1861 September 12 New York

I am very much obliged to you my d[ear] General
for you kind response to my letter in relation
to the sought for cadetship of young Sidney Brooks DeKay
--he will resume his studies- 'till the time comes
to apply for appointment--

We are all on the "qui vive" here--not
knowing what the next telegraph may tell.
I have lost all sympathy for the South--there
seems such a fixed determination on the part of
those (who must be allow'd to be inteligent) to
persevere in wrong doing and such a readiness
on the part of the ignorant masses to be "led in
inquity"--that I see no other mode left than
to "smash them all up"--I did hope that
neither would have so turned that this conflict
would have been limited only to a severe rebuke
to a certain classof Ismites at the north
and east who would persist in stirring up
strife of a sectional character--But "Southern
regulators"--have so blindly sought every remedy

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that I have no longer a spark of sympathy for
them--and I only hope that every leading Traitor
will get what he richly deserves--(a short trial
and a long rope) and the misled taught a lesson
that will last them till they reach old age
& crutches.

I admire much that letter from
Russia--tho' it seems to me it must havae been
detained somewhere in transition--being dated
10 July--in regular course of mail it shd
have reached here at or a little after the
Bull run affair--perhaps the accredited member
at Washington had the power to use discretion
as to its delivery--but let that pass--

I learn that the french party (Prince Napoleon)
do not think the Southern army at Manassas
have an easy time of it--"tout au contraire"

If I had been "Commander in Chief"--I would
never have allow'd a gun to be fired---Except
in defence and (never moved unless in
number and force that would have incurred
no dishonor by retreat of those I moved
against--I would have made this War

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from the beginning - a War of Shoes trousers & shirt
because we hold all the sources of power
to circumvent--cut off--and hold--nor would I
resort to confiscating in retaliation--let the other
party confiscate if they would--they might
steal spoons--but all the natural wealth
would have sought protection North--but
some people are so constructed as to hold
a five cent piece so near the eye as not
to see a $20 gold piece at the end of their
nose--there are Evils hat only obstruct
and delay a result sure to come in
the End--"Secession" is as sure to fail
as good government is sure to prevail--

Thus far in a pecuniary sense I have
not suffered much--Virginia confiscated two
steamers of a line of three steamers--in which
I had an interest--because said line
had Northern stockholders in it--and the
third steamer is seized here because
of Southern interest in the stock--So

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like "Dog Tray"--I get a thumping for being
caught in bad company.--I did think of writing
a letter to the Govr of Va--respectfully requesting
him to pay me the amount thus taken from me
by a given time or I wd lick every slimy back
biting Virginian I met who did not weigh
more than I do------------These are lively times
and I am very glad- (since they must come)
that I am still alive to witness them--

The body Politic--(like the body physical)
had become diseas'd and needed good dosing.
the Liver will be all the better for it
and I hope (as I believe) that you and I
(and yours and mine) will be among the
livers to see--better times--and better national
health--as the Irishman said- when he thought
he saw "good times coming tomorrow" "how I pity
the man who died yesterday"-----with kindest
regards to your sweet wife--believe me as Ever
yr friend & well wisher--
Ch. A Davis


Charles Augustus Davis, 1795-1867, a New York City business man and author wrote political satire under the pen name "Jack Downing."


The Special Collections Dept. welcomes commentators who can identify Davis's correspondent "My dear general"

MSS 7159-a