John Milton Binckley, June 1859 Travel Diary, Page 40

[John Milton Binckley, June 1859 Travel Diary, page 40. Many thanks to William Myers, Mary Davy, Sally Young and Sue Davis for their ongoing research collaboration; specifically to William for providing scans of the original document, and in turn many thanks to Peter Johnston Binckley and Patricia D'Arcy "Trish" Binckley (1951-2007), at the source. This is my rough transcription. Extra paragraph breaks inserted for easier reading.]

[continued] the rest. Mother found that her flowers and mine, left in the basket left in Depot had been rifled -- indignation of old lady at Ohio rascality. Explanation volunteered in ignorance of old lady; knowledge of the outrage, on part of Depot agent, old lady satisfied, & sure he is a gentleman, & certainly no Yankee. Find bad treatment has already broken the lock on my trunk. 

Bid all an affectionate farewell, and off. 


Here opens up one of the finest trips in the Union, the level and undulating lands, comprise the whole of this region, of which Every acre may be a garden. 

The road is much better than East of Newark, the morning is fine, much warmer too, and Everything looks fine.

Within a couple miles of the town, the poor old canal, filled with frogs, green aquatic moss and growth, lined with grass and weeds and Ever watched on by bushes and trees, appears: its task done, like a legless soldier when the war is over, it is pensioned off & an idle but peaceful resistance in the even current of its way, to pour out till [to be continued.]  

[John Milton Binckley (1831-1878).
Mother = Charlotte Stocker Binckley (1788-1877).]

Algernon Sidney Johnston to Eliza Mary Johnston, April 1850

[Algernon Sidney Johnston at Columbia, South Carolina, to Eliza Mary Johnston [at Richmond, Virginia], April, 1850. J. Ambler (James Ambler) Johnston Papers, Virginia Historical Society, Section 7. From a rough transcript I made years ago. Extra paragraph breaks inserted for easier reading. This seems to be a fragment of a letter, or the first part of a longer letter. Eliza would marry Robert William Hughes at the Governor's Mansion in Richmond, June 3-4, 1850].

Dear cousin Eliza --

The Prestons (especially Tom) always begin a letter by apologizing and accounting for not having written sooner. In imitation of such august example I will explain me delay in three ways --

1st. The information you asked for had started towards Richmond before I got your letter.

-- 2d. The satisfaction with which I looked for the first time at your handwriting was naturally diminished by the circumstance that your communication was not a free will offering, but induced by a matter of business -- a mere call for information, as above mentioned.

--3rd. Your letter was no letter at all, but a note, about a third of the honest-sized sheet on which I am now writing as fast as I can. However, I am glad to hear from my fair cousin in any shape.

We are getting on very well at Hampton House, except that every thing on the place is eaten up, and we are now starving. We are as hungry as a hundred Hessians. Charity clamourously complains that she could cherr[?] a child or a cheval. Frederick is fidgety at finding neither fish nor fowl. Lanegan laments in lackadaisical language the lack of lamb or lobster in the landscape. Joe jabbers that his jaws would join joyfully upon even the joint of a Justice, a Judge, a Jesuit, or a Jew. Margaret makes a most melancholy moan for mutton, meal, meat or molasses. Shot (the setter) seems as if the smallness of the supply has so sharpened his stomach that he could swallow a sack of sausages or a shoal of shad. 

I don't know what would have become of me if an old hen about the place, moved with compassion at our destitute condition, had not begun to lay eggs most industriously. How much longer her charity may continue I can't say. 

And then, in addition to the pangs of starvation, I am in a considerable state of mental perturbation and alarm -- on the evening before her departure the Empress directed me to attend to four things. I distinctly recalled that they were four, but I can only remember what two of them are. 

Margaret Buchanan Frances Preston Hampton (source: Find a Grave)

Now when the Empress gets back and finds her orders only half performed, the consequences will be dreadful. To look at the mildness of her countenance, especially the gentle lines of that sweet mouth of the beauty of which she is so vain, you would little suspect what a passion she can get into. I am beginning to think of putting off for California -- unless you, my good cousin, can get me out of this awful scrape.

Can't you find out from her what were the four things she told me to do? Of course you can't ask her directly, for she is so dreadfully suspicious that she'd think at once I prompted you -- but you can say to her, in a kind of careless, cursory way "Empress, you must find cousin Sidney very useful about your place, he is so good and ob't I suppose you left him a great deal to [do] for you while you are away?"

