VMI Archives www.vmi.edu/archives Francis H. Smith Trip to Europe in 1858 Letterbook # 2 Transcribed, edited, and annotated by Col. Edwin L. Dooley, Jr. Masthead from The Illustrated London News, July 1858 Letter No. 21 Continued So that I may say good night to those so dear to me, whose memory is in my waking and in my dreaming thoughts – by day and by night – may the blessings of God rest upon you all forever. Tuesday morning July 20th It is one month to day since we landed at Liverpool. Time really does fly fast to those who have been so much on the push as we have been. To-day we all are going to Windsor Castle and Palace, one of the residences of Queen Vic. and the mausoleum of the later Kings and Princes. To morrow we contemplate, this is John Cocke and myself, a trip to Chester near Liverpool to a great Agricultural Fair, taken there by regard to John’s interest. In the meantime, I will dispatch this __________ four sheeted letter, and hope that in Seventeen days you will have the happiness of receiving it, and that it may find you all in the enjoyment of good health. You say nothing about your summer plans, but I suppose your next will give me the news. With affectionate love to all the children and remembrances to all friends I am as ever your own dear Husband Francis H Smith Mrs Sarah H. Smith Lexington VA Francis H. Smith in Europe, 1858. Letterbook #2 Page 1 VMI Archives www.vmi.edu/archives P.S. This is either 20 or 21, my numbers are sometimes misplaced, I write so much, you find it as hard as I do to keep it separate. P.S. July 20 6 P.M. I have just gotten back from Windsor. F.H.S. __________ Queen Victoria, Royal Monarch at the time of Smith’s visit Illustrated London News, 4 February 1854 Francis H. Smith in Europe, 1858. Letterbook #2 Page 2 VMI Archives www.vmi.edu/archives (No 22) London July 21st 1858 My Dearest Sarah We had expected today to have been on our way to Chester, to attend the Fair of the Royal Agricultural Society,1 but last evening Mr. Peabody called to see us, and brought invitations for us, to attend a dinner to be given by him, in compliment to Mr Mason, our Minister at Paris.2 As it is expected that all the foreign ministers will be there, and we may have an opportunity of seeing things and persons that might otherwise be denied us, we have concluded to accept, and I have just dispatched our notes to this effect. You may be sure it will be a brilliant affair; as Mr Peabody3 never does things by halves – and the enclosed Programme __________ of the Musical Performance by the celebrated Swiss Singers,4 as introductory to the dinner, will give you some idea of the rich treat we anticipate. That I may not get too much behind-hand in my journal therefore, I take a moment this morning, while the boys are getting ready for breakfast, to write up the transactions of yesterday, being the 8th day in London. Paddington Station Public Domain illustration from Wikipedia 1 The Royal Agricultural Society was established in 1838 and received a royal charter in 1840. Smith refers to a “fair” of the society, by which he meant one of the regular exhibitions that the society held from its earliest days. Smith was especially interested in scientific agriculture and promoted the teaching of agriculture at the Virginia Military Institute. 2 John Young Mason (1799-1859). American politician and diplomat. Mason served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1823 to 1827 and in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1831 to 1837. He was U.S. Secretary of the Navy from 1844 to 1845 and from 1846 to 1849. From 1845 to 1846, he was U.S. Attorney General. He served as envoy extraordinary and U.S. minister plenipotentiary to France from 1853 until his death in Paris on 3 October 1859. As a states rights Democrat, he defended slavery. He married Mary Anne Fort. See “John Young Mason,” at “Wikipedia.” See also Tyler, Virginia Biography, 2: 118, and Dictionary of American Biography, XII: 369-370. 3 For Peabody, see previous reference. Peabody’s US-British friendship dinners began in 1850 and continued, usually at the Star and Garter Hotel, for a decade. He also often entertained visiting American notables there and introduced them to British government officials and business leaders. 