Sherman Letters

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CSHR 9/19

West Point,
May 13th, 1837
[1837/05/13]

Dear Ellen:
[EES]

I received your very welcome letter a few days since, indeed I thought you had forgotten me and the assurance that it was not the case gave me the greatest pleasure. Since the reception of yours I have been daily looking for a letter from Lancaster but I have received none. Phil wrote me a few days since from Oxford and I was glad to hear he continued to be satisfied with his situation. You did not tell me how you are pleased with the nunnery, it must be a very dull place but different persons are of different tastes you know while some would be extremely well satisfied others would be as much dissatisfied. I hope you are of the former.

You are so near Lancaster that I suppose you have their news almost as soon as they do themselves and in your next letter, which I shall expect very shortly, if Somerset cannot afford news wherewith to fill a sheet fill it with Lancaster news for I assure you they are welcome.

Mr. and Mrs. Reese Elizabeth Sherman accompanied by Julia [Sherman] were here a couple of weeks ago, indeed I was very glad to see them and for the short time they were here I almost felt as if I were at home, they were in excellent health.

Julia intends spending the summer in the City of New York but Mr. and Mrs. Reese proceed almost directly to Lancaster and will have, I expect, passed through Somerset before this reaches you.

I suppose you write and receive letters almost daily from home, when you write after the reception of this give my best love to your father and mother, Mr. Boyle and Abba - tell your mother that I have been for a very long time expecting a letter from her, also Ellen I shall expect an immediate answer to this

I am yours most affectionately

W. T. Sherman
[WTS]

West Point, N.Y.
July 10th (1837)
[1837/07/10]

Dear Ellen
[EES]

Your very kind and welcome letter has long been received and has remained too long unanswered but I have reason to hope that you will excuse me when you learn that I have been engaged from the time of reception of yours till about twenty days ago with the examination and since that time till the third of this month I have been engaged with guard duty almost every day on account of the corps being so reduced, since which time I have had the pleasure to have been at Brooklyn. I believe I mentioned in my letter my intention of applying for a leave of absence. A couple of weeks ago I went and saw the Superintendent about it, but he would give me no satisfactory answer so that I almost despaired of getting it. I left on Monday last it being a fine day I had a most splendid trip for you know that it is generally admitted that the scenery of the Hudson is the finest in the United States, a truth which you, I expect, will learn in the course of a year for your father told me that you were coming East this summer or rather Fall for the purpose of going to a seminary at Philadelphia. Having reached Brooklyn I found where Uncle Charles* resided with little difficulty. He has a very fine situation indeed on Brooklyn Heights and a splendid garden overlooking the Bay and Harbor. It is a most beautiful spot commanding a view of the greatest variety of objects I ever laid my eyes on. On one side the noisy City of N. York hemmed in by almost an infinite number of vessels. The Jersey Shore ornamented, as it were, with country seats. Grosvenors Island with its granite barracks, and the noble bay alive all kinds of craft from the sail & row boat to the three masted vessel. On the other side the richly cultivated fields of Long Island and the fine City of Brooklyn. The window of the room in which I took up my quarters opened on the Bay and having an excellent telescope I used to amuse myself before breakfast by looking out towards Sea and see the vessels coming in under full sail and the sailors up in the rigging. In fact I was perfectly in love with the place when I left. I find that I have taken two thirds of my sheet in merely describing my uncle's residence, but no difference. I spent five days there very agreeably indeed. Whilst I was off I visited some of the most important places in the City, the Park, Museum, the different gardens, Colleges, and navy yard, all of which afforded both information and amusement especially the latter place. I was always very desirous of seeing "a man of war" and that desire was gratified fully, when I was at Brooklyn I staid on board the Ship Ohio of 109 guns about two hours and saw sufficient to gratify my curiosity.

I have been in Camp about three weeks and will remain so until the 29th of August. It is customary to have dancing school during part of the encampment. It commences to day. I have made up my mind to attend but of course I lay every thing aside for the purpose of writing to yourself.

I have long been and am now waiting for a letter from your mother but I think I have every reason for concluding that she does not intend to write to me at all so Ellen I must rely upon you since Phil is away for all the family news. When you write, which I hope will be soon, I wish you would tell me how Wm. Irvin is enjoying himself. Julia is in very fine health. Give my best love & respects to all the family.

