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William Steuben Smith diary and letterbook, 1809-1821

William Steuben Smith diary and letterbook, 1809-1821 Manuscript

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    Manuscript

    23.5 cm x 19 cm

    From the Adams Family Papers (2nd generation)
    The original sequence of pages and their orientations have been preserved in this digital presentation. Images 31-162 appear upside down because this volume includes writing both ways. (Smith turned the volume over and rotated it and started writing from the back of the volume.) Use the rotation tool in the viewer to adjust images.


    This volume contains the diary William Steuben Smith, kept on a trip to St. Petersburg, Russia, as private secretary to John Quincy Adams, U.S. minister to Russia, 16 July-29 Oct. 1809, and also a letterbook containing drafts of Smith’s outgoing correspondence, 19 July 1811-14 April 1820. The diary describes the activities of Smith and Adams; preparations for the trip to Russia; Smith’s impressions of various people, including John Adams and other members of the Adams family; details of the trans-Atlantic voyage, including encounters with other ships; and landings at Kristiansand (Norway), Helsingor (Denmark), and Kronstadt (Russia). The letterbook portion of the volume consists of copies of Smith’s personal correspondence from St. Petersburg and Washington.