Woke up this morning with a sense of a heavy misfortune. Asked myself what had happened & remembered that Jackson was dead! #cw150

May 12, 1863

Woke up this morning with a sense of a heavy misfortune. Asked myself what had happened & remembered that Jackson was dead! Omitted to write yesterday that my nephew Thomas Jones had brought his wife to fathers. We go up to see her this morning. I shall offer her a home until the war is ended — for she cannot return into the lines of the hated enemy & since Hill’s repulse at Washington, they have grown more stringent & oppressive. The papers are full of McClellan’s & Burnside testimony respecting the command & conduct [of] the Army of the Potomac. I take little interest in any of them, or anything they say. They only offer an additional proof, if proof were wanting, that neither Lincoln, Halleck, Stanton, McClellan, Burnside, or Hooker understand the first principles of a gentleman. Deficient alike in self respect & respect for each other, they know not what is due themselves from their subordinates, or their subordinates from their own hands. Faugh! they disgust me, a set of cold blooded quill drivers. They have neither the instincts or the impulses of gentlemen.

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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I am truly grateful too for the fine health of my little homeless family. #cw150

Camp 4^th Reg NC S Troops

9 o’clock Sunday night

Feb 15^th 1863

Dear Mother

The time since I left your roof seems very long & I assure you that I have passed through many dangers both seen & unseen since we met – yet through the interventions of Divine Providence in answer to the Prayers of devoted & Pious Parents I am still spared – amid friends & with the best of health. Blessings for which I owe the deepest gratitude of my heart – I am truly grateful too for the fine health of my little homeless family. I am under special obligations to you & Father – sister & all for your many kind offices in rendering them comfortable & happy whilst I am compelled to be absent serving my Country in the course of Liberty & Independence. I often think how very fortunate I am in having Kind Parents where I could seek shelter when driven by the Vandals from home – When I see the suffering & misfortunes of the people of this & other parts of Va – where it has been my lot to travel since I came to this Army.

I am still in Camp in the very spot where Father spend the night with me – we have been having abundance of Snowey and Rany weather & the roads are now in an almost impassable condition. Indeed so very muddy that the Forage masters cannot supply us with anything but a little musty corn for our horses. Though I trust they will soon be better when we can get some [long] food – Bill stands the service pretty well.  He is looking we as most of Army stock – we are getting tolerable plenty to eat – we get flour at 8 ½ c a bb – Bacon at 4 c a [illeg], port at 11 ¼,  Beef fresh and poor 13 ½ cts bb.  We get as much sugar as we want to use at 13 ½ cts bb. When we get anything else it is outside. Butter $2.0 bb – Eggs 1/25 Doz. Lard 5 bb Candles 1.0 bb etc. etc. Of course these later articles we rarely get. Quite a No. of our Offiers & men are absent on furlough: several are resigning on the plea of ill health. Great many of our men who were wounded at Seven Pines are returning many of them mamed for life. I am having quite a no. transferred to Hospital duty & discharged. I am still tenting with Lieut Hofflins our Commissary.  [illeg] Lawson who has been with me since the 20^th Jany is now absent on furlough – will return about 24^th inst.

His absence leaves me in charge both of the Regi & Brigade Hospital which keeps me very busy thought he health of the Reg is very good and the Brigade tolerable – Soon as Lawson returns I shall send in an application for leave of absence unless a fight is expected to come off very soon. If it gets through I shall hope to see you all early in March – I wrote to the Boys last week at Kinston. I’ve heard nothing from them since I saw Pa – I’ve heard from Lizzie only once since Christmas – Then sister was in Orange.  Is she still in Orange? I think they treat me very mean. I write them weekly. If you see Mrs. Alston you will remember my Regards to her and tell her I saw Joe a few days since. He is in the 12^th NC near my camp. He was very well – I’m going to see him soon. Like most of us he is getting tired of war.  I have no war news of Special interest. We are waiting for “Fighting Joe” to come over when we will take them in. Gen’l Ramseur has taken command – Col. Grimes is absent at home Remember me kindly to Mr Nettles & family & to E Fike & all Friends

From your affectionate son,

JMH

 

Tell Pa

Write soon

 

Source: Hadley Collection, Chatham County Historical Association.

