356 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 
From Spencer F. Baird to Dr. S. E. Hale, Elizabethtown, New York. 
WasHINcTON, May 1, 1861. 
Dear SAFFORD:— 
Your kind letter of April 25 was duly received a day or two ago. 
I am much obliged to you for your invitation to our people. Gen. 
and Mrs. Churchill are now in Carlisle, Mary with me here. At 
present we do not feel in any danger of attack, but of course cannot 
say what may turn up. If we should be obliged to run, it is a great 
comfort and satisfaction to know that we can find so safe a harbor 
as “the Valley.” 
Our town is quite full of soldiers, and more coming in at the rate 
of about a thousand a day. Our mails are still in a sadly deranged 
state. No newspapers since April 1gth, and a letter mail only once 
in every few days. With love to all I am, 
Ever yours, 
S. F. Barrp. 
From Spencer F. Baird to Gen. S. Churchill, Carlisle, Pa. 
WasHIncTon, May 8, 1861. 
Dear FaTHER:— 
I received yours of the sth and 6th last night and this evening 
went to the War Office. The Chief Clerk told me that the Adjutant 
General could tell me what had been concluded in the matter. I 
went to Col. Thomas who said that such was the feeling in regard to 
Gen. Floyd by the Secretary of War that he had not been willing to 
take the Board’s opinion on the manuscript,”* that the matter would 
be considered afresh by this administration, and that a new Board 
would have to be convened in the matter. Also, that such was the 
8 The above refers to a manual for the use of the army compiled 
by Gen. Churchill. The letter is given as illustrating the feeling of 
the time. Gen. Churchill himself was a Vermonter, an Old Line Whig, 
and afterwards a War Democrat, thoroughly loyal, of course, and 
perfectly well-known to be such. (Note by Miss Lucy Baird.) 