"No," she will say (for she is utterly ungrateful) "He isn't of much account. I only told him to do four things -- and he had better not forget them!!" 

Then she'll mention what they were, and you can let me know. If this scheme fails I know of but one other resource (besides California) -- I will say to her on return, "Cousin Margaret, I was so afflicted by your absence that I lost half my memory, and therefore only did two of the four things you told me" -- As she is immediately fond of flattery, perhaps . . . 

Sculpture Model of Margaret Preston Hampton by Hiram Powers

[Algernon Sidney Johnston (October 17, 1801-September 22, 1852)
Margaret Buchanan Frances Preston Hampton (January 13, 1818-January 27, 1852) 
Eliza Mary Johnston (July 3, 1825-January 31, 1909), by then the lone surviving child of Charles Clement Johnston and Eliza Madison Preston Johnston.
Hiram Powers (1805-1873). His Greek Slave sculpture inspired an 1852 duel involving Algernon's brother Edward William Johnston (1799-1867). Here's a link to the above sculpture model. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Renwick Gallery.] 

[Many thanks to Sue Davis, William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]  

Lydia McLane Johnston to Robert Milligan McLane, April 28, 1850

New Orleans, late 1840s. Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington.

[Lydia Milligan Sims McLane Johnston at New Orleans, Louisiana, to Robert Milligan McLane at [Washington City], April 28, 1850. Box 3, Louis McLane Correspondence (1795-1894), MSS 57083, Library of Congress. This is my rough transcription. Added paragraph breaks inserted for easier reading.]

My dearest Robert,

I arrived here yesterday evening from Texas, with the intention of going on in the steamship to New York tomorrow, but now suffer so terribly from sea sickness that Dr. McCormick says I must not go that route, therefore we have concluded to leave here on the 1st of May in the Magnolia for Louisville, we are 3 ladies & 5 children without gentlemen. 

Mrs. Worth is anxious to go on at once . . . children in Philadelphia, & wants to find some one who will put her in the cars. She has no friends in Baltimore & asked me if I would write some of my brothers to meet her there & see her off.

I wrote to Tiffany knowing you were away & . . . that . . . would do all in his power for their comfort, they have seen some . . . . . friends . . .

I have seen that I am most anxious that some of my family should extend to them some civility, if you could only manage to meet us at the relay house, & see Mrs. Worth off it would be a great comfort. I will telegraph Tiffany from Cumberland. 

Heaven bless you my dear Brother. Kiss Georgina & the [children] . . .

I am going to find . . . This evening if I am, I am still in bed suffering from the sea sickness but shall certainly find Mr . . .

                                                               Ever your devoted sister
                                                                L M Johnston

[Lily = Lydia Milligan Sims McLane Johnston (1822-1887) 
Robert Milligan McLane (1815-1898)
Worth = William Jenkins Worth (1794-May 7, 1849), one of about five hundred fatalities from a cholera outbreak in San Antonio in the spring of 1849.
Mrs. Worth = Margaret Stafford Worth (1799-1869); her family included Mary Worth (1822-1876), who had married one of General Worth's officers, John Titcomb Sprague (1810-1878), the author of a book on the Seminole Wars; Margaret Worth (1828-1914); Josephine Worth (1830-?); and William Scott Worth (1840-1904).
Tiffany = Henry Tiffany (born circa 1820), husband of Sally Jones McLane Tiffany (1820-1887), Lily's sister.  

Georgine = Georgine Urquhart McLane (1813-1899)
Little ones = Mary Emma McLane (1843-1869) and Georgina Urquhart "Jennie" McLane (1846-1915). The latter lived in Paris from 1885 until her death in 1915.] 

[Many thanks to Sue Davis, William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]  

Joseph E. Johnston to Robert Milligan McLane, April 19, 1850

[Joseph Eggleston Johnston at San Antonio, Texas, to Robert Milligan McLane at [Washington City], April 19, 1850. Box 3, Louis McLane Correspondence (1795-1894), MSS 57083, Library of Congress. This is my rough transcription. Added paragraph breaks inserted for easier reading.]

My dear Robert,

Lily sets out tomorrow, in company with Mrs. Worth's family, for New Orleans, where the party will take the New York steamer of the 30th. She will probably be in Maryland or the D. C. by the 20th May, to spend the summer among you all & leave you in October, say about the middle.

