Letter from Roger B. Taney to J. Mason Campbell

Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney writes to J. Mason Campbell about the summer at Old Point with regard to the nearby outbreak of yellow fever and the construction of a new wharf. While his family is safe from the outbreak, Taney finds sadness in the illness and death as well as the unchristian behavior of some in forbidding those in the infected areas from taking refuge in other cities. Taney notes that he knows some of those who have died, including Mrs. Barron and one of her daughters. In addition, Taney comments that "the Loyalls (Mrs. Faragut's family) have been in the midst of it, and one of them ill."

Aside from news related to the outbreak, Taney is fascinated by the process of building piers to support a new wharf and wishes his grandson could see it. Taney describes "the operations of a man with a marine armor who is engaged in building the Piers" and who "remains under water five hours at a depth of 18 or 20 feet." Transcript included.