Humphreys illnesses:
1. ?Childhood. Born 1810, "sympathetic" child, "ran wild," beaten in school, uncontrollable. Diagnosis: some childhood behavioral disorder.
2. 1835, June- ---, not clear, before February, 1836. Provincetown, major depressive episode, morbid thought. 25 years old.
3. 1836, February-September., Florida. Major nervous breakdown, had to resign and give up command.
4. ?1841, September-1842, March. Florida. He wrote "my friends had been alarmed for my health," so there was something. So alarmed that they tried to get him out of Florida immediately. No indication what the health issue was. Panic attack?
5. ?1846, October. Notified he was being transferred to Mexico. His supervisor, Professor Bache, got the order canceled November 15. Panic attack?
7. 1851, summer-1857(?). Catastrophic collapse. Far worse than 1836. Seems like a total collapse. Had to give up Mississippi River project nine months after getting appointment; longest lasting: until 1857! Diagnosis: mental collapse? mother of all nervous breakdowns?
The corresponding time he spent in Florida:
1833, September-1834, August. Before his depression in 1835 but not immediately before. Almost a year from the end of this first stint to when he got to Boston.
1836, Feb.-Sept. Exact correspondence.
1841, Aug-1842, March.
In 1850 Humphreys began work on the Mississippi River project which was to consume a good deal of the remainder of his life. He received the appointment on October 6. Then:
In the summer of 1851...stricken down by sickness [he had to give it up]
He had to give it up! The entire Mississippi project was held up until Humphreys returned in late 1857. SIX YEARS!
During the interval [Interval?!] while the work was in abeyance, and the state of his health rendered him unfit for that duty, he sought and obtained authority to visit Europe...
He returned from Europe in the summer of 1854, HHH doesn't say when he departed. Was he in Europe for three years?!
What was this "sickness" that "rendered him unfit?" The fullest explanation that HHH gives of any of Humphreys' illnesses comes with this one, the most serious:
Captain Humphreys had become seriously ill whilst engaged in his field work upon the Mississippi River. This illness was of such a character as to compel him to seek immediate relief and rest, avoiding all work, excitement of all kinds, and physical fatigue.
Leaving New Orleans in September, he proceeded by sea to Philadelphia, arriving at that place about September 24, 1851, forwarding, soon after, a surgeon's certificate of disability. With that paper was sent a letter asking for immediate relief from duty,which was not afforded until about December 1st of that year, when Colonel Long of the Corps arrived and assumed charge of the office.
Humphreys then left the city for Port Reading [the name of his family home in Philadelphia] and finally located just outside of Chester Valley, on the old road which runs from Philadelphia to West Chester.
There at Betsey Davis' ...
A relation of Jefferson Davis'? I don't know. I am suspicious every time HHH names somebody who it seems unnecessary to name. Who the hell is Betsey Davis? I don't know and HHH doesn't say. It is
odd, it is bizarre, that AAH would not return home at this period. My God, he was in the same area code. Instead, he goes to Betsey Davis'. AAH's friendship was Jefferson Davis caused him much grief, the Lincoln administration never got over their suspicions. Jefferson Davis used an agent to attempt to recruit AAH, who turned him down flat. I'll start that sentence again, too long an interpolation:
There at Betsey Davis' he secured quiet, pure air, a bracing climate, good food, together with charming views...
It sounds like a sanatorium. That is how they treated mental illness in the 19th century
... of that beautiful valley. There he acquired a partial return to health, but was earnestly advised by his physician to visit Europe as a means of effectually restoring him to health.
This advice was communicated to colonel Abert, his chief; a personal interview was had, the subject matter was talked over, and Humphreys was directed to submit in writing his reasons for requesting that detail; such was complied with, and that paper forwarded urging the detail on January 24, 1853.
Humphreys' trip to Europe was one of distinct pleasure.
...
Humphreys' travels through Switzerland, up and down the Rhine had improved his health; sleep, which was almost unknown to him before leaving America, had returned; even after fatiguing trips to places of interest; headaches which were of an intense character practically disappeared, some flesh covered his bones; the tone of his letters had improved, only rarely is there found a reference to a bad night or headache;...
Any questions? Case closed. That is proof beyond a reasonable doubt that all of his life Andrew Atkinson Humphreys' health problems were psychological, not physical. If he was in Europe for three years that is a hell of a long time even for a nervous breakdown. He's 41 years old and suffers the mother of all collapses, at least the seventh incident in his life. What to do with him? Let's put him in
charge of a division in the war.
