Civil War Notebook

Sunday, October 5, 2025

Daniel Webster to Edward Everett, Monday, May 6, 1851

Washington, May 6, 1851.

MY DEAR SIR,—I think of dedicating each volume to some friend. Would that look like affectation? Public men and scholars will be remembered by their works. Private friendships are forgotten. It has occurred to me, that I would dedicate the second volume to Isaac P. Davis, as a memorial of an uninterrupted friendship of forty years. What should you think of it? I have mentioned it to no one.

D. W.

SOURCE: Fletcher Webster, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Daniel Webster, Vol. 2, p. 442

Daniel Webster to Peter Harvey, Friday, May 9, 1851—7 a.m.

Washington, Friday morning, seven o'clock, May 9, 1851.

MY DEAR SIR,—I hope to meet some Boston friends in New York on Tuesday. Mr. Edward Curtis will be there, as well as others, and it may be a good time to confer. My own stay will be short, as we leave early the next morning. But I hope you, and whoever comes with you, may be able to stay a day or two. My letter to you expresses pretty much what I have to say on the subject. What remains must be left to friends.

Yours, truly,

DAN’L WEBSTER.

P. S. Of course, if any thing be attempted, Mr. Choate must be our standard-bearer.

SOURCE: Fletcher Webster, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Daniel Webster, Vol. 2, p. 443

Daniel Webster to Richard M. Blatchford, Sunday, May 11, 1851—1 p.m.

[May 11, 1851,] Sunday, one o'clock.

MY DEAR SIR,—I thank you for your letter from Philadelphia. I am well, and leave to-morrow morning, at six o'clock. I dread the journey awfully.

I see four elements of distress in it: 1. Heat. 2. Crowds. 3. Limestone water. 4. The necessity of speech-making.

This last is not the least, for I have exhausted my opinions and my thoughts, my illustrations and my imaginations; all that remains in my mind is as "dry as a remainder biscuit, after a voyage."

Your notion that no evil can come from this jaunt, cheers me; but still I feel a caving in at the prospect before me. But never mind. If I should not be remarkably foolish, nor remarkably unlucky, I shall not spoil all the past.

Yours,

D. W.

SOURCE: Fletcher Webster, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Daniel Webster, Vol. 2, p. 443

Daniel Webster to Caroline White Webster, May 20, 1851—9 p.m.

Buffalo, May 20, 1851, nine o'clock, P. M.

MY DEAR CAROLINE,—I am detained here, unavoidably, for two or three days beyond my expectation.

Fletcher has had his trunk packed, two or three times, for his departure for home, but when the time came, I did not feel that I could part with him. I have nobody else with me, and though well at present, I should be alarmed if I should get sick.

To-night he has got all things in readiness for going early in the morning; but I do not believe I should sleep an hour, under the consciousness that he was to leave in the morning. I must, my dear child, detain him a day or two longer, and you must try to forgive me for it. I have no travelling friend; no servant, or attendant, that I am acquainted with; and if Fletcher should go, I should feel absolutely desolate.

I have telegraphed to New York for somebody to meet me, and the moment I see a reliable and familiar face, I will give your husband my blessing, and let him depart.

Your affectionate father,

DAN'L WEBSTER.

SOURCE: Fletcher Webster, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Daniel Webster, Vol. 2, p. 444

Daniel Webster to Millard Fillmore, May 29, 1851

New York, May 29, 1851.

MY DEAR SIR,—I arrived from Albany this morning, having stayed two or three days at Canandaigua to recruit. Coming after you, I had infinite pleasure in hearing of the warmth of your reception everywhere, and of the highly favorable impression made by your visit. Your friends all think it has done great good. The enemy seems silenced, at least for the present. Every body, my dear Sir, speaks in just terms of the propriety of your speeches to the people, and of your excellent, acceptable, and honorable demeanor, in all respects; none more so, than some here with whom these strains are new. I hope to move South to-morrow.

Yours always truly,

DAN'L WEBSTER.

SOURCE: Fletcher Webster, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Daniel Webster, Vol. 2, p. 444

Saturday, October 4, 2025

George F. Wright

GEORGE F. WRIGHT was born in Warren, Vermont, December 5, 1833. He was reared on a farm, and when eighteen years of age at tended West Randolph Academy. He came to Iowa in 1855, locating at Keosauqua where he began the study of law in the office of Judge George G. Wright, and was admitted to the bar in 1857. At the beginning of the Civil War he helped to raise a military company of which he was chosen first lieutenant. Later at the request of Governor Kirkwood Lieutenant Wright organized a company of State militia of which he was commissioned captain. In 1868 Mr. Wright removed to Council Bluffs where he became a law partner with Judge Caleb Baldwin; the firm ranked high and became attorneys for several railroads. In 1875 Mr. Wright was elected to the State Senate from the district consisting of the counties of Mills and Pottawattamie, serving in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth General Assemblies. In 1879 Mr. Wright was appointed by Judge Dillon United States Commissioner, and later held the same position under Judge Woolson for the Southern District of Iowa. In 1896 he was chosen vice-president for Iowa of the Trans-Mississippi Exposition at Omaha. Mr. Wright was one of the organizers of the company which built the bridge across the Missouri River between Council Bluffs and Omaha.

SOURCE: Benjamin F. Gue, History of Iowa from the Earliest of Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century, Volume 4: Iowa Biography, p. 296

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, Sunday, November 16, 1862

We took dinner with my old friend Andrew Meredith called and seen Brothers M M Myres and CE Yeager had a pleasant time evening went to Prayer meeting at the ME church it was rather a dry time for so much mud I called with Brother Yeager a short time after meeting.

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 95

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, November 17, 1862

I went over to my place south of Keosauqua to see to having some corn got home Spent the afternoon and evening pleasantly with our old neighbours

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 95

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, November 18, 1862

Forenoon I rode over to my place south of Keosauqua & out to John Bennets came home in the rain

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 95

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, November 19, 1862

I rode over to my river farm forenoon and afternoon over to Pittsburg & up Chequest to Valentines mill & home

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 95

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, November 20, 1862

I spent the day seeing about my crop on my river farm evening Emma & I was at prayer meeting and after meeting we called & spent an hour with Judge Geo Wright¹ I received a letter with the information of the happy death of Sister Sophia Phillips in Cecil Co Md on the 11th

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¹ George G. Wright of Keosauqua, judge of the Supreme Court of Iowa for fifteen years, and United States senator from Iowa for six years.

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, pp. 95-6

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, November 21, 1862

I got my Brotherinlaw Leeroy Meredith & we put in the day steadily halling corn from my river farm & Mr Legg was also delivering my share of my place south of town. I am verry tired to night but am well bless the Lord but my son Augustus has the mumps