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Young Sitgreaves Writes About Antebellum Life in Virginia, Selling His Books, and Applying for the Topographical Engineers

An early autograph letter, signed by Lorenzo Sitgreaves of Colorado River exploration fame, addressed to his cousin John Scott. The letter was written while Sitgreaves was posted at the Bellona Arsenal, near Richmond, Virginia.

Lorenzo Sitgreaves (c.1811-1888), a noted western explorer, served in various military posts before duty in the Mexican War, leading his promotion for meritorious conduct in the Battle of Buena Vista. He then commanded a survey expedition of the Colorado and Zuni Rivers in Arizona and New Mexico in 1851, as well as supervised several lighthouses on the Great Lakes and Atlantic coasts in the 1850s, serving through to the Civil War. The present letter, written early in his career, mentions interactions with two notable Army engineers of the period, Sylvanus Thayer and Stephen Long. Sitgreaves was assigned to the Corps of Engineers by the late 1830s. In addition to Sitgreaves' concerns about his prospects in the army, the letter makes brief reference to parties in Richmond, where he was apparently not well received, as well as disappointment in the meagre proceeds from the sale of his library.

Bellona Arsenal

In the years before the Civil War, the foundry at Bellona, located west of Richmond, supplied ordnance to the Army and Navy of the United States. The Arsenal had a workshop which repaired arms which was active until about 1832. The Army removed the garrison to Fort Monroe in 1833 but left a ordnance sergeant as a caretaker. In 1837 the War Department declared Bellona Arsenal as surplus and leased the property to Thomas Randolph for use as a silkworm farm.

An interesting personal view by a noted western explorer early in his career, shedding light on the decision-making process which led to his joining the Topographical Corps Engineers. By July 1838, Sitgreaves would be appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the Corps.  In 1851 Sitgreaves led an important expedition to the Colorado River region which would collect significant archaeological and ethnographical data on the route through New Mexico and Arizona, past Zuñi, along the Little Colorado and through the Mohave villages on to Southern California. The published report of the expedition, Report of an Expedition Down to the Zuni and Colorado Rivers (1853) is a classic of Army Exploration in the West.

Here follows a transcription of most of the letter:

Bellona Arsenal May 18, 1833

My dear Cousin,

I had bethought me that it was again time to let you know what had become of me when I received your letter informing me of the sale of my books - which business I am glad to have done with at last. I was careful to preserve a catalogue of them - which I will soon have an opportunity of sending to you & will request Theodore, to whom you can hand it, with the accounts - to compare them. The amount of the sale is not nearly as much as I expected, which gives me reason to doubt its correctness. Having no present need for the money - and not being able to suggest any disposal of it - you will oblige me by making such a one as you may think fit.

And now to answer your kind enquiries about myself. I have been well and not in love - & have had no cause to change the opinion I first formed of the Virginians. During the winter I visited Richmond occasionally - heard nullification speeches at the Capitol & attended some parties - at the first place, being threatened with fire & sword - & at the others with brighter eyes and sharper glances - but have fortunately escaped them both. Indeed in my situation & to myself, the latter would cause the greater misfortune. I have become heartily tired of a garrison life - which (at least at Bellona) is one of complete idelness - the whole of my duties occupying less than one hour of the twenty four - & the worst of it is that I see no near prospect of a chane for the better. I was in hopes of being ordered to West Point - until the death of Mr. Gimbrede, who was disirous of having me there - Mr. Leslie - who has succeeded him will most probably chose his own assistant. You may recollect also that I sent an application for topographical duty to Col: Thayer - who promised to forward it with his recommendation, but having heard nothing of it since I supposed he has either forgotten it or made the promise without intending to fulfill it - & I am unwilling to repeat it without knowing what has become of the first one - besides - an unassisted application would - I am afraid - meet with little attention. In case I should resign my commission, there would not be much difficulty in getting employment as an engineer - either in Pennsylvania or elsewhere... 

I mention engineering - as if it is the only employment that occurs to me - but here at Bellona I am unable to take advantage of any favorable occasion that might arise - When I was at Philadelphia Col: Long was (& still is, I fancy) stationed there on topographical duty, with some young officers & I have since regretted that I did make him the offer of my services & request him to apply for me, but at that time I trusted to the application in Col: Thayer's hands.

In short - if you have not found it out already - the army holds out so unattractive a prospect - even to an unambitious man like myself - that I would gladly leave it - if I could do so consistently with my own interests - & I hope you will assist me with your advice & views on the subjects....  Beli[eve me], faithfully & affectionately yrs, A. Sitgreaves.

Rarity

Original letters by Sitgreaves, particularly from the early period in his Army career, are rare in the market.