. 51.] TO GEORGE ENGELMANN. 471 



TO GEORGE ENGELMANN. 



CAMBRIDGE, January 15, 1862. 



I do not like to write to you much about the war, 

 and that is much reason why I have not sooner replied 

 to yours of December 9. 



My brother-in-law and his cousin are both officers 

 in Burnside's expedition, which we expect will do 

 something. 



Mrs. Gray and I send warmest New Year greet- 

 ings to you and Mrs. E., and hope you may feel all 

 right and country safe in 1863. 



February 20. 



Bravo for Illinois, to which victory at Fort Donel- 

 son is due, and bravo for Tennessee and Alabama 

 full of Union men I Does not your old Union blood 

 rise? Pray, now drop all your let-treason-alone, do- 

 nothing-disorganizing notions, and go in for the coun- 

 try, the whole country, reinstate it first, and then we 

 will all go in and make it what it should be. The un- 

 generous conduct of England shows what a condition 

 we should be in as a fraction, and she playing off one 

 portion against the other, and bullying both. 



I pray Congress to put on taxes, five per cent di- 

 rect on property and income, and heavy indirect be- 

 sides. What is property ! I would fight till every 

 cent is gone, and would offer my own life freely ; so 

 I do not value the lives or property of rebels above my 

 own. God bless you. 



May 22. 



A most lovely spring here. We all flourish and 

 prosper, and rejoice in the strengthening of our na- 

 tional power, and advancing restoration of the Union, 



