Blair, James (b. 1819) to Elizabeth Blair
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03209.27.01 Author/Creator: Blair, James (b. 1819) Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 25 November 1838 Pagination: 1 p. : docket ; 24.5 x 21.1 cm. Order a Copy
Blair, a seaman aboard the United States Ship Peacock, apologizes to his sister Elizabeth for not writing sooner. Informs Elizabeth that Navy orders prevent him from telling her details about his location, but mentions the ship is close to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A seal was torn from this document, causing text loss.
The Peacock was one of six vessels in an expedition established to provide accurate naval charts for the whaling industry. James and Elizabeth Blair were the children of Francis Preston Blair, editor of the Washington, D.C. newspaper, The Globe.
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