Thursday 3rd
Finished Willie one skirt before dinner & picked some cherries after dinner, after reading the papers Mr. Henry brought from Asheville. I got a letter from Lena. They are all well. Old Mrs. Hancock is dead. Mr. Henry gathered a good many cherries this evening. The first paper of the South Carolinian came to day.
Friday July 4th 1862
Mail brought nothing but war news. The papers are filled. The Confederates have the best of it so far. The yanks are retreating. I finished Willie’s other skirt today. The bees swarmed yesterday just before dinner. Parker hived them, a large swarm & the only one so far. Old Mr. Boyd stays here tonight. He says George Jones is dead. I am so very sorry for his poor destitute family. God help them I pray.
Saturday 5th [July 1862]
Mr. Henry went to Ashevillethis morning. The battle still raging. The 1st July loss great on both sides. Mr. Henry came home for dinner & old Mr. Boyd also. Mr. Henry & I went to the burial. A great many people. He was buried with Military honors. They fired about one dozens times twice. I was sundown before they buried him & dark before we got home as then we had moonlight. I do really sympathise with his poor wife. Oh! may she never need a friend. Jones was very kind to his wife & a fond father. He came home two weeks ago tomorrow, buoyant in hope & now he lays beneath the clod.
Source: Diary of Cornelia Henry in Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journal and Letters of the Henry Family. Clinard, Karen L. and Russell, Richard, eds. (Asheville,NC: Reminiscing Books, 2008).
