1862 Retirement Plantation Letter, Natchez, Civil War, MS Unionists Burn Houses

Description

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Description:
RETIREMENT PLANTATION LETTER - 6 pages - Natchez, January 20, 1862, from a Esta V Mann to a friend, Clara, about widespread sickness and deaths of joint friends and “servants.”  A remarkable expression of grief, grappling with the scale of and surrender to incomprehensible deaths, and the consequences of the Civil War.
Speaks of Union sympathizers in Fayette, MS., burning down houses.
I thought it best to just give an abbreviated transcription of the letter and let you experience it:
RETIREMENT
JAN. 20TH, 1862
My Dear Clara
I shall devote a few moments this evening in writing to
you. I have endeavored to do so
once or twice since the death of poor dear Fannie…
I thought I would write
this and give you little perticulers of
her death.  She died the 22 of Dec at
five oclock in the morning with
Diphtheria. She complained a little
on Friday of sore throat and
was taken worse about one o'clock
Saturday night and they sent
Page 2
for the doctor and he came in 14
minutes.  he gave her something that
relieved her some, but she continued
to get worse.  She then told the Dr.
if she did not get relief she must
die  he then left her and went
to his house a distance of 300 yards
to get his instruments to rest a
tube in her throat below the
Phlegm so she would breathe through
it…   but God in his wisdom decreed
it otherwise .  When he returned he
found her dieing…  The Dr. came down very much excited and told
him (sick brother, Will) to come up as quick as he
could, and when he got up she
only breathed three times…
Page 3
Clara, I did not tell you how
much brother Will  was  (so sick) able to go up stairs on
his hands and knees and Maggie
his wife was not able to get out
of her room with a beaten breast.   (Maggie’s)  her sister had
been staying with them for the
last eight months was sick
with the typhoid fever not
able to sit up in the bed…  was in
the same room with Fannie
And Jinnie a black girl that
stayed in the house had diptheria
I have had a letter from
Mag today they have give out
that Poter ( the sister) think she cannot
live   She now has inflammation
of the stomach… They have 3 Drs with her.  Mag is
not able to go out of the house until
her other breast has healed….. and one of the men black men now has diphtheria.
We also had a letter today
from Fayette.  Sister Fries house
and all the furniture they
had is burned by the union men of Fayette, Dr. Coopers
house at Locus Lane is also Burnt…
Esta
Page 4
It seems mysterious that so many
Beloved and useful ones should
Be taken from us in early youth…
Yonder happy world we shall understand
Why these painful dispensations
Were permitted; till then we should
Ever bare in mind God is
Love…
Page 5
…when I think of it I can hardly
realise that we shall see her no
more in the flesh.  I received since her
death a letter that she wrote the Friday before
She died. in it she said she wanted
to come home before you came up.
Clara, you must come and bring the
girls.
I fear that I grieve too much for her though I try
not to do it, but O’  the lonely hours
I will spend without her.
Clara, will you please get me four
papers of pins at Mr. Scott’s store and have them charged before they are all
gone. I have a barrel of apples saving until
you come. I  put them away to
save until dear Fannie came home.
We ought never be sure of anything
for all is fleeting. Love from all to all.
,
Believe me, your sincere
and affectionate friend,
Esta V Mann
Dimensions
: 8” X 5.25”
Date
: January 20th, 1862
Origin
: Retirement Plantation, Natchez MS
Provenance
: My collection
Maker
: Esta V Mann
Condition
:
I took the photos in different kinds of light so that is why it appears in different shades. The first page is the best example of the color. It is completely legible, though ink faded, soiling, brown spots and folds.  I have made no attempt to clean up or flatten the letter.
Please see photos as they are an integral part of the condition report and ask any questions that you have about the item so that we can satisfy you.
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