Letter of the Day: July 8

No. 1209 ? Hessan St.
Wilmington Del,
July 8th, ‘74

Dr. Otis
Surg. U.S.A.

My dear Sir,

I owe you an apology for not sooner answering your letter relating to a portrait of my Grand Uncle, Dr. James Tilton formerly Surg. Gen. U.S.A. and of Delaware, of which Dr. H. Tilton, Surg. U.S.A. wrote you as being at my house here.

The fact is I was in Washington when your letter was sent here, and upon its being forwarded to me there, I set out to find you, and met with my old friend Surgeon Gen’l Barnes, with home I arranged to have the portrait sent to him at Washington.

To-day the picture goes to Gen Barnes, by Adams Express, it is an old painting, + is badly cracked by age + exposure to hot rooms, but is an admirable likeness, painted by Rembrandt Peale, at Phil. early in this century. I beg you to communicate to my relative Dr. Henry Tilton of the Army, that his wishes or suggestions with regard to this picture of our relative, have been gladly complied with by the grand=nephie of the old Surg. Genl (after whom I was named) + the cousin of the present Doctor, himself.

Most Truly
Your ? + Obt Srvt
James Tilton, C.E.

The painting is now in the National Library of Medicine -