[Letter to] My dear Friend
Contributors: Weston, Deborah, b.1814 recipient
Series: Deborah Weston Correspondence (1830-1879)
Published: 1861
Place of publication: Philad[elphi]a, Penn
Language: eng
Format: [manuscript]
Subjects: Correspondence; Women abolitionists; Antislavery movements; History
Notes: Holograph, signed.

L. P. Ashmead was in Washington "& vicinity seeing an abundance of troops with the all the fixings for crushing out the great Rebellion." He believes that there is "too much corruption and political claptrap at work in the appointing of important officers." He comments on the inefficiency of the military leaders. Ashmead's neighbor, Lieutenant Grebbe, "was killed at his gun in our sacrifice of the blunder." He discusses the issues of the war. Ashmead has had no call for his services from the Navy Department. Henry Wilson has influence with the powers that be. Ashmead writes that the "times are now decidedly hard in business matters." The safest plan would be to settle in the country on a good farm. He wishes that "the science of war should become so terribly effective as to completely destroy contending armies." He fears that if the Union continues, slavery will not be disturbed.