Following the American Civil War Sesquicentennial with day by day writings of the time, currently 1863.

Post image for Woolsey Family during the War.

Woolsey Family during the War.

March 20, 2014

Woolsey family letters during the War for the Union

Harriet Roosevelt Woolsey to her sisters, Jane and Georgeanna.

Fishkill, Sunday.

My Dears: We came up here last Thursday, and you may imagine it was somewhat of a relief to get Mother away from the everlasting Fair business that, for the last few weeks, has completely run her off her feet. . . .

New York is really in a disgusting state of fashionable excitement; nothing is talked of, or thought of, or dreamed of, but the big Metropolitan Fair! Mrs. Parker has her thousand dollar tea-sets to dispose of; Kate Hunt, her two hundred dollar curtains; Mrs. Schermer-horn, her elegant watches; and Mrs. Sombodyelse, the beautiful jewelry sent from Rome for the Sanitary Commission. . . .

Mary, and Edward Potter have been very busy with their floral department, and Mary has made some “sweet” things, one very pretty garden hat, a pure white straw with wide white ribbon streamers and a bunch of large pansies painted on the end of each, exquisitely painted, and to bring in thirty dollars or more. . . .

All the committees are at swords’ points, of course; the Restaurant ladies wish flowers in their department, to which Mrs. George Betts, chairwoman of the Floral Committee, says “as sure as they do, I will have oysters on the shell in mine, and call them seaweeds.” . . .

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