August 6th [1862]
My dear soldier boy Willie got home safe last night at 1 o’clock. I do thank and praise my God for bringing him home, he is in good health, looks well, while thousands of soldiers have died, some from disease, some by the enemy, my dear boy’s life has been preserved by my Heavenly Father. Glory! and Honor! and praise, and might be ascribed unto Jesus Christ.
My husband got home day before yesterday, had a prosperous trip, he bought a large supply of salt.
Source: Mary Jeffreys Bethell Diary, 1853-1873. #1737-z, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. http://docsouth.unc.edu/imls/bethell/menu.html