 

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our streets were thronged with refugees from Duplin, Wayne and Lenoir counties, flying from the presence of a foe worse than death #cw150

Most Sad Scenes-

On Friday and Saturday last our streets were thronged with refugees from Duplin, Wayne and Lenoir counties, flying from the presence of a foe worse than death itself. There were men, women, and children, white and black… in carriages, wagons, carts, on horseback and on foot, with droves of cattle, sheep and hogs, and piles of furniture huddled into vehicles without attempt at arrangement. Some of them doubtless the smoking ruins of their swellings behind them. And all are wanderers in a land strange to them, but we hope that they will everywhere meet with that kind reception and generous hospitality due to the distressed from those less afflicted.  We learn than on Friday night the large dwelling of Joel Williams, Esq., 8 miles from town, was thrown open to them and filled to its utmost capacity with women and children. Doubtless others have done likewise, and received the reward in their own hearts derived from the doing a good deed.

Source: Fayetteville Observer, December 22, 1862 as found on www.digitalnc.org.

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I suppose you know by this time how things will be for the next nine months. #civilwar150

Camp near Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 3^rd, 1862

My dear Wife

This command after a long and fine march has at last come to anchor for awhile unless the Yankees cross the Rappahannock river, which I do not think they will attempt, altho they pretend to be making preparations for it.  If they were afraid to advance from Warrenton it would look like nonsense to attempt it here.  One cannot imagine the degree of confidence and high spirits displayed by our men.  I am truly glad to get once more where we can get our mail and the papers.  Here we can get both very easily.

I believe about everybody have moved from the town which will cause great suffering.  They are scattered all through the country.  A temporary depot post by us today had any quantity of furniture lying around with several old gentlemen shivering in the cold, apparently watching it.

Gen. Lee is very anxiously waiting for a fight.  He told me today that he believed he would be willing to fall back and let them cross for the sake of a fight.  All accounts are to the effect that they will not fight, and their numbers are not as terrible as might be supposed.

As A.P. Hill has been recommended by Gen. Lee for Lt. General, I hope he will be promoted which would be a means of both getting us out of Jackson’s command and myself a Division.  General rumor and general feeling both have pointed me out to be Gen. Hill’s successor.  He told me the other night that he hoped I would soon be a Major General.  I had no idea that I was a man of reputation in the army until I got back.  This is not to be repeated even in joke, for I do not like to have it thought that I might have my head turned, etc., etc.  My people were glad to see me and they all said that they knew I would be back before the fight came off.  The men seem to think that I am fond of fighting.  They say I give them “hell” out of the fight and the Yankees the same in it.

Jake goes to Richmond tomorrow to attend to some little matters for the mess and himself.  If we have nothing special I shall let him go home to spend his Christmas.  I told him if he would not drink or smoke any between this and then, he might go.  He makes a fine caterer and has improved generally.  I think, since I left.  Do not say I am disposed to underrate him and “wish that he had not joined me” etc.

I have finally settled upon an A.A. General.  What would you say to the husband of that agreeable lady that called on you in Raleigh, Maj. Joseph A. Englehard.  He is going resign his position as Brigade Quartermaster in James H. Lane’s Brigade.  You must not judge him by his wife for he would be done much injustice as I would be honored to be esteemed by your goodness and good qualities generally.  Honey, when I look around I feel more and more how thankful I ought to be for such a wife, and I do feel thankful.  I feel, Honey, that I owe you a great deal for I know I should not be what I am if I had not married you.

Tell Pamela I saw a few days ago her brave Capt. W.A. Fry.  He will do tolerably well to be shot at but not so remarkable to flirt with.  He says he is going to Mr. William’s soon and of course will call on Pamela.  She must not let his wound work too powerfully in his favor.  Tell Ham it is time for him to return.  Honey, I hope things will so turn up that I shall have you with me soon, but as long as we remain fronting the enemy as we do, it will be impossible.  The Yankee papers do not seem so loath to have their troops go into winter quarters as they did.  I must now close.  My love to all and a kiss for Pamela and the boys.  Tell her she must not give up Stephen Lee.  How do you like the hoops.  I rather pride myself upon having thought of them.  The belts I fear were poor and not appropriate.