At that time I expect you to look to my interest in the way of preventing conspiracies against my wife's return. Indeed I think it is important that she should spend another winter in the South. It would conform the restoration of her health, & make her as safe as another in any climate, & unless the Whigs will make some improvement of Southern rivers & harbours this is our only chance for Southern residence -- & that recommendation is worth all the disageeabilities.

Lily received a letter from Georgine by the last mail. She says that you talk of writing to me. It gratified me much, & revived the hope of learning what is going on in "the states" as we say in Texas. 

Is it expected in Congress that anything will be done this session -- we hope or did hope here, to get the U.S. mail arrangements extended to San A. 

Do pass some laws (to be enforced) concerning these Indians. They annoy me very much. I am compelled to move always with an armed party, & to exercise more vigilance every night than civilized warfare ever requires, to prevent finding myself afoot in the morning. I set off in a few days towards Presidio del Norte to find a frontier way to El Paso.

Why did you not send me your speech? I am anxious to see if it deserves the applause bestowed.

My love to Georgine & the children.

                                                                            As ever,
                                                                             J. E. Johnston

[Captain Joseph Eggleston Johnston, Topographical Engineers (1807-1891)
Lily = Lydia Milligan Sims McLane Johnston (1822-1887) 
Robert Milligan McLane (1815-1898)
Louis McLane (1784-1857)
Worth = William Jenkins Worth (1794-May 7, 1849), one of about five hundred fatalities from a cholera outbreak in San Antonio in the spring of 1849.
Mrs. Worth = Margaret Stafford Worth (1799-1869); her family included Mary Worth (1822-1876), who had married one of General Worth's officers, John Titcomb Sprague (1810-1878), the author of a book on the Seminole Wars; Margaret Worth (1828-1914); Josephine Worth (1830-?); and William Scott Worth (1840-1904). 

Georgine = Georgine Urquhart McLane (1813-1899)
Little ones = Mary Emma McLane (1843-1869) and Georgina Urquhart "Jennie" McLane (1846-1915). The latter lived in Paris from 1885 until her death in 1915.] 
                                                 

[Many thanks to Sue Davis, William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]  

Joseph E. Johnston to Robert Milligan McLane, January 24, 1850

Closeup, San Antonio in 1849 by William G M Samuel, Bexar County Courthouse

[Joseph Eggleston Johnston at San Antonio, Texas, to Robert Milligan McLane at [Washington City], January 24, 1850. Box 3, Louis McLane Correspondence (1795-1894), MSS 57083, Library of Congress. This is my rough transcription. Added paragraph breaks inserted for easier reading.]

Since writing you from Austin, my dear Bob:

I find that my movements have been premature. The report of the Sec: of War has come to my hands since then. I accordingly apologize for my haste, but can't refrain from calling to your attention to some portions of that report.

The accompanying pamphlet contradicts emphatically what is said of the peaceful condition of this frontier, & the statements in it are far short of the truth -- because in Austin full evidence was not to be had.

Since the printing of this pamphlet intelligence has been received of the murder by Indians of an agent sent by the Legislature to the Lower Rio Grande to ascertain the extent, in that quarter, of Indian depredations.

I am safe in asserting that there is never less than one plundering party within the settlements, & then, we are bound by the last treaty with Mexico to keep our Indians out of that country.

Now all the Indians of this S.W. region have been taught that Mexico is their natural prey, & that plundering Mexicans is the only manly mode of subsistence -- for variety's sake they occasionally turn off into Texas.

Now six hundred miles at least, of the Rio Grande is without an American soldier, because we have none to place on it, & this is the very frontier that the Indians are & have long been in the habit of crossing into Mexico.

The troops we have on the occupied parts of the Mexican frontier are infantry, & therefore of little efficiency in the pursuit of the prairie Indians. As to the idea of mounting the foot soldiers on emergencies, you know as well as any one how fit they usually are for cavalry service, & how fit muskets and bayonets are for cavalry arms. Two mounted regiments (additional) would not be more than sufficient in the fulfillment of this treaty obligation.

Corrections in abuses of brevet commissions in the way of pay, we recommend. If you will examine the military laws, including articles of war, you'll find that the remedy is already in the hands of the executive. The present abuses are by regulations of the war department, contrary to law -- see in opinions of attorney general, Mr. Wirt's opinion on the subject of brevet pay. You will benefit the army, tho: by abolishing this sort of commission.

