Raynors HCA 2014-11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/6/2014
SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD (1823-1887) was a renowned American Naturalist whose many published works on the study of animals and nature allowed for his being appointed the first curator of (in 1850) and subsequently the second secretary (in 1878) of the newly established Smithsonian Institute. While still working for the Smithsonian, President U. S. Grant appointed Baird Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries in 1871. Baird was related to the Hale family through his marriage to Mary Helen Churchill (1821-1891) of Windsor, Vermont who apparently was an aunt to Frederick since in one of his letters (which is included here) he refers to Mary's father, Sylvester Churchill (1783-1862) as Uncle Churchill. The first letter in this archive includes a 2pp., 4to., A. L. S. of SPENCER F. BAIRD, signed "S. F. Baird", on pre-printed "Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D. C., Nov. 2, 1864," addressed to Hale's father Safford concerning Frederick's possible transfer to Washington to work at the Smithsonian. The letter reads, in part: "…it was not until today that I could get away to the War Department to make inquiry relative to Fred's being transferred. I was told that under the present very stringent regulations in regard to details of men from their regiments it would be entirely impossible to [?] the object unless Fred were sick and in Hospital. [and] In this event…he would be sent north to some hospital…now no such thing allowed as the transfer of a well soldier from the district to where his regiment belongs…ask Fred to let me know if by any course he is [to be] sent to any hospital north and I will look after the transfer either to washington to wherever…you may want him…probably Dr. Mitchell could accomplish the transfer to Washington where I would try to have him assigned to duty here…Mary has I suppose, in her letter, told you all the personal news here that would be of interest…don't forget if you send potatoes to forward by canal freight…they had better come before there is danger of freezing…". Interestingly, Frederick himself alludes to the above mentioned transfer in his Sept. 13, 1864 which is included in the Hale archive sold elsewhere in this catalog. Second, there are four war-date letters written by Frederick between November 1862 and April 1863 which all mention either visiting or are concerning Spencer Baird and his family with the most interesting being, 6pp. 8vo., "Camp near Fort Ethan Allen, Va., Nov. 20, 1862," concerning getting a pass to go to Washington where he visits the Baird family and then recalls how he and Baird's daughter Lucy visited the Institute. This letter reads, in part : "…I went to the captain several times to see if I could get a pass but he said in his petulant way that he couldn't get one…I wrote a pass & took [it] to him & asked him to sign [it] & I would try & get Col. Keese, who is in command of the Regt to sign it…I took it to the Col. & he signed it without a question. I…walked to the Chain Bridge…then got a ride in an army wagon to Georgetown…went to Mr. Baird's found Mrs. [Mary Helen Churchill] Baird [1821-1891] sick in bed & uncle Grandpa [Mary's father, Sylvester Churchill 1783-1862] in his room…then [I] went with Lucy [Mary's daughter, Lucy Hunter Baird 1848-1913] to the Smithsonian where we found Mr. Baird. I enjoyed my visit at the Institute very much. It is…worth seeing of any place I ever saw…I started in the cars to Georgetown, got there at 7 1/2 & then started on foot for camp…I saw the box at the Smithsonian. Mr. Baird wrote me last week that it had come…he said he would send it to the Exp. office…we went out on fatigue trenching…our colonel is very badly off with…rheumatism and we are afraid he will have to resign. He was taken [to the] hospital yesterday. He is very kind to the boys & would see that they had their rights…tell mother that Mrs. Baird offered me a bath & I accepted it of course. She said I was fatter than she ever saw me & was astonished as she expected to see [a] poor, puny looking fellow…". Finally, there is a war-date partly-printed "American Telegraph Company", telegram signed "S. F. Baird," written from Washington and received at Vergennes, New York, on March 24, 1863 that reads, in full: "Fred [is] quite well and on duty. Dined [with] him Saturday." Overall, a great grouping with perhaps one of the few A. L. S's available in the marketplace since upon his death, in 1887, Spencer's wife Mary donated all his writings to Smithsonian Institute's archives.
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