I suppose you know by this time how things will be for the next nine months.  God bless you and the children.  Please let me know as soon as you have settled the thing in your mind.  Good bye.

Your devoted Husband

Sources: William Hassler, ed., One of Lee’s Best Men: The Civil War Letters of General William

Dorsey Pender (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1999). William Dorsey Pender papers, Southern Historical Collection, UNC-Chapel Hill. http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/inv/p/Pender,William_Dorsey.html

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I fear these lawless unprincipled Buffalos; they are worse than the Yankees & under even less restraint. #civilwar150

November 21, 1862

Thursday night

At home again & again alone. On Monday I went up on horse back to Fathers & met Sue on the road coming to see me. Lee has crossed the Blue Ridge unmolested after all the vaunts of the Northern Press that McClellan had him cut off and held all the Gaps! They held no such thing. Snickers & other important ones were in our possession.  Still his position was a dangerous one & we are doubly thankful that our headquarters are now at Culpepper Court House where we can watch & fall upon them when & where our General thinks best. McClellan was removed because he would not advance although positively ordered to do so. The Democratic party at the North are indignant & in fact say that it has made McClellan the next President. Burnside must advance or resign, as he was placed in command solely to do so. If he fails he is lost, but should he succeed! Ah! Then what will be our fate? But my trust is in God! He giveth Victory!

On Tuesday Sue & I rode over to Montrose to give brother a call. Found him in the field & as usual dolefully dismal. A wild rumour is running through the country to the effect that an order has been issued to burn all the Cotton in this section by the 25^th, but I do not believe it. If so it is a renunciation of this part of the country & I do not believe the authorities insane as yet tho they do keep Gen French in command.

Came home & found the mail awaiting us. Mr Randolph, Sec of War, has resigned; cause said to be a disagreement with the President who wishes to curtail his power & make all the appointments himself. I do not believe it. I think it is only one of the Examiner’s slanders. I do not like that paper. It has not respect enough for the “the powers that be,” – ignores the fact altogether that they are “ordained of God.” There has been a dash of Cavalry into Fredericksburg capturing some woolen cloth manufactured there for the Army. Our Cavalry stationed there seemed to have behaved badly as they could have cut them off & captured the whole of them had they been on the alert & not feared they were the Vanguard of a host who followed at their heels.

On Wednesday came down here, weighted & marked 22 bales of Cotton, & sent them off to Halifax in obedience to orders from Mr E. I know he intended trying to sell them, so perhaps he has done so, or the order may be true. Sue was with me. We had lunch & chatted pleasantly together & got back just in time for dinner – found Mr E awaiting us. He brought Mary & her children down with him, much to the surprise of everyone, as we fear that our condition is not secure enough for father to undertake the care of another female & two children. In case of a Yankee raid he will have his hands full!

Mr Leary had been at father’s during our absence & to our sorrow we learned that my nephew Thomas Jones had been captured by a Co of Buffalos whilst collecting clothing for his men. He had succeeded in getting a large quantity when they laid their hands upon him. I hope he will soon be released as we have a surplus of prisonners, but God be with & help him. Mr L gave us a hope that he would be retaken, as our men were after them, but it was only a hope, as our troops do not seem to be successful in that quarter. They want leaders. News from Fredericksburg that a few days after the cavalry expedition (which was but a handful & for the purpose of reconnaissance, which we should not have allowed & could have prevented) a large body of troops advanced & occupied Falmouth on the opposite side of the river. A brisk Artillery fight was going on, but without much effect on either side. It is surmised that Burnside intends him “On to Richmond” by that route.