4 Smith is probably referring to the Sänger Gesellschaft, or Female Swiss Singers, who were performing solo and ensemble choral music in London at the time of his visit. Francis H. Smith in Europe, 1858. Letterbook #2 Page 3 VMI Archives www.vmi.edu/archives We took the train at Paddington Station5 at 9 ½ A.M. for Windsor, 22 miles distant to visit the celebrated Castle and Palace now used as one of the residences of the Queen.6 Windsor has figured so much in History and romance, that we anticipated much in our visit, and we were not disappointed. This is regarded as one of the most magnificent royal palaces in Europe, and taking it in all its arrangements, __________ its interest – its magnificent park, and its position, I presume there is none can excel it. There are parts of it that are very old, dating as far back as the time of Caesar, while important additions have been made to it by the various sovereigns, who have made it either a defensive retreat; or the palace for their courts. To give you an idea of its magnificence, I have only to say that Parliament has granted in the last 20 years ₤70,000 to improve and extend the Queen’s Stables, called the “Mews”. We only saw the State apartments, and a ticket is given for the asking. These rooms are very handsome, ornamented with most costly tapestry, illustrative of scripture or historic incidents, and filled with superb pictures from the great artists – Van Dyke’s pictures filling one room almost entirely. The dining Hall is a magnificent __________ Windsor Castle with the Chapel of St. George on the left. Public Domain illustration from Wikipedia 5 London Paddington station, the main station dating from 1854, was established as the terminus of the Great Western Railway in 1838. See “London Paddington Station,” at “Wikipedia.” 6 Windsor Castle was, and remains, one of the principal official residences of the British monarch. It was begun as a wooden castle in 1070 by William the Conqueror and was later rebuilt in stone and expanded. After Prince Albert’s death in 1861, his widow Queen Victoria made Windsor her home until her death in 1901 and was known as “The Widow of Windsor.” See “Windsor Castle,” at “Wikipedia.” According to Murray’s, Windsor Castle was one of the places “… near London which a Stranger should see.” The guidebook states: “WINDSOR CASTLE, by Great Western Railway from Paddington, or by South Western Railway from Waterloo Station. Ask for return ticket, if returning the same day; or if from Saturday, you are privileged till Monday: always show your return tickets on passing through the office. The state apartments in Windsor Castle are open gratuitously to the public on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, by the Lord Chamberlain’s tickets, to be obtained in London (gratis) of Messrs. Paul and Dominic Colnaghi, Printsellers…. The tickets are available for one week from the day they are issued.” Murray’s Modern London (1856), xlviii. Francis H. Smith in Europe, 1858. Letterbook #2 Page 4 VMI Archives www.vmi.edu/archives room, ornamented with the coats of arms of the Knights of the Garter,7 the highest order of Knighthood in England. The Waterloo room is very attractive. Here are to be seen the target presented to Henry VIII by Francis 1st8 when their meeting took place on the Cloth of Gold,9 and the part of the mast of the ship Victory, and the hole made by the cannon ball, when Lord Nelson was killed at Trafalgar,10 with a chair made from the tree near the church where the scene of Tam O’Shanter,11 was laid, and one from a willow on the plain of Waterloo.12 Connected with Windsor Castle, but not a part of it, being under the control of the Dean of Windsor, is the Chapel of St George,13 at which the Queen worships when her residence is at this Palace. But the chief interest of the Chapel, consists in the fact, that it is the burial __________ place of so many of England’s Kings and Queens. Here Henry VIII and Jane Seymour were buried, and also Charles 1st and all the Kings since Wm 3d I think. One of the most striking mausoleums is that of the Princess Charlotte,14 whose death caused so much consternation, having died on the birth of her first child. It is the most touchingly beautiful thing I ever saw. It is of white marble, and the Princess is taken at the moment of her death, lying on her bed, covered with a sheet only, so as to show the exact shape and position of her body and one hand seen below the sheet on the side of the bed. She is lying full turned on 7 The Most Noble Order of the Garter was founded by King Edward III around 1348.