Boston, December 19, 1861
I received yours of the 30th ultimo yesterday. You say “this nation means to make war.” To this I have to reply that this nation does n’t. England may force us into a war, but the feeling here is eminently pacific, and unless the Ministry has put themselves in an untenable position and driven us to the wall, no war will come out of this. Dana has sent a letter to the Governor by this mail, and if Lyons withdraws, the negotiation must be carried on in London. He wants me to add the peculiar injustice of the English talk of violence in seizing Slidell. The business was done in the most courteous manner in which it could be and the “sass” in the Trent was all English. Our men were abused and assaulted, called “pirates” and blackguarded, and answered not a word. And if England insists on war, it will be only because England is dissatisfied that we did n’t insist on all our “belligerent” rights, and the curse be on her head. The facts in the case you will have before this and make the most of them.
My object in writing this is, however, to tell you that I have received my commission. I leave the State Tuesday next with my regiment for Annapolis. I am a 1st Lieutenant and to be Captain, so Colonel Williams says, and heard of it only an hour ago. This is all I hoped for and much more than I expected. . . .
