Folded letter by US Navy Surgeon David Shelton Edwards
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The circular date stamp indicates the letter was forwarded on 13 June from the Pensacola, Florida post office. The rate for a single letter (one sheet of paper) traveling more than 400 miles was 25 cents. The absence of the word \"Paid\" indicates that the letter was sent unpaid and 25 cents was collected from the addressee."}, {"label": "Description", "content": "David Shelton Edwards begins the letter to his wife Harriet with news of his activities in Pensacola, including travels to the countryside and a new commander at the Navy Yard. He looks forward to her visit as \"a sort of second marriage so far as actual presence is concerned.\" He continues with advice on what household items she should buy and bring with her and inquires as to the state of construction of their house at Sing-Sing, New York as well as gives some instructions for the layout of the garden and house structure."}, {"label": "Description", "content": "This letter is part of the correspondence of David Shelton Edwards between the years 1835 and 1848. The 48 letters from this period held by the National Postal Museum are primarily addressed to Edward's wife Harriet; in 1830, Edwards married Harriet Eliza Henry and they had two children, William and Harriet. They kept up a frequent correspondence when his naval service kept them separated. Between 1835 and 1848, Edwards served as a Surgeon at the hospital in the Pensacola Navy Yard, Florida; Fleet Surgeon to the West Indies Squadron; and Surgeon aboard many vessels engaged in the Mexican-American War. His naval career spanned from 1818 to 1861 and his last sea cruise ended in October of 1859 after which he retired to his family home in Connecticut except for a brief time spent at New Bedford, Massachusetts recruiting for the Union Navy during the Civil War. He died in Trumbull, Connecticut on March 18, 1874."}, {"label": "Description", "content": "Reference:"}, {"label": "Description", "content": "National Museum of American History, Naval History Archives. David Shelton Edwards Papers. Accession Number: 1978.0652"}, {"label": "Description", "content": "New York Public Library, Rare Books and Manuscripts Division. \"David S. Edwards papers, 1818-1865.\""}], "name": [{"label": "Writer", "content": "David Shelton Edwards, American, died 1874"}], "topic": [{"label": "Topic", "content": "American Expansion (1800-1860)"}, {"label": "Topic", "content": "Covers & Letters"}], "place": [{"label": "Place of Origin", "content": "Florida"}, {"label": "Place of Destination", "content": "New York"}], "physicalDescription": [{"label": "Medium", "content": "paper; ink / handwritten"}, {"label": "Dimensions", "content": "40.3 x 32.7 cm (15 7/8 x 12 7/8 in.)"}], "dataSource": [{"label": "Data Source", "content": "National Postal Museum"}], "objectType": [{"label": "Type", "content": "Covers & Associated Letters"}]}}, "url": "edanmdm:npm_1978.0652.6", "hash": "93a830fb3e5e30ea4fb4251e0e61d16f40c93e72", "docSignature": "f33f9a2460e88f919be71f7aee426117", "timestamp": 1663786505, "lastTimeUpdated": 1657961588, "title": "Folded letter by US Navy Surgeon David Shelton Edwards"}