From A.J. Huntoon to My Dear Lizzie
I have just returned from a trip to Atchison, arrived at home about 6 o’c this P.M. My pets Brave & Tim manifested much joy at my arrival. Was just a week in making the trip. As I passed through Topeka I received your letter of the 31st ult. and on my return to-day received yours of the 8th inst, enclosed in Ellens. It is quite a pleasant surprise to me to receive a letter each week for three weeks in succession from you: hope you may continue in well doing. Am glad to learn that you & P. are well, also all the rest of the folks. I feel that you must be enjoying yourself very much, and hope you are having fine times. You are surely feasting on the luxuries of the land, maple sugar, I think I would enjoy a little Turtle Soup with Roswell. It might remind us of a certain former occasion when we were younger than now, & boyish. I would like to hear some particulars of Roswells farm & stock, also of Calebs, and Henrys, also of Samuels business, & particularly of Horace and Marsella. You speak of Mary as having a fine child, if you visit her I hope you will give me the details of how she is situated, and where. Do you learn anything more of Mr Bullards financial circumstances? Col Dickey talks of going east in July - & stopping a couple of months, & then returning. Should you make up your mind to come about that time, I presume It might be arranged so that you might travel in company with them. I think there will but few from Kansas visit the east this season for surely the times are to hard.
The whole country, so far as I can learn, is in a state of great political excitement, consequent on the seizure of Ft. Sumter, etc. The refusal of the Governors of Va.[,] Ken.[,] N.C. & Mo. to respond to the call of the President for state militia to support the national flag, & secure possession of government property, is creating great excitement & enthusiasm throught the west. A few days ago an effort was made at St. Joseph Mo. to erect a Palmetto Flag, but the union men after something of a quarrel prevented. To-morrow a like attempt is to be made at Kansas City Mo. The union men declare they will not permit it. A fight is expected. Missouri is threatening to prevent supplies from reaching Kansas by tearing up the Rail Road at Kansas & blockading the Mo. River. Should such steps be taken on the part of Mo. a warm time may be expected along our border. The Osage Indians have already commenced on our S.W. Border to plunder & drive back the whites. Gen. Lane has been placed at the head of a regiment of 1000 men, for the protection of Washington City. A Kansas Militia Bill is being drawn up with great care, & will probably pass our legislature in a few days. A company at Topeka will complete its organization this evening. Capt. Walkers company of Lawrence have offered their services to the President: but they are needed at home.
Have you any objection to my taking the position of assistant surgeon in the army, if I can get it? A man must not stand with his hands in his pockets at such times as these. Our countrys condition is to be deplored, & a collision between the north & south, is to be very much regretted, but the blow has been struck, & a stern & decisive resistance to farther encroachments upon national rights, is imperative. As it is already 12 o’clock, just, & I am tired. I will write no more to night. You ask me to remember the good night kiss. Do you think I could forget it? No, Lizzie; not a single night passes, whether at home or abroad, but I think of it, and regret very much the necessity of so long a separation from you and my darling boy,
A good night kiss for each with love,
A.J.H.
Sunday Eve Apr 21st 1861 .
I have had another busy day. Went to Mr Laceys to meeting this morning; when I got home a messenger was waiting for me to go to Mr Elliots. Mrs. E. was taken flooding, staid with her until dark. left her quite comfortable but weak, think I will have no trouble in fetching her along. Her child was born six weeks ago. She has been about since as well as usual seemingly. Josiah Everett send best respects says Mrs. Colby wished to be remembered to you & would like to hear from you. A widow woman with her family, has moved in to Mr. Reynolds house; Has a son 18 yrs & daughter, 16 yrs of age I should think. Saw them to meeting to day: they seem like good people. She has some other children but do not know how many. I have no news to write and will therefore, have to stop for to night. To sit down here evenings & Sunday evenings particularly is lonesome business. Don’t know what I will do all this summer without you. Joel has gone back to Mo. & expects to spend the summer there. Loudean is a pretty hard boy. ¬¬
With a good night kiss for each of you I will close A.J.H. Monday Eve Apr. 22nd / 61. My Dear Lizzie;
I have just fed brave & tim & set the milk away, of which we have four pans full at night & three in the morning and am ready to sit down and have a talk with you. How I wish I could talk with you. To-day has been very warm. I have not had a coat or vest on since I got out of bed this morning until since sundown. Much of the grass on the prairies is killed by the drouth. What is alive is growing well, but the surface of the ground needs rain. Have three feet of water in my well, at the house. A good many flowers are in blossom particularly such as grow in the woods. I will send a couple of specimens that I plucked while bringing up the cows tonight. Also the rattles of a snake, the first I have killed this season. It was small as you would know by the jewel, only about 20 inches in length. My cabbage & tomato plants are about three inches high & looks fine. Peas up. Early yellow & sweet corn is well sprouted but not out of the ground yet. A palmetto flag is said to be waiving over Kansas City. All teams coming from the states to Kansas or to Pikes Peak are advised to keep north through Iowa & Nebraska. As they are likely to suffer from detention in Mo. if they under take to come through there. We are making every preparation in Kansas to look out for ourselves. You will be better off where you are this summer than you could be here. (You have never written whether you had anything new or not. I would like to know. Don’t you need money from me. Do not hesitate to say so if you do. I will send some if you need, or if our mails are intefered with. I will borrow of Roswell & send my note.) I hope to have some opportunity to get this into the mail tomorrow but do not know as I will.
With much love to all & a kiss for yourself & Prentice. I am most affectionately yours, A.J. Huntoon. To my Dear Lizzie
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