latitude of Charleston, about 300 hundred miles to the eastward of it. Here we were harassed by contrary winds 4 or 5 days, till at last a favorable northeast storm 250 miles in a few hours & landed us safely in Charleston. But I assure you I have been horribly harassed by seasickness.

We had one perfect calm when, altho’ we had hardly a breath of wind the waves rocked, rolled & tossed our poor sloop so violently that we were fearful the mast would be completely rooted away.

None of those people to whom my letters are directed are at present in town. I therefore shall proceed directly to Columbia.

I should write more particularly, and more intelligibly, but my time will not permit since I shall set out for Columbia in an hour or two if the weather will permit. About an hour ago two negroes were condemned to be _burned alive_! for the murder of a white man. Remember me affectionately to all my friends.

TIMOTHY PIERCE.

(To JAMES PIERCE,
Litchfield, Connecticut.)

No. 14

To DR. CROSWELL,
Catskill, N. Y.

COLUMBIA, Dec. 1800

DEAR DOCTOR:

You have probably seen my dispatch to my Litchfield friends, giving an account of my long and tedious passage to Charleston. The road to this place does not run upon the banks of any of the large rivers, where the rich rice & cotton plantations are situated, but through a tract of country covered with barren sands & marshes, affording to its few wretched inhabitants little else but pitch pines, dysentery, poverty & fever agues. You shall not be fatigued by a particular account of my journey from Charleston, dragging you step by step through so many savanas, cypress swamps & pine barrens, where nothing can live but screech owls & turkey buzzards would be cruelty to myself, & would make you swear like a pirate. Let us fancy ourselves at once at Columbia where we will take a look at the Assembly, now in session, & then talk a little of my prospects in this country.

The Legislature of this state undoubtedly affords some men of great abilities. Gen’l Pinkney & a few others remind me of the venerable Sages of Greece & Rome. Yet here are some also who (if I do not judge too precipitately) are better fitted for horse jockeying than for legislation. ’Tis amusing to see with what ardor they maintain the cause of Jefferson & Burr, those _violent_ advocates for _moderation_, & ’tis laughable to view the members of this august assembly, loudly declaiming in favor of _Liberty_, _Equality_, & the _Rights of man_, while they shake the bloody scourge over 128,000 of their fellow creatures, whom they hold in the most abject slavery. Laughable, did I say?—No—I recall the expression. The picture makes my heart bleed.

There are many difficulties in the way of choosing a situation for practice. Colonel Hampton has gone to Virginia to be married, & will not return these several weeks. He has never mentioned my coming to this part of the world to Lyde, notwithstanding their intimacy & connection, nor has he ever hinted of the existence of such a creature as myself to his son in law who has the care of his affairs nor to any one else, that I can find out. There are several objections to fixing near his estate. Columbia has three or four physicians, who practice, & another who has left physic for tavern keeping. One poor devil of a doctor was starved out, & left the place on the day of my arrival. I find very little dependence can be placed on the opinions of others with regard to the eligibility of a place for practice, or even relating to the healthiness of a town. Almost every marsh in the State is thought a healthy spot by its inhabitants. A rich planter on Wateree was mentioning his grounds and neighborhood as remarkably healthy “But,” (said I) “are not the negroes often sick in the summer?” “Oh, yes,” (said he) “the negroes have aplenty of fevers & camp distemper in the summer, but the white people have not, _they_ spend the hot months in Columbia, but in the winter we have no fevers.” No one certainly will fly so directly into the face & eyes of candor as to deny the force of this reasoning. When at Camden, some thought _that_ an excellent stand for a physician, “for (says one man) it is a healthy place, it trades a great deal, has 80 or 90 houses, & is as large as Columbia,” “yes, (said I) but here already three eminent practitioners in the place,” “Well, (he replied) if it can maintain _three_ handsomely, that proves that it is an excellent place for doctors.” Such forcible logic as that silenced me at once. Upon the whole, I think I shall fix myself upon the high hills of Santee & engage, either in partnership, or war with a Dr. Reid who has long practiced in Statesborough, perhaps your friend will experience the fate of two medical gentlemen, who 2 or 3 years ago settled on the hills, but left them in despair of success, yet the late great demand for cotton has made the inhabitants more wealthy, more luxurious, & consequently more sickly & more able to pay their physician. Be so good as to send this on to sister Polly, & that will save me the trouble of writing at this time, a separate letter for my Litchfield friends. Lyde’s warm heart, is still strongly attached to Litchfield. Hardly a person can be mentioned that he had ever seen there, concerning whom he did not make particular enquiries. Neither distance of time nor place have erased Marana from his feelings, I think she is still the _gourd seed_. He turns the conversation repeatedly upon events, & recalled vividly to my mind, scenes so strongly connected with my feelings, that sometimes in spite of all my exertions—stop. I am not home sick yet—yet if I had the wishing cap of Fortunatus (which in an instant will annihilate any distance) it would contribute some to my satisfaction.