184 NEW HAVEN CT LETTER FROM ALFRED TERRY ABOUT SON - BECAME CIVIL WAR GENERAL

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

184 NEW HAVEN CT LETTER FROM ALFRED TERRY ABOUT SON - BECAME CIVIL WAR GENERAL :
$14.99

GREAT 1841 NEW HAVEN CTLETTER FROM ALFRED TERRY ABOUT HIS SON, FUTURE CIVIL WAR GENERAL ALFRED H. TERRY - COMMANDED THE EXPEDITION WHICH CAPTURED FORT FISHER, N.C. - THEN A 14 YEAR OLD BOY. THE LETTER IS WRITTEN TO ALFRED TERRY\'S FATHER, NATHANIEL TERRY AT HARTFORD, CT.- HE SERVED IN THE U.S. CONGRESS, 1817-1819 AND WAS MAYOR OF HARTFORD.

1 pg. letter, approx. 7-5/8\" x 10\", dated at New Haven, Ct., April 3,1841, from Alfred Terry, to his father, Nathaniel Terry, at Hartford, Ct.

Folded letter has red \"NEW-HAVEN/Ct.\"cds postmark and manuscript \"10\" rate.

The writer of this letter, Alfred Terry, (1802-1860), graduated from Yale in 1821. He married Clarissa Howe, and practiced law in Hartford, 1824-1831, but then moved his family to New Haven, and from this letter and others in the correspondence, seems unable to earn a living, constantly asking for small sums from his father to help meet his expenses and support his family. He later served at Town Clerk of New Haven, 1843-1856. Among his children, was Alfred Howe Terry, (1827-1890), Civil War General, noted for commanding the expedition which captured Fort Fisher, near Wilmington, N.C., in Jan., 1865, closing the last port city available to the Confederacy; After the Civil War, he remained in the Army, commanded expeditions against the Indians, was Commander of the Dakota Territory, 1866-1869 & 1872-1886. He is generally considered one of the most capable Generals with no previous military training to emerge from the Civil War.

The letter is written to Alfred Terry\'s father (and future General Alfred H. Terry\'s grandfather), Nathaniel Terry, (1768-1844), graduated from Yale College in 1786; Admitted to the Bar in 1790 and practiced law in Hartford; Member of the Ct. State Constitutional Convention, 1818; In U.S. Congress, 1817-1819;President of the Hartford Fire Insurance Co., 1810-1835; Mayor of Hartford, Ct., 1824-1831; General in the State Militia. In 1798, hemarried Catharine Wadsworth, (1774-1841), the daughter of Col. Jeremiah Wadsworth (1743-1804), a Patriot in the Revolutionary War,who served as Commissary General of the Continental Army, 1778-1779; A member of the Ct. Convention to ratify the U.S. Constitution, and served in theU.S. Congress in 1788.

The letter has great content concerning his son, future Civil War General Alfred H. Terry, who was then 14 years old, and working for a Mr. Noyes.He writes that his Uncle Wadsworth, a brother of young Alfred\'s mother, Catharine Wadsworth Terry, \"hast taken Alfred under his especial patronage\" - which was a great benefit to young Alfred, considering the fact that his father barely had money to support him. He also writes of the possibility of young Alfred visiting Nathaniel Terry at Hartford at Election time, but if he can\'t, perhaps Alfred\'s brother, Adrian could go (Adrian Terry, 1831-1906), graduated Yale in 1852, was a Colonel in the Civil War, and served as his brother\'s adjutant general during the Civil War. Indicative of the financial difficulties Alfred was continually under, he begins the letter by thanking his father for sending him five dollars.It is apparent from this letter, as well as others in this correspondence from Alfred to Nathaniel Terry, that although the son ofa wealthy and prominent man, and being himself a Yale graduate, Alfred Terry was unable to support his family, and constantly needed money sent to him by his father, the former U.S. Congressman & Mayor of Hartford. His son, future Civil War General Alfred H. Terry was raised in these difficult circumstances, and had to work at the age of 13, and his clothing andother expenses were paid for by an Uncle who had taken young Alfred \"under his especial patronage\".

The letter reads:

\"My dear Father, I, yesterday, rec\'d your letter enclosing $5., for which I thank you very much. Uncle Wadsworth has taken Alfred under his especial patronage, and has said that he wishes him to remain at Mr. Noyes\' during the spring vacation. For Alfred\'s sake, I do not wish to interfere with Mr. W\'s arrangements or whims, but if, at Mother\'s request, he should be willing that Alfred should go to Hartford at election, I certainly have no objection, & should be very glad to have him visit you.

We rec\'d a letter from Alfred this morning, in which he says that he has been very kindly rec\'d by Mr. Noyes & family, and is not near as homesick as he expected to be.

We are all as well as usual, tho\' I think our youngest two have the seeds of measles in them, & will probably be sick in a few days.

With much love to all, Your aff. Son, Alfred Terry.

P.S. If Alfred should not be able to go to Hartford at Election, should you like to have Adrian make you a short visit at that time? as was mentioned by you & Mother some time SHIPPING FOR MULTIPLE ITEMS.