Yours very affectionately

W. T. Sherman
[WTS]

West Point N. York
Aug 30th 1837
[1837/08/30]

Dear Ellen
[EES]

I had already written and sealed an answer to your last when Wm. Irvin returned from furlough and satisfied my curiosity concerning so many things concerning which I had asked information that I concluded that it would be best to defer writing a little longer in order that I might give a description of our military ball and the other ceremonies that usually take place before breaking up the encampment.

Not long since Julia Taylor and two cousins paid me another visit and the last for this year as they intend to go home and perhaps will have arrived there before this. Besides the beautiful and romantic scenery for which the Point is so celebrated and the monuments they had an opportunity of seeing our Battalion drill and dress parade and were very much pleased with the Band of music which has got the name of being one of the best in the Country.

Wm. Irvin arrived last Friday at the Point after having escorted his sister up to Troy but without first bringing her here as I think he should have done because most undoubtedly she would have liked to see the place where her brother had been for the two last and would be for the two next years, but that is none of my business. He brought me those presents the knife from Boyle Hugh Ewing the handkerchief from Tommy Ewing and the pencil and candy from yourself for which I cannot too warmly express my thanks. The knife and pencil are too good for me to use and I have wrapped them up and put them at the bottom of my trunk to be used only on special occasions The candy was so very good as well as the first I have seen since I left home that I invited some of my easter friends who had never eaten any homemade sugar before to come and taste it they liked it so very well that they put it beyond my power (although very desirous to do so) to reserve some for the next day.

I am sorry that I am not able to give you a better description of the ball not having attended. I only know that there were a great many ladies in attendance and that the room was decorated in true military style the walls were literally covered with burnished sabres and bayonets as well as with wreaths and flags.

Last night the Camp was illuminated and we had a royal "Stag dance" (I believe you call them country dances) on the parade ground. I think I never saw the encampment so enlivening there were about 150 cadets dancing before a double row of candles and a great many ladies and gentlemen looking on and walking about.

This morning at half past 11 we went through the ceremony of breaking up camp and marching into Barracks where we are now, everything out of order and no studying. I suppose they will give us today and tomorrow to prepare our books etc. and that on the next day will commence reciting and will continue to do so until next June when I expect to have the extreme pleasure of visiting Lancaster.

Bill who I suppose lived highly when he was off complains of hard times but the will soon return to old habits. He is, however, in very good health. It is now near "taps" a signal to extinguish the lights and I am obliged to come to an end wishing you to give my love and respects to your mother and father Mr. Boyle, Phil, Abbie, Bub and to kiss little Charley for me.

Yours most affectionately

W. T. Sherman
[WTS]

U. S. Military Academy W Point
Oct 22 (1837)
[1837/10/22]

Dear Ellen
[EES]

Your last favor has been duly received and you see I am quite punctual but you must not on this account conclude that I have anything worth announcing. The only circumstances that has occurred since I last wrote is the Death of a cadet by the name of Ballen this is the second death by sickness that has occurred here for the last twelve years. He was a member of the present fourth class, proud and ambitious but unfortunately was not able to succeed in his studies which so mortified him that he was taken sick and five days afterwards was a corpse He was buried last Friday with military honors His mother who had been informed that her son was dangerously ill a few days before his death immediately started for this place but did not arrive till last evening. You may well know what must have been her consternation upon hearing that her son was buried the day before.

Any individual that would see my room mates as myself looking over the columns of the newspapers especially that part that refers to the Ohio elections would think that our fate depended on their contents. We are four out of five Buckeyes and are anxious that the Whigs should have a majority in the State senate for upon this in a great measure depends whether your father shall succeed Mr. Norris in the U. S. Senate for which none can be more anxious than myself.

Phil wrote to me a few days after his arrival at Oxford He says he misses his old associates Mr. Effinger & Perry Foster already but I presume that in a short while he will become intimate with others who will supply their places. You have not mentioned whether you had given up the idea of coming east this year or not

I am in daily expectation to hear from mother how Michael Effinger is as well as G. Clark and Mr. King who was I hear in very poor health. It is Wm. Irvins as well as my sincere hope that they have entirely recovered their health before this

My health is excellent. Give my love to all and ask Abba on my part if she intends to keep her promise

Yours affectionately

W. T. Sherman
[EES]