1. ?Childhood. Born 1810, "sympathetic" child, "ran wild," beaten in school, uncontrollable. Diagnosis: some childhood behavioral disorder.
2. 1835, June- ---, not clear, before February, 1836. Provincetown, major depressive episode, morbid thought. 25 years old.
3. 1836, February-September., Florida. Major nervous breakdown, had to resign and give up command.
4. ?1841, September-1842, March. Florida. He wrote "my friends had been alarmed for my health," so there was something. So alarmed that they tried to get him out of Florida immediately. No indication what the health issue was. Panic attack?
5. ?1846, October. Notified he was being transferred to Mexico. His supervisor, Professor Bache, got the order canceled November 15. Panic attack?
7. 1851, summer-1857(?). Catastrophic collapse. Far worse than 1836. Seems like a total collapse. Had to give up Mississippi River project nine months after getting appointment; longest lasting: until 1857! Diagnosis: mental collapse? mother of all nervous breakdowns?
The corresponding time he spent in Florida:
1833, September-1834, August. Before his depression in 1835 but not immediately before. Almost a year from the end of this first stint to when he got to Boston.
1836, Feb.-Sept. Exact correspondence.
1841, Aug-1842, March.
In 1850 Humphreys began work on the Mississippi River project which was to consume a good deal of the remainder of his life. He received the appointment on October 6. Then:
In the summer of 1851...stricken down by sickness [he had to give it up]
He had to give it up! The entire Mississippi project was held up until Humphreys returned in late 1857. SIX YEARS!
During the interval [Interval?!] while the work was in abeyance, and the state of his health rendered him unfit for that duty, he sought and obtained authority to visit Europe...
He returned from Europe in the summer of 1854, HHH doesn't say when he departed. Was he in Europe for three years?!
What was this "sickness" that "rendered him unfit?" The fullest explanation that HHH gives of any of Humphreys' illnesses comes with this one, the most serious:
Captain Humphreys had become seriously ill whilst engaged in his field work upon the Mississippi River. This illness was of such a character as to compel him to seek immediate relief and rest, avoiding all work, excitement of all kinds, and physical fatigue.
Leaving New Orleans in September, he proceeded by sea to Philadelphia, arriving at that place about September 24, 1851, forwarding, soon after, a surgeon's certificate of disability. With that paper was sent a letter asking for immediate relief from duty,which was not afforded until about December 1st of that year, when Colonel Long of the Corps arrived and assumed charge of the office.
Humphreys then left the city for Port Reading [the name of his family home in Philadelphia] and finally located just outside of Chester Valley, on the old road which runs from Philadelphia to West Chester.
There at Betsey Davis' ...
A relation of Jefferson Davis'? I don't know. I am suspicious every time HHH names somebody who it seems unnecessary to name. Who the hell is Betsey Davis? I don't know and HHH doesn't say. It is
odd, it is bizarre, that AAH would not return home at this period. My God, he was in the same area code. Instead, he goes to Betsey Davis'. AAH's friendship was Jefferson Davis caused him much grief, the Lincoln administration never got over their suspicions. Jefferson Davis used an agent to attempt to recruit AAH, who turned him down flat. I'll start that sentence again, too long an interpolation:
There at Betsey Davis' he secured quiet, pure air, a bracing climate, good food, together with charming views...
It sounds like a sanatorium. That is how they treated mental illness in the 19th century
... of that beautiful valley. There he acquired a partial return to health, but was earnestly advised by his physician to visit Europe as a means of effectually restoring him to health.
This advice was communicated to colonel Abert, his chief; a personal interview was had, the subject matter was talked over, and Humphreys was directed to submit in writing his reasons for requesting that detail; such was complied with, and that paper forwarded urging the detail on January 24, 1853.
Humphreys' trip to Europe was one of distinct pleasure.
...
Humphreys' travels through Switzerland, up and down the Rhine had improved his health; sleep, which was almost unknown to him before leaving America, had returned; even after fatiguing trips to places of interest; headaches which were of an intense character practically disappeared, some flesh covered his bones; the tone of his letters had improved, only rarely is there found a reference to a bad night or headache;...
Any questions? Case closed. That is proof beyond a reasonable doubt that all of his life Andrew Atkinson Humphreys' health problems were psychological, not physical. If he was in Europe for three years that is a hell of a long time even for a nervous breakdown. He's 41 years old and suffers the mother of all collapses, at least the seventh incident in his life. What to do with him? Let's put him in
charge of a division in the war.