Mr E was successful in his application to the Gov. He promised to send Maj Winder down to examine the River & to report on the possibility of its being obstructed, sot the carriage went immediately back for him & we came home the next morning, Thursday, on horseback. In due time he arrived, a gentlemanly quiet person who made a most agreeable impression on me, & this morning early they were off, intending to go first to Hamilton & see what the Confederate authorities were doing & act accordingly, so as not to clash with them. Brother went down yesterday with a gang of free negroes, who he called “Falstaff’s ragged Regt,” to report to eh Engineer in command of the defences projected by Gen Gwynn. I hope they will be successful. That grounding of their Gun boats at Williams Bar was a most excellent thing for us & will I hope deter them from any future attempts this way. Mary met a Lady who had been detained some months in Maryland by the Abolition authorities & refused permission to come South to her husband, one Capt Kennedy. She gave her a most terrible picture of the oppression & tyranny exercised by the Northern Governt, spies everywhere, arrests, searching for clothing & supplies for the Confederate Army, insults to women, imprisonment without charges & the writ of Habeas Corpus suspended – seizure of private papers & all the machinery of a despotic government suddenly developed full grown & in its most odious form!

One story I must insert. From the lower part of Maryland which is staunch to the South large quantities of clothing & particularly socks have been sent over into Va for the Confederate Army by the ladies acting on their own part & as their feelings dictated. This has excited the wrath of the Lincoln Governt and active measures have been taken to seize & confiscate them.

At one retired farm house to which they rode up in a hot Sept afternoon the young ladies of the family were taking their siesta, the father was out, & the only person visible on the premises was an old lady of nearly seventy who sat in the passage knitting & dozing. The soldiers came up unawares to her & the first thing she saw was a US officer in full uniform coming into the door whilst his men filled the piazza. Rising up she immediately advanced to meet him, & he, it is supposed, thinking from her promptness & calmness that there were others to back her in order to strike terror into their hearts drew out his sword with a flourish & said “by authority of the US Government I come,” when she cooly patted him on the should & said “Put up your sword honey! I wouldn’t hurt you for the world!” He then seeing that she was alone proceeded with what face he could to explain that he was sent out to search for & seize socks which he heard were intended for the Confederate Army & observing her knitting said” And what are doing Madam?” “Knitting socks for the Confederate Soldiers! Honey! Knitting socks for the Confederate soldiers.” “Well, Madam it is my duty to seize all such.” “Well, Honey! To be sure! I suppose you do not want the needles too” & suiting the action to her word she pulled out the needles deliberately one by one, stuck them into her cap, broke off the ball of yarn, rolled up the half knit sock, & politely handed it to him! That unfinished sock was all the gallant officer got for his afternoon’s work.

At Mr Contee’s the ladies seeing the soldiers approach bundled up their shirts & pantaloons, cleared up the workroom, & calling a faithful negro gave them in charge to him and from being as busy as bees they were as idle as drones when the officer entered, & whilst he was searching the housethe servant succeeded in getting the negroes dressed up in the clothes, some of them with 2 prs of pantaloons on! On returning from their fruitless expedition they remarked that “they had no where seen such well dressed well cared for slaves as Mr Contee’s!” Ah, tyranny, you have need of Argus eyes when it is the aim of so many to out wit you.

Well I will go to bed for it is late & I have been hard at work all day. Let me see, I got Mr E off, then prepared 6 doz candle wicks & attended to the moulding 2 doz candles. I lapped thread or yarn with my own hands for three yds of cloth for a pair of soldiers pants, hanked 6 boaches of cotton, knit two fingers & a thumb of a pr of fine white yarn gloves for dress parade for Col Clarke & then after dinner commenced a soldier’s sock, read the paper, took a nap, drank tea, finished the sock to Dolly’s delight & wonderment, wrote my journal, & now with a sense of “something accomplished – something done” think I have “earned a night’s repose.”

The paper reports a large force supposed to be the whole of the Abolition Army lying before Fredericksburg. Lee, the Examiner says, is ready for them. A skirmish on the Blackwater on Tuesday the guns of which we heard, in which we repulsed them, supposed to be Foster & the troops he had here. No particulars of our losses. I will leave Mr Johnston’s treatments of a Fed officer until tomorrow – so to bed, this time in earnest.

