THIS IS A LETTER FROM HILLIARD
DORSEY TO HIS PARENTS, ANDREW & NANCY (SMITH) DORSEY,
FROM CA, WHERE HE SETTLED AFTER THE WAR.
Rancho near San Jose,
Sept 2nd, 1850
Dear Parents,
Your favor of 26th Aug came to
hand from a misionary, which makes the 5th I have
received from you in the last 12 months. I also recd
one from Caroline while I was in San Francisco 10 days
since. I am frequently surprised sometimes
when I think of the numerous relatives and professed
friends that I have in Georgia that I cannot receive more
letters when you must know what an ounce of comfort and
consolation it is to me to hear from my old state.
But it appears that all (or few I should have said) write
to me they have to rec an answer to it before they write
some more. I will not say anything more on the
subject for I have written upon it for 3 years and
spoken of it verbally for 2 or 3 months. Consequently I
shall not write as often as I have without a change
amongst some of you and I cannot say I believe my
relatives wishes me to write to them about once a week
while I would wait for news from you. I work most of
my days and my nights are perfectly content but I would
like to hear more from you & read those Georgian
names. And when I do receive any thing, it is just 2
or 3 sheets. Just suffer me to say, I am fully
satisfied and I am resigned to recieve them or not.
Never desire to pressure but I will share just the same.
I wrote you the last of July a
few lines that I should send you a check for the use
of Sister Mary and Sister Anne Mary.
Well I purchased a check and should have sent it by
the time mentioned but I met with an intimate friend of
mine in San Francisco who informed me of California near
Los Angelas and we should start there tomorrow morning.
200 miles south of here and we should take as much money
as we can command and would like to have more to take.
Near 2 thousand with us and I am convinced it is now the
greatist opening for a speculation in land. I share
in it but I want you to pursue the same course with the
two girls as I wrote you. And if I send the
money, I will pay all expenses as far as Sister Mary is
concerned. I want to spare no expense where Sister
Mary is concerned. I want her to go to the highest
school & board at the highest place so she can have
nothing denied her but let her study and improve her mind.
I want her to study Spanish thoroughly and little Mary
I wish you to take to Clarksville or some good female
school. I prefer her boarding with Mr. Fayette and
please say to him that I prefer him to take her and do for
her as he would one of his own similarly situated.
Send me the bill and I will send him a check on any bank
he wishes for I have great anxiety for that little girl.
And if I can have my wishes complied with, she shall have
a chance in the world as far as education can go.
I have thought of her situation frequently and I have
had many sighs for her helpless condition. I
have not had the chance to say as much upon the situation
of sending the girls to school as I would like to say, for
I am preparing to start tomorrow, but you can discuss what
I wish and as a Father, I ask you to attend to this if you
think I am consistent in my wishes and then give me a
synopsis of the probable expenses and it will be
waiting at any time and on any bank he wishes. I
expect to return there in Nov and expect to receive an
answer to this and I want you to give me information
as to how the girls are doing for I should be anxious
to hear how they are doing. I shall probably
write to you from Los Angelas or San Diego, what I may be
doing.
I was in the Northern
mountains 2 weeks since and I never saw the like of people
that are coming there overland that time of the year.
And they expect thousands are behind them yet and
suffering most horribly, the likes of which was never
known anywhere. I have seen many who just
barely got through and tell of the suffering until it
nearly made me shudder. They say many are starving
to death and they seen funerals several hundred miles
back who has nothing to eat and not an animal in their
open houses. Of course, they were bound to die and
many they saw being on the road side, perished to death
and many other particular circumstances to terrible to
mention. The Cholera got amongst them and
killed thousands. Oh! what must people think
of to suffer themselves to perish for want of water
and food. California is sending provisions and
assistance to aid them but thousands more will die before
it can reach them. I cannot begin to describe to you
the scenes described to me on the plains of Mothers eating
the child and Oh! I must close for now. My respects
to all my connexions and friends and let them write to me
only when they feel inclined. Howdy
Mother!
Your son,
Hilliard
