Publication Information8412 Washington June 25, 1865

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My Dear Mr Marsh

I do not think any one has acknowledged the very interesting and acceptable collection of autographs you sent to Lucy, and which pleased her very much indeed. She wonders what your desirable ones must be if what you sent were merely the of previous cullings.

I do not know whether this letter will find you at your post, but I have heard nothing of your having a leave of absence, and trust that if you had returned to the U.S. you would have given us timely notice

Mary sends much love to you and Mrs. M. She has been in miserable health ever since the fire; having scarcely had a week of comparative comfort since that disaster. What the fire failed to do in upsetting her, the grand review of May 23-24 finished for her. She attended both days for six hours each day, and had to pay the penalty.

We hope soon to leave for the North and talk of spending part of the summer at Eastport

in Maine: the rest of the time somewhere in Massachusetts

I have no special news to communicate. The Gillisses are in New York, or rather I believe on Staten Island; where they went to give [...] a Cha[...] by the Movement cure, and from which they anticipate some benefit. Rebecca is engaged to be married to Carrington Raymond; when I do not know

There is a determination on the part [of] the Treasury Dept. apparently to appoint a new superintendent of the Coast Survey, and I hear various names suggested; Prof. Peirce the most prominent.

We are about rebuilding our burnt towers, and mean to have them fire-proof this time. We hope to introduce various improvements of arrangement which will greatly ameliorate our forlorn condition as respects office and working rooms.

I need not say in Lucy's behalf that any further contributions to her autograph collection will be thankfully received.

With much love to Mrs Marsh I remain

affectionately yrsS. F. Baird

Hon. Geo P Marsh, Turin

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July 3
P.S. I delayed mailing this letter as Lucy thought she would like to write a line, but the epistle not being forthcoming I wait no longer I mail today the proof of our catalogue of Italian transactions. Will you please get some "High-talian" to read it over and mark any typographical or other errata and return to me. Any additions to the list will be gladly received.

References in this letter:

Lucy Hunter Baird, 1848-1913, the only child of Spencer Fullerton and Mary Helen Churchill Baird. She shared her father's interests in the natural world. As a child, Lucy had, as a pet, a large black snake, whose tail touched the ground when held by Lucy, sitting on her father's shoulders. It was her memoirs and reminisces which formed the majority of the William H. Dall biography of her father.

On January 6, 1865, fire destroyed the roof and the entire interior of the upper story, the interior of the two north towers and the south tower of the Smithsonian building. Official correspondence, duplicates of some published materials, the personal effects, including some manuscripts, and a large collection of paintings belonging to Mr. J. M. Stanley were either destroyed or damaged.

James Melville Gilliss (1811-1865) was both a naval officer and astronomer. He was responsible for proposing and supervising the building of Naval Observatory in Washington, DC (1842-1844). In 1846 he was assigned to the U.S. Coast Survey and spent several years in Chile conducting astronomical observations. The Gilliss family, based in Washington, became close friends of the Marshes and the Bairds.

A true polymath, Charles Sanders Pierce (1839-1914) made important contributions as a physicist, philosopher (he is considered the father of Pragmaticism), and mathematician. In 1861, as a member of the U.S. Coast Survey, he was in charge of pendulum experiments.