May 2, 1865
Letter from Matthew Williams in Toronto to Sir Arthur Kirkland in London
My Dearest Brother,
Your letter has reached me with fortuitous timing. I am indeed still in Toronto, but will not be so for long. I am meant to be catching a train to Quebec tomorrow morning. After I read your letter, I straightaway wired Lord Monck inquiring whether or not I may be spared for the summer. When I explained to him why, he first insisted that I must accept your invitation, and then immediately after insisted that I must return to my capital to finish as much work as I can before leaving it to him. You would think that he has no underlings upon whom to depend when I am away in other places—perhaps he wants to punish me ahead of time for having a lovelier summer than he? I cannot speculate. I can, however, thank you profusely for your generous invitation, which I am honored to accept. It has been far too long since I've seen England, and I look forward to speaking with you, there is much to discuss.
This is, unfortunately, the only happy news I can offer you in this letter. Your mention of postal delays directly before you inquired after Alfred was, as I'm sure you see now, horribly ironic. I must assume that by the time that you receive this letter, you will have long since heard news of President Lincoln's assasination. It happened on the 14th of April, in the evening, but I did not hear of the event or its tragic outcome until several days later. I was, in fact, composing a letter to Alfred himself to congratulate him on Lee's surrender (of which I had only just then learned) when I received a telegram with the news. News of an assassination, it seems, travels along Toronto's wires faster than that of a surrender. I never finished the letter, and am still trying to compose a suitable greeting to him considering all that has happened. In the last year, I think Alfred has endured more than I have in the last century. I haven't the slightest idea what to say to him now.
Unfortunately, my news grows only worse from there. Not only was President Lincoln taken from the Earth in a violent and untimely way, the Americans have managed to lose track of Alfred. Vice President—now President—Johnson took office not a day after Lincoln passed. Not quite two weeks later, I received an urgent wire from the White House. I cannot impart to you the panic that filled me upon receipt of such a message, for I have never met Mr. Johnson and had no understanding of his intentions towards the Empire. Fearful of a rash declaration of war or some other ill news, I was astonished, then, to find that his telegram was a cry for help.
Alfred is missing, it seems. He fled from the White House shortly after Mr. Lincoln's death, and has not been seen since, even in the outer reaches of Virginia where officials have been asked to look for him. They wired me, of all people, in a last-ditch effort to locate him. I was remorsefully unable to aid their search, just as I am unable to provide you with the news you seek. Though I realize the death of his august leader must have been devastating beyond compare, I cannot fathom what must have transpired to send Alfred adrift in such a manner. I have never known him to flee from anything, let alone his own people. Perhaps there is much to his war that I did not properly understand. I do not know completely what the war took from him, or with what remains.
I wish I had better news. Please forgive me for keeping this letter short. Mrs. Girard, the housekeeper here, is badgering me to pack my bags so that the footmen may prepare them for the train. I must pack my stationary away soon or she's sure to come back and scold me. My address in Quebec is the one you know. Please let me know which port I ought to call when I depart for England, and I shall send you notice before I disembark. I look forward to seeing you, and shall bring you whatever news I am able.
With apologies and overflowing affection,
Your Brother Matthew Williams
Historical Notes:
Shockingly, I have no real notes on this chapter. We've covered most of the historical content here already, now it's just a question of what on earth happened to dear Alfred. Only two parts left to go!