Folded letter by US Navy Surgeon David Shelton Edwards
The letter was carried by steamboat from Vera Cruz, Mexico to New Orleans, Louisiana on a vessel that did not have a contract to carry mail. To indicate that a steamboat was the source of the letter entering the U.S. mail system, the New Orleans clerk struck the handstamp "STEAM."
The letter was sent unpaid and marked at New Orleans with the large handstamp "10" to show that postage was due at Sing Sing, New York, for 10 cents, the rate for a letter under 1/2 ounce weight going a distance more than 300 miles.
While on a cruise in the Gulf of Mexico aboard the ship Arcole, David Shelton Edwards updates his wife Harriet about the trip so far. He writes about a cold that he got but explains that his daughter Harriet's "Ju-Ju" helped and he is doing better. He describes the voyage as a good one with only six people on his sick report. He continues with instructions for their children's, William and Harriet, educations and closes the letter as the crew sight the coastline marking the city of Veracruz, Mexico.
This letter is part of the correspondence of David Shelton Edwards between the years 1835 and 1848. The 48 letters from this period held by the National Postal Museum are primarily addressed to Edward's wife Harriet; in 1830, Edwards married Harriet Eliza Henry and they had two children, William and Harriet. They kept up a frequent correspondence when his naval service kept them separated. Between 1835 and 1848, Edwards served as a Surgeon at the hospital in the Pensacola Navy Yard, Florida; Fleet Surgeon to the West Indies Squadron; and Surgeon aboard many vessels engaged in the Mexican-American War. His naval career spanned from 1818 to 1861 and his last sea cruise ended in October of 1859 after which he retired to his family home in Connecticut except for a brief time spent at New Bedford, Massachusetts recruiting for the Union Navy during the Civil War. He died in Trumbull, Connecticut on March 18, 1874.
March 25th 1848 Gulf of Mexico
Ship* Arcole, Capt. Proal*.
(Augustus.)
Dear Harriet,
As we expect to be at Vera Cruz in two days I will now write to you my journal from the time we left. I wrote you a few lines by the Pilot on the 11.th she parted company the same evening from the M. Howe we continued South inside the gulf stream until we passed near Hatteras when we crossed the gulf stream in a hard snow-storm & on the night of the 18th passed Abaco & the hole in the wall & Berry islands 19th passed the Isaacs at sundown & stood over towards the Florida keys. & passed so near them that we could see the houses on Indian Key. Passed on the 20th Brig Swiss Boy The Climate entirely changed Therm: 79 to 80 - sea smooth & very pleasant, were it not for our separation for which (tho now unavoidable) nothing can compensate, It brings to mind Mr. Peck's remark - to save up &c. on the 20th evening I put on my narrow little stock and sit up on deck in the damp wind & took cold. & was for several days very hoarse, I found Harriets' Ju-Ju very servicable & gave some of it to Maj. Harris who was also hoarse. I am now quite well again & now we must prepare to fight the Malaria & Fever of VeraCruz.
*{Arcole is the name of a bridge in Italy crossed in battle by Napoleon * Capt Proal's wife's name is Mary.
Doct. Oakley is in the Mary Howe; but he thinks his spine is diseased & I fear he may not be fit for duty- & may require to return home which you know will diminish my chance in that way. Our Capt. Proal being a religeous man always says grace at table & every Sunday reads (& very well too) the whole of the church service & the officers respond as his congregation, we all make ourselves agreeable - we have plenty of room & our passage has been much pleasanter than last Summer. I have but 6 on the Sick Report at presents -
25th I have left off all my woolen clothing & have on now, my slop clothing. I cannot tell you anything about our future movements but suppose we shall stop awhile at Vera Cruz. To which place you may direct my letters (via New Orleans). I regret that I have brought with me my H. R. Rail Road Certificate. As a [written above: $] 100 will be required to be paid on it in May. But I suppose when paid it will only be necessary to see it entered in the book & perhaps take a loose receipt. I do not like to risk it in a letter. -
As soon as it is time to garden. (probably about the middle of April) you will I suppose return home & you & William can help make garden. After it has been spaded, perhaps Monty may return to help you, as for the Fowls unless they can be properly & fully attended to, gavelled, broken up clamshells, & butcher's offal & entrails cut up & fed to them as well as corn they had better all be sold at once. I presume Mr. Washburn would like to have them, I am sure he would feed them where they are for their eggs
I suppose W.m will visit Grandfather Edwards immediately & tell him & mother I will come & see him the very first thing I do, when I return. & let Wm write me an account of his visit to Grandfather.
W.m I presume will resume his studies in May. & not waste a moment of his time, but go on with the various branches of mathematics, Latin, French, Spanish, Drawing, & Elocution. & the English Branches. Don't purchase for him any expensive clothes. Perhaps you had better go with him to Conn; but as you think best.
when you go up to Sing-Sing you can leave Harriet at Mr. Abbots school - until the term is out. I will write you again soon. Tell me where you will be & what are your arrangements.
There is [written above: $] 87. ½ dollars due from Mrs. Baldwin (I believe) up to 1st May.
After the 1.s of May it will be 106. ¼ dollars a Quarter. The that is all over 106 ¼ Miss B is allowed to expend in repairs &c.
Teach Harriet to dress plainly tho neatly - & to keep her hands from her head. my love to her & William as well as to yourself.
my respects to all at Mrs Blatchfords -
my love to Mary & Delia when you write them, as well as to Grandma.
March 29th Vera Cruz in sight}
We have had a severe gale & have been laying too off the port the last two days. we find the other ship is in port before us we shall soon be at anchor & I see a Steamboat firing up, for N. Orleans so I close this to go by her, I am now quite well, so fare the well with love & affection to you & children your husband
D. S. E
[written sideways in left margin of first page]
I have just written to Father