 

 

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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God grant us an undisturbed possession of our home. #civilwar150

November 12, 1862

This morning before day light Mr E was sent for by Mr Daughtry, thinking his brother worse, but he was dead before he could get down to him!  Poor fellow, but for this cruel war & Lincoln & Seward’s want of principle, he might have lived to a good old age.  Came home to Looking Glass to dinner, having sent our baggage before us, so we are I hope settled for the winter.  God grant us an undisturbed possession of our home.  Unpacked our trunks & reunited our scattered & divided wardrobes, for in prospect of the advance of the enemy last week and our uncertainty as to which was the safest, Hascosea or the River, I left a portion there, took a portion with me, & packed one large trunk to send up to Raleigh so as to be prepared for the worse.  We enjoy the ease & independence of home, for tho’ father and Mama are most kind & do hold & make one family until Peace, still home has so many attractions that we are loath to give it up.  Mr E quaintly expressed it tonight, as sitting in his own chair he stretched out his feet with an air of proprietorship & said, “It is good to be here where one is Top Lawyer”–& so it is.  That expresses it exactly, a sense of authority & power one never feels in any house save ones own.  Grant that our lives this winter may be marked with a sense of deeper gratitude to God, the giver of all our blessings, than we have yet felt.

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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they condemn Lincoln’s proclamation & declare that they are tired of the “eternal negro” & cry “down with the Wooly Heads.” #civilwar150

November 11, 1862 [ part 2]

After breakfast today came Mr Leary, the old gentleman who was here with his family last winter—refugees from Chowan.  His opinion of Gen Martin as a military man was so ludicrously expressed that I record it.  On father’s expressing his regret that the enemy had escaped, he said, “Well sir, as to that, from what I can learn, if the Gen in command, Martin, was in heaven the rest of mankind would be no worse off for anything he can do!”  He is on his way to his own house in Chowan, intending to make his way through the enemies lines, in order to bring off his carpets which he secreted when he left to cut up for blankets for our soldiers and he an old man near seventy!

Have just come in from seeing Mr George Daughtry, the brother of fathers overseer, who is I fear in a dying state.  He joined the Scotland Neck Rifles to avoid the Conscription in the summer.  Has been sick in the Hospital at Wilmington & since in Camp.  He was discharged from the service on account of his health & came up on Sat in the snow from Wilmington without an overcoat & in summer clothing.  Got to his brother’s on Sunday & has been unable to go further.  Mr E was sent for before daybreak this morning & found him insensible & evidently dying.  He lies now in a comitose state from which death only will release him.  He dies a victim to bad management & want of energy, for had his friends made proper exertion to get his winter clothing to him, or even sent him his overcoat which they could have done, or had his Captain looked after his comfort at all & furloughed him so as to allow him to come home for it, he would in all probability be living & a health man now, for he has seen no service & had no exposure to hurt a well clad man.  “But no,” they said, “they would give him soldiers clothes.”  Who said does not appear & so as the Government could not do their duty from the want of material his friends have left his warm clothing & overcoat at home, for the moths to consume, from mere shiftlessness and want of consideration, for they appear deeply concerned about & attached to him.  I have been thus minute in my account of him, for his case is key to the mortality in our army & especially to that in Western Va where the 24^th [and] Col Clark suffered so severely for want of clothing, it was said, and blankets & especially overcoats, within six weeks after they went into service.  I remember I did not believe here was a Regt of such improvident men in the country & blamed their officers, but I fear I was hasty.  George Daughtry is well to do, has plenty of clothes, a mother & sister (who seems to be a sensible woman) & yet he dies in victim to carelessness, or rather thoughtlessness.

On the Potomac things seem serious.  The Abolitionists are throwing themselves to the South of Lee & endeavoring to take possession of the Gaps in the Blue Ridge so as to confine him to the Valley west of it, whilst they propose an easy “On to Richmond” march of it.  I have ever confidence in our General & do not believe that he will allow himself to be outmanovered thus.  Still the position is a serious one & we may soon hear of a battle in that quarter.  We have occasional skirmishes & some of them sever ones, capturing trains & detachments, etc., but nothing bears on the general issue of the campaign.  The Democrats have carried the N Y Elections by an overwhelming majority, defeating the Republicans in the city alone by 30,000.  Many feel hopeful that this is an evidence of “Peace” but I do not.  The only thing they seem agreed about is to fight the South, but the Democrats condemn Lincoln’s proclamation & declare that they