I fixed my hoop this evening. Made some flour sacks this morning. I lined Pinck’s straw hat yesterday.#cw150

Saturday 9^th May 1863

I fixed my hoop this evening. Made some flour sacks this morning. A bright, beautiful day. This is the most backward Spring ever known here. The trees are putting out a little now. Last Sunday the woods looked nearly like the dead of winter. They are putting forth very fast now. I lined Pinck’s straw hat yesterday. Mrs. Willey Knight made it. He got it last Sunday. Mrs. Bob Moore was here a short time this afternoon, wanted to see Mr. Henry on business. Mr. Cagle sent a horse for his wife yesterday by the mail boy. He is no better. He expects her today. I hope she will come. He is able to come down stairs yet. The whip o wills came & lit on the piazza Tuesday night & Wednesday night this week. I dislike to hear them very much about a house. Not that I am superstitious but they make such a plaintive wail. Aunt Patsey spent the day here today. She says Betsey will be here Monday. Old Jim & Bill Knight got home today with a load of bacon from Dr. Kilgore’s. They bought 151 pieces & 21 joles. They will go after the other next Tuesday.

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).

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Sam Murray…begged me out of a little coffee for his wife who is sick. I do which they would let me alone about coffee #cw150

Friday 6^th [February 1863]

Mail brought nothing new. He went back from here. Mr. Henry gave him a certificate so the mail will not go through this week. Vic left the mail here but took the log. Cold north wind today. Snow not melting any of consequence. Negroes getting wood. Very cold time to do it, it is true but we are out & have to have it or freeze. I made some tape trimming today & dampened dried & cut Mr. Henry’s coat this evening. Betsey cvut 7 yds out this morning for coat & pants. I am footing up some old socks for Pinck, some of his last winter socks. I do my knitting at night mostly. Not many people came to the office today as it is almost impassable along the road. Mr. Henry went to feed some sows & pigs this morning, he rode. He says ‘tis nearly impassible for horse to get along. Tis dreadful on the stock. We have a yearling choked on straw. I expect it will be dead by morning. We have had three nannie goats to die this winter & our lambs have nearly half died. We have had a dreadful winter on stock of all kinds.

Saturday 7^th [February 1863]

Got the sleeves, tarts & breast of Mr. Henry’s coat done. Worked all day at it. Sewed the seams with the machine, it done finely. Betsey went home this evening. She walked. She was afraid a horse would fall down with her. Dr. Love of Hendersonville dined here today. Snow melting a little, dripping off the south side of the house. A bright sunny day but cool.

Sunday 8^th February 1863

Cloudy with occasional sunshine. The report that the blockade was broke at Charleston is confirmed, so Dr. Love was telling us yesterday. I hope ‘tis true. Sam Murray was here yesterday & begged me out of a little coffee for his wife who is sick. I do which they would let me alone about coffee. I must stop now as I want to eat some apples, walnuts & peach leather. It is now after 12  & soon dinner time. Snow melting very slowly. Mr. Henry staid in the room all the evening as the snow is too deep to travel much.

 Monday 9^th [February 1863]

I finished Mr. Henry’s coat today after working faithfully all day. It suits him finely. It looks very well. Mrs. Jamison & Betsey came today just after we had eat dinner.  They eat here. They say it is very bad walking. Snow melting some faster. Mrs. Jamison stays here tonight. I do not feel so well tonight. Mrs. Jamison reeled some this evening for us on Mrs. Fanning’s reel (a count reel).

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).

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I am lazy and that is the fact. #civilwar150

September 4, 1862

Such a disappointment last night!  We sent to Feltons for our mail where brother promised to send it by his carriage & found that Moses had not brought it.  It is too bad!  I had been counting the hours the whole day, actually checking them off as they passed, & could scarce await the slow motion of the carriage as we came home from the plantation, & then to be put off for another twenty four hours!  But so it is & we must bear it.  I am lazy and that is the fact.  I have become a “Quid Nunc,” & the sooner I get out of this frame of mind the better for my happiness.  It is partly chess playing, for when father is with me I can do nothing else & that tends to a dissipation of mind, a frittering away of the moments, which is not conducive to a well regulated, well balanced employment of my time—partly the state of unsettlement in which I have lived since Feb & partly the war, which keeps me always on the qui vive.  I must end it, or it will be the worse for me, by some regular steady occupation.

My third day Ague, Mrs Barnes, has been here all morning & now, twelve o’clock, has just left, so here is this morning gone, for I do not believe I can do anything until Alsbrook comes from the Post Office.  Dined again yesterday at the Plantation.  Mr E sent Henry to see if he could buy some leather to make our house servants some shoes.  He was unsuccessful, but the Quaker who had the leather showed him a side of upper leather from which the “uppers” for one pair of shoes had been cut.  For this single pair of uppers only he had received three dollars—almost incredible, & yet twelve barrles of Copperas brought last week in Wilmington $5000.  It is three dollars a pound at retail!  Cotton is however selling at 20 cts in Petersburg.  In Nashville it is 30 cts for gold, 42 cts.  U S treasury notes, and 55 cts for Confederate money.

 

Source: Edmondston, Catherine Ann Devereux, 1823-1875, Journal of a Secesh Lady: The Diary of Catherine Ann Devereux Edmondston 1860-1866. Crabtree, Beth G and Patton, James W., (Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Division of Archives and History, 1979). http://nc-historical-publications.stores.yahoo.net/478.html

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No mail today, which disappoints us all sadly #cw150

RaleighJune 17, 1842

No mail today, which disappoints us all sadly but especially father who is quite sick.

Source: Edmondston, Catherine Ann Devereux, 1823-1875, Journal of a Secesh Lady: The Diary of Catherine Ann Devereux Edmondston 1860-1866. Crabtree, Beth G and Patton, James W., (Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Division of Archives and History, 1979). http://nc-historical-publications.stores.yahoo.net/478.html

 

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Headaches, sewing, gardening, and the mail #civilwar150

Wednesday 9^th [April 1862]

I had headache till dinner. Mr. Henry staid in the house & helped with Willie till dinner. Atheline is sick. After dinner it got well, that is my head. I finished Sam’s shirt & attended Willie. Rather cool. Uncle Sam at work in the garden. I got a letter from Dora or rather Mr. Henry did.  He sent after the mail by K.L. Case. They were all well.

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).

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the mail generally brings a good many men after news #cw150

Friday 4^th [April 1862]

Mail came but nothing new. We got no letters. Fannie & I scoured all down stairs today except the dining room & side room. I was real tired. Rained a little in the evening. It was late before we got to work as the mail generally brings a good many men after news.

*The Henrys served as a postal stop for locals.

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).

 

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the trains rush past the Depot without stopping, carrying troops to reinforce Gen Gatlin at New Berne #cw150

March 15, 1862

No mail again!  It is terrible!  Mr McMahon writes that the trains rush past the Depot without stopping, carrying troops to reinforce Gen Gatlin at New Berne most likely.  Ah! poor Sophia!  My heart bleeds for you!

 

Source: Edmondston, Catherine Ann Devereux, 1823-1875, Journal of a Secesh Lady: The Diary of Catherine Ann Devereux Edmondston 1860-1866. Crabtree, Beth G and Patton, James W., (Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Division of Archives and History, 1979). http://nc-historical-publications.stores.yahoo.net/478.html

 

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