Augusta County: Mary Anna Sibert to Mr. and Mrs.
Lorenzo Sibert, December, 1862
Summary:
Mary Anna Sibert writes her parents to report the return of her uncle from
imprisonment as a traitor to the cause. She describes his escape, denies his
alleged Union sentiments, and discusses a new military invention.
Dec, 1862.
Staunton,
My dear Pa and Ma
I have a most agreeable surprise for you both, and you Ma would have given
anything had you instead of me, been the first one who met and welcomed back the
wanderer to his native soil. Last night I was standing in the passage with a
candle, when a very [illeg.] looking man asked me if "Mrs [deleted: ] the confectioner lived here"! Told him "yes" he smiled then I knew him, it
was no other then
Uncle
S. L. Savage safe and well. Now you
will be pleased to learn how he got here and how he came released from
imprisonment. well he told those who had the authority to give him freedom, that
he was a union man, and Yankee from the city of New York, so
[page 2]
he was
exchanged, and sent to New York with other prisoners, he then left that city,
and came on to Norfolk, there he run the blockade, paying a man one hundred
dollars to pilot him across the river, came on to Richmond without further
molestations after that. He left this evening on the train for
[unclear: Grandma's]. I do think he is the happiest man to get back
I ever saw, he was going to Mt. Solon to day, but then
thought how anxious they were at home about him, concluded to go down at once.
You may look for him between the 9, and [illeg.] next month, he is going
to Richmond and will come up by Mt. Solon, so he requested me to tell you, is
very anxious to see you and pa and asked about all the family down
[illeg.] "[unclear: Heens] as he calls her. Ella give him a nice
dinner, which he praised wonderfully Oh! he had a severe time of it in prison
indeed, heard of Grandfathers' death while a prisoner said the
[unclear: sun] almost deranged him, heard in Baltimore that Grandma was
dead he Met Mr. Adam Deane in Richmond
[page 3]
who told him all about the
[unclear: battles] Mr. Mchenry, and Mr Mafus, Which grieved and
vexed him considerbly Why Ma Uncle Savage is no
more of a union man, then papa, he really hates the
Yankees says it was grandpa's [unclear: sentiments] that placed him in
difficulty and [illeg.]
[illeg.]
[illeg.]
[illeg.]
[illeg.]
[illeg.] of the [illeg.]
[unclear: who] fight. Which he could not prevent he had a high command
offered him in the federal Army which he quickly and firmly refused. The Yankees
had him in prison in Washington city for betting that Gen. McLlelen could not defeat our Army on the Potomac. No indeed it
cannot he said with truth that Uncle Savage even entertains a single union
sentiment [illeg.] never believe it in the world nor would you Ma and
papa. He said I should tell papa that he had beat him in patent rights. The inventor Conrey of the Submarine fuse or battery,
sold or I think give him the liberty to sell his right to the Yankee Navy before
he was arrested, he came South last spring for the purpose of selling it to our
Navy
[page 4]
when [unclear: he] was made a prisoner not [deleted: was in was made] as he tells me by the command of any officer
but just one private who with others went and arrested him as a traitor to our
cause. You see he came here to sell this Submarine battery to our men for the
purpose of destroying the [unclear: masonry] of those [illeg.]
[illeg.]
[illeg.] and [illeg.]ously to damage, or [illeg.]
[illeg.] there dams. This new invention has proved its efficacy by
repeated trials. I wonder papa never thought of inventing something of the kind.
The batteries we have had on ours will not explode. The [unclear: lever]
will not dr[illeg.]
[illeg.] Uncle looks better then I have seen him
looking for years. Ella and I called [illeg.] Mrs. Baker this evening
the [illeg.]
[illeg.]
[illeg.]
[illeg.]
[illeg.] a woman. Dear John left us last Wednesday. I grieved to have
him go. May God in his infinite goodness shield and cover him with the
[unclear: wings] of His love saving him from danger. Are you coming
Christmas? Mr Trout has been very ill. both Miss Trouts have called on me. My
love and a kiss to the dear children.
Your Affectionate daughter
M A Sibert