There is another recommendation, the injustice of which you will understand, when you read it. To make senior staff officers, in certain cases & for certain purposes, to a certain extent subject to be commanded by their juniors of the line -- this for the sake of harmony.

Such evils as are referred to do exist, but they come from a disregard on the part of the govt., of existing military organization, of European experience, in the establishment of an enormous qr. master's dept. independent of the regimental organization, & in giving military rank to the civil branches of the service -- surgeons and paymasters.

The remedy therefore is not in continuing to overturn established principles & usage, but in undoing the measures which produced the evils complained of. Because medical officers ought to be under the command of the commanders of their posts it does not follow that an old field officer of Engineers who has served in the front of every campaign, perhaps, since the revolution, should be inferior in military rank to any 2d Lieut:

It isn't necessary to argue these matters with you; but it is a relief sometimes, you know, to express oneself in such a case. I can't do so to the author, & therefore make a victim of you.

Tell Caldwell howdy for me.
                                                                      as ever
                                                                       J. E. Johnston
                                                                
[Captain Joseph Eggleston Johnston (1807-1891), Topographical Engineers 
Robert Milligan McLane (1815-1898)
Secretary of War = George Walker Crawford (1798-1872)
Caldwell = George Alfred Caldwell (1814-1866)]

[Many thanks to Sue Davis, William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]  

Joseph E. Johnston to Robert Milligan McLane, January 14, 1850

Austin, Texas, in 1844. A. B. Lawrence, A History of Texas, 1844.

[Joseph Eggleston Johnston at Austin, Texas, to Robert Milligan McLane at [Washington City], January 14, 1850. Box 3, Louis McLane Correspondence (1795-1894), MSS 57083, Library of Congress. This is my rough transcription. Added paragraph breaks inserted for easier reading.]

My dear Robert,

We have just received the president's message, & I write to you in consequence of the recommendation to increase the military establishment. What that recommendation is, or rather what increase is recommended is not known here as the report of the Sec: of war [has] not yet come.

I write again on the subject because it seems to me that in my former letter[s], my wishes were not very clearly expressed -- it seems to me probable that the president may [insist?] the additional force should be small, confine the superior appointments to the army. 

In that case I would accept a majority rather than remain where I am, but couldn't an old Hero be induced to consider war rank? That would make a world of difference to me . . . I should be happy with a colonelcy content with a 1st Majority, but less so with a 2d than I now am.

So you understand my case. I am hoping to see you named Chairman of the Mil: co[mmittee].

I have written to my brother Bev: to . . . desire his friends, in the event of the passage of the bill in question, to consult you as to the manner in which they can help.

I can rely upon my old messmate Caldwell of Kentucky too. John Lee is a my true friend also, & a valuable auxiliary.

Lily continues to improve -- you couldn't keep your fingers from pinching her cheeks. She has taken eagerly to riding, & is now in great distress at the loss of her Palfrey -- the best Mexican horse I have ever seen,  I hope on every account that she will go Northward in the Spring. It will renew her grief bitterly, but will be a satisfaction hereafter, as well as while it lasts, & such a visit will be valuable to your father to whom she is, I think, next to you.

The mail is about to close.                                    Affec'y
                                                                                J. E. Johnston

[p.s.] Did I give you my notion of the arms for these troops? If not ask Abert, when you've nothing else to do, or the ad: gen, to show you a letter of mine to Gen'l Brooke, last paragraph, date 28th Dec'r.

[Captain Joseph Eggleston Johnston, Topographical Engineers (1807-1891)
Robert Milligan McLane (1815-1898)
Secretary of War = George Walker Crawford (1798-1872)
Bev = Beverly Randolph Johnston (1803-1876)
Caldwell = George Alfred Caldwell (1814-1866)
John Lee (1788-1870) of Maryland, possibly.

Lily = Lydia Milligan Sims McLane Johnston (1822-1887) 
Abert = John James Abert (1788-1863), commander of the Corps of Topographical Engineers, whose son, James William Abert (1820-1897), was also a "Topog."
Ad: gen = Roger Catesby Jones (1789-1852)
Brooke = George Mercer Brooke (1785-March 9, 1851).] 

[Illustration of Austin from: A. B. Lawrence and David Edward, A History of Texas, or the Emigrant's Guide to the New Republic by a Resident Emigrant, Late From the United States. New York: Nafis & Cornish, 1844.] 

[Many thanks to Sue Davis, William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]