Julia Gibbons and Caroline S. Choate letters to Abby Hopper Gibbons

Carry & Joe are as kind as can be
& are want for nothing.

N.Y. July 15/63

Dear Mother,

Father, Lucy & I
are staying with the Choates,
that is, we came here
last night, but shall
probably go either to Uncle
John's or Milton eventually.
The rioters yesterday gutted
our home completely. We
had time to save most of
our valuable clothing, the
pictures & bust of Willie &
a few other valuables, but
the furnitures is all gone &
most of the pictures, [underlined] all [/underlined] the
books. We had only a few
hours to scratch together

what we did save & so put
it through the scuttle into
Uncle Samuel's house & there
Mr. Choate came up &
look us through the
scuttle of No 1. to a carriage
around the corner. He &
father have now gone up
to Uncle John's. I suppose
Mrs S Nolf & Aunt Sue
were too much frightened
to let him come out. I
cant help feeling very sorry
that we have lost so many
valuable things, but on
looking back now, we
cant regret that we did
otherwise. We know we could
not save the furniture & so

packed up little valuables,
Lilly's jewelry drawer, & new
underclothes, all our best dresses,
the two drawers from the
small bureau in Sally's
room, Mr. Emerson's German books, a few letters & papers
from thy drawers, some
winter cloaks &c & let the
rest go. We had scarcely
been out of the house 15
minutes, when the rabble
came. Father had not 5
minutes before, left the
front door key at uncle
Samuel's & had gone over
to the Fifth House ([which] is
also threatened) to get a
newspaper. The reasons why
our house was attacked was

that Mr. Greebey was thought
to live there. I dont think
we ourselves need be on the
last fear of danger. We
shall keep out of person's way,
Father is disposed to be cautious
& it is thought that
another day or two will quell
the rioters. Uncle Samuel is
this morning barring the
windows & doors boarded
up so that we shall have
an opportunity of going down
through the roof & seeing
if anything is left. Now
about thy coming home.
Thee had [underlined] very decidedly [/underlined] better
[underlined] not [/underlined] come. The railroads
are liable to be torn up,
several of the most important

Dear Mrs Gibbons

I have begged a
lines space of Julia to say
what I know you will readily
believe that we are only too
happy to have them all with
us & I hope you will induce them
to remain as long as it is at
all convenient or comfortable
for them. We feel entirely safe
in this quiet little street & we
all hope you wont think of
venturing home till the city
has assumed its usual condition.

If you should, pray remember
Joe & I are always at your
command. I cannot tell you
how grieved we all are at what
has happened & how we blame
ourselves for not sooner looking
after the girls. For I feel now
that we might have been of some
possible assistance to them. The
excitement of mind is too intense
to be able to write. With much
love from us both for yourself
& Sallie I remain Yours &c.
Carrie S. Choate,

P.S. Have you received a case of brandy from Mrs Hardwelle?
It was sent about two weeks ago.

ones are already broken, thee
cannot do a thing if thee
does come there is not
the slightest possibility of
personal danger to us &
until the disturbance is
over & the communications
are again established, thee
had better stay where thee
is. The Milton boat runs
daily, as do all the steam
boats & we shall go there
if it is thought best. Father
is in excellent spirits so
are we all. We are so
glad to get off with our
lives & dearest possessions
that we can only be satisfied
with the result. Many lives

have been endangered & our
just having left the house,
& Father's having been out of
the neighborhood, are such
fortunate circumstances that
we can regret nothing.
I will write again as soon as
I see Uncle John & [underlined] dont [/underlined]
come home until you hear
from us. Business is suspended,
everything is being
done for defense & the
only thing left for us
to do is to [underlined] wait [/underlined].

With much love to Sally
& thyself, thy [affectionate] daughter
Julia

The house itself is not much
injured, we hear. A few hundred
dollars will set it all right,
& the city compensates for [underlined] pecuniary [/underlined]
losses.