Maury, William Lewis, 1813-1878 to Nan [Maury]

Comments that Mrs. Sinclair (widow of Confederate States Navy commander Arthur Sinclair) bears the loss of her husband well. Reports that a black woman who frequently stayed in Baltimore set fire to the house of her mistress, the wife of Confederate Admiral [Franklin] Buchanan. Discusses Buchanan's convalescence (Buchanan was wounded and taken prisoner at the Battle of Mobile Bay in August 1864. He was exchanged the month this letter was written). Presumes the woman's friends put her up to the crime. Writes, "They seem to be expecting a fight soon on our right. Nothing positive from Sherman, though he seems to have turned off [3] in the direction of Wilmington & Charlotte safe. There is some anxiety here in consequence of the order of Genl Lee to remove the cotton & tobacco from the city. This I consider merely precautionary & to provide for any contingency that may arise. Genl Hardee has been much censored for leaving so much cotton in Savannah. Admiral Buchanan told me that Mrs B - had her house burnt supposed by one of the servants who had been most faithful when at the Navy yard. The black woman. She had been living in Baltimore & when Mrs Meire returned to the [illegible] to be confined this woman went there it her own voluntary request to wait upon her. The other servants accused her of [4] the crime. Tis supposed she was instigated to commit to and by some friend from Baltimore. This occurred some time since. His daughters went to Baltimore to see him as he passed through on his way [him] but they were not admitted into his room, he however saw them in the hall of [Barhums] as he passed out the officer in charge having intentionally for the moment slept out of the way & they also had a slight interim after he got in the back from to off side towards the [said] officer turning his back [Barhums] was such a 'secesh' hole' that he was ordered away to another hotel. Capt [Domis] called on him here & was the only one of his olds friends who did so…" Year inferred.