Ft Monroe 30th June 1834
My dear Carter
I received your letter last week & though you do not touch heavily on your domestic arrangements, I judge you are gratified with the prospects at present & the anticipations for the future. You cannot be more anxious than I am for this before talked of visit of mine to be paid, for setting aside the pleasure of being with you again, I am anxious to see of any way I can further your convenience. But I am worse than "sold to the Dutch' for I belong to Uncle Sam. Capt Talcott is again absent at the West on duty, & Rufus King, Brother of Miss Hetty etc who graduated in the Engr Corps last year & was sent here the latter part as an Assistant, has gone with him. I am therefore alone & cannot get away now, but we will see how it is in the Fall - Ever since my arrival here in Febr I have been trying to get a few leisure days to go to the White House & have not yet succeeded - I was making up a package for Smith when your letter arrived & Said to him for you all you would have said; By yesterdays mail I received a letter from Cousin Anna, She had just got one from Smith written in part after the sad accident that had occurred before Toulon while firing a salute in honor of the Birthday of Louis Phillipe - His account does not vary from the one given in the Papers. 3 of the Fans had been left with shot in them, 2 of which struck the Fort & one of them touching the French Ship, Suffrein, 74 killed & men & wounded 5 - He was the officer dispatched with the Apology. He went first to the French Admirals Ship, the Command - was absent, was received politely etc. He then went to the Comm - t of the Fort & to the Suffrein. He added in a P.S. that every thing was satisfactorily arranged & that the Ship would Sail next day for Genoa. (5th - May.) She was to touch at various Ports on her way to Smyrna & would be employed till Augt in convoying vessels in the Archip - a when she hoped to be relieved & to return to Mahon preparatory to her homeward cruise. You may have heard that he was transfered to the Frigate U. States. Speaks of her as a fine Ship & a most pleasant mess, all well, in good Spirits & expected to be home in December - The Masons are all well, Miss Tease has gone to Annapolis Miss W. to N. York with Miss Matilda Macomb, on a visit to her new Brother Maj. Stanton, Miss W. had been heard from in Phil - a where she was waiting for Miss Selina Roberdeaws wedding - She was delighted with everything she saw etc - Alex - a is alive with Brides & wives of the Members, who seem to enjoy a quiet ride to that immoveable place - They are all well at Arlington, & we expect the Major & Mrs. C - - in the next Boat - I suppose you see by the Papers all that passes in W - - News arrived yesterday of Mr Forsyth's being appointed to fill the Place of Mrs Mr McClane, - Mr Stevenson's nomination to England & Mr. Taney's to the Treasury have been rejected - You will doubtless be gratified by the measures taken by Congress & the nation to honor the death of the good La Fayette - & also to indemnify as far as possible the Sufferers by the Accident before Toulon -
I received lately a letter from little Walker She was in fine spirits at the return of Mr C - - & expected to spend the Summer at Nahant & N. Port - We have written & written to Anne to beg her to come & see us this summer in order that she may be benefited by the Salt Bathing - & we have heard from others that she is coming, but not a line from the Wanze or Mr W - - Uncle Wms had got as far Brandon on his way to see us with Bella, But Dr May there advised him not to bring her here, I got 2 letters from him while there, At first Bella was much improved, but afterwards deteriorated, the 2nd letter said she was much better, & said she felt more like getting well than she had since taken Sick - They were to go next day to Richmond, thence to Fredrick to see Charlotte & would spend the Summer at the VA. Springs if they agreed with Bella - Sweet Charles & Eugee have been at Arlington - both well - Little Julia I am told looks wretched. You may have heard that she had a miscarriage last Fall & was very ill. Landon Carter is flourishing in Washington. He has been quite sick in Norfolk & says he is reduced that much to his joy his oldest Creditors don't know him - They are all well at Shirley & Hill is very anxious lest his only daughter should not be handsome - Shirley when last heard from was paying his devoirs to Miss Silsbee - We are all well here Col Custis has just been relieved from the Command of the Fort & Col Armistead is to take his place - Mrs. Huger has had a little Son - Her Mother & Sister are with her - The last is very pretty & interesting & I am told is a belle in Charleston Write Soon to your Brother
R E Lee
My husband flatters me so much as to beg me to adorn this letter with a few sentences from my "eloquent" pen. Tho indeed I feel too stupid this morning to say much more than my thanks to you for your kind remembrance of me & to congratulate you on your anticipated excursion with that bright creature who has so happily beamed upon you in the wilderness - Her cousin Mr or Col T as he is usually called tells me her health is now very frail & he dreads to see the pale lily on her cheek instead of those beautiful roses - you must make her feel there is something to live for - Your hopeful nephew gives great promise of Military renown for he is drumming from morning till night to the destruction of every thing in the house He evinces to great taste for music books & pictures which I encourage as much as possible - but the Military manner is so prevalent among the youth of the Point that there is some danger of the army being overtaken & our cass captured. I must stop.
Yrs etc
MLee
You may have heard that she had a miscarriage last Fall & was very ill, Landon Carter is flourishing in Washington. He has been quite sick in Norfolk & says he is reduced that much to his joy his oldest Creditors don't know him - They are all well at Shirley & Hill is very anxious lest his only daughter should not be handsome - Shirley when last heard from was paying his devoirs to Miss Silsbee - We are all well here Col Eustis has just been relieved from the Command of the Fort & Col Armistead is to take his place Mrs. Huger has had a little Son - Her Mother & Sister are with her - The last is very pretty & interesting & I am told is a belle in Charleston Write Soon To your Brother
R E Lee
Lee PapersUniversity of Virginia Archives
The final paragraph of the body proper is written perpendicularly on page two over the original script, and appears by its contents to be a continuation of page three. Mary Lee's text appears on page four on the flaps of the letter that are folded under with only the address showing. The sections have been rearranged in the transcription in the most logical context for continuity. These three sections appear to have been written by Mary Anne Randolph Custis Lee, R. E. Lee's wife. Robert E. Lee's final postscript is written perpendicularly across the script on page two. Also appearing on page four in the center of the page is the address as follows: "To C. C. Lee Esqr, Counsellor at Law, Spring Camp, Near Stoney Fork P. Office, Floyd County, VA."