Henry Warner Jr. was the younger brother of John Riddle Warner, the grandfather of the poet Marianne Moore. In 1862 Henry would join the Pennsylvania Independent Artillery, Battery G and would serve until 1865. These family letters are preserved as part of the Marianne Moore family papers.
Transcript [excerpt, bottom p1]:
I feel glad you take Annie’s case more calmly than you have done, no doubt but everything will turn out all right yet—And as for John I have not the least shadow of a doubt but he is safe too—that is—if he will still keep his horse harnessed—I think you had better send him my Shot Gun of the garrett & some ammunition—In this benighted part of the country we hear nothing about the war—comparatively speaking—I really believe—if the secessionists were to take Washington, hang Lincoln & Gen Scott the only remark it would occasion here would be “I wonder how it will affect the price of oil?”—I sometimes think it is perhaps a providential thing that I am up here at this time—as I think I could hardly have borne the war excitement that was in Pa while I was there, any longer without perhaps engaging myself for at least a three months trip from home—perhaps forever—
Citation: Henry Warner Jr., autograph letters signed to Henry and Mary Warner. Titusville, 13 May 1861. Moore VI:04:18
Federal troops under the Command of Gen. Benjamin Butler, without orders, occupy Boston.
The United Kingdom declares neutrality and accords the rights of belligerents to both sides. This actually goes beyond what the United States government which opposed the recognition of the South as a belligerent, which meant the recognition of certain rights normally accorded to recognized nations.
Gen. McClellan assumes command of the Department of the Ohio and presumes to write to Gen. Scott to offer his ideas on the grand strategy that the North should pursue against the South.