Roxbury, Jan. 15th, 1848.

My dear little Grandson:-

You will probably expect an account of my dinner at Consul Montgomery's. I was very hospitably received and agreeably entertained. The family of the Consul consisted of himself, his wife, one son and I think several daughters. One of them was engaged to my friend, Mr. Rogers. I am under the impression that she was very handsome. Mr. Rogers made one of the dinner party. We had a very social, pleasant time, more like home than anything I had seen during my absence. In the course of conversation, John Martin Baker, and his family were spoken of; they had arrived a few days before from Majorca, one of the Balearic Isles, where Mr. Baker had been residing as United States Consul, and was desirous of procuring 4 passage to America. Mr. Montgomery proposed my taking them, which I told him I should be happy to do, if my ships accommodations suited them, and they could be ready immediately. The same afternoon I had an interview with Mr. Baker, and agreed to take him and his family as passengers to Gloucester, and the day following, they came on board with their effects. the family consisted of Mr. Baker, his wife and three children (two boys, I think, and one girl) and an old Spanish man servant. Mrs. Baker was a native of Philadelphia, and a daughter of one of the old Polish or Prussian officers that served in the American during the revolutionary war. I think his name was Wiseonforth. She was an intelligent, high spirited woman, social and agreeable. I shall never forget an expression of gratitude when she just stepped her foot on deck of the "Susan Eliza". “Thank God" said she, “I am once more on board of an American vessel". She appeared to be disgusted with the Spaniards and very desirous to get home. Mr. Baker was an Englishman by birth, I think he was born in Gibralter. He was a gentlemanly, good sort of man. In the course of conversation I found he had been in Gloucester and was acquainted with the owners of my ship. Everything was loaded and the wind proving fair the following morning, we weighed anchor and sailed for home. Our passage was a pleasant and agreeable one, and on the 30th of June 1807 I had the pleasure of landing my passengers in safety, all in good health.

I found my wife and child well and as you may imagine, rejoiced to see me. All was now sunshine, once more; my voyage had been a prosperous one and profitable, and I may say my brightest expectations were fully realized. But how soon were those bright hours of harmless pleasures to be unclouded. After a few short weeks, death came and snatched from us our darling child. My dear wife sank under this severe affliction, and the dire disease that deprived us of our child, in the space  of a few short weeks, took from me my dearly beloved wife and left me desolate. A few weeks more past and then I was called to follow to the grave the remains of my wife's mother; she died of the same fatal disease that deprived me of my wife and child. The disease that made such fatal ravages in our family was the dysentery. This epidemic prevailed to an alarming degree in Gloucester at that time.

When these afflictions, so sad and hard to be borne, came upon me, I was so borne down by the weight of sorrow, added to the too fatal disease which had taken hold of me, that, for awhile, my friends thought I must soon follow the loved ones that had been taken from me. My health, however, was restored. But I was a lonely wanderer. I had no near and dear friend in the world. I broke up housekeeping, sold most of my furniture and went to board with a widow lady, an old friend and distant relation. — About this time an event happened that prevented my going to sea for a great length of time. The United States Ship Chesapeake, sailed from Norfolk bound for the Mediterranean. Shortly after sailing, she was attacked by the British Ship Leopard, for the purpose of taking some runaway sailors that deserted from the Leopard land enlisted on board of the Chesapeake. - The United States at that time being at peace with all the world, the Chesapeake was unprepared for action, and consequently had to surrender, after a broadside or two from the Leopard. This affair caused great excitement, and added to many aggressions on the part of Great Britain, was expected to bring on an immediate war. A short time after the Chesapeake affair, above alluded to, our government laid an embargo on all the vessels in all parts of the United States. The ship Susan Eliza was at the time loaded and ready for sea. I was going out in her again to Marseillas, master and supercargo, put the embargo prevented my going and deprived me of the chance of making a very profitable voyage, as it proved, if I had gone on the voyage, at the time, I should have made for the owners of the ship, at least one hundred thousand dollars, and five or six thousand dollars for myself. But that was not to be, and I was obliged to stay at home, without employment, during the whole of the long embargo.

Your affectionate grandfather,

E. Sargent