Letter To Editor

Letter To Editor

Mrs. Sarah C. Latham, Managing Editor, The Rappahannock News, Washington, Virginia

Dear Mrs. Latham:

In the issue of J;lje Rappahannock News of February 12, last, I noted an article by Mr. William Pullen in which he stated that Mr. Aylett Hawes freed in his will a large number of slaves, for one of whom he provided funds to pay their transportation to Liberia.

That reminded me of a letter from my grandfather, Thomas Botts Nalle, who was an officer in the United States Navy from 1839 to 1861. When the War Between the States came on he resigned his commission in the Navy and returned to his home, “Val Verde”, which is on the Culpeper-Orange Road, about six miles south of Culpeper and now owned by Mr. Walton Loving. This letter was written while Thomas Botts Nalle was on a cruise off the coast of Africa. Extracts of his letter to his mother, Mrs. Ann Nolle, Griffinsburg P.O., Culpeper might be of interest.

Dear Mother As an opportunity offers by the Ship Saluda I avail myself of it to write to you. We have been cruising on this coast now for nearly two months. A most dull and monotonous cruise it is, the weather intensely hot ahd dry Save only when the tornados or Thunder storms come on. These are most violent and the peals of thunder and flashes of lightening are far more Severe' than I ever beheld in the United ' States. We have as yet all1 remained <in fine health on board this ship, bwing perhaps to the' p£at pramwtkur we have taken tQj. avoid disease. None of us ever. Sleep on Shore during the night, is it is said that Staying on Shore one night is Sufficient to ensure the African fever, which to the white man is quite as fatal as the yellow fever of the South. I have been several times in Sierra Leone, Monrovia & Hassacove. Have seen some of the negroes that were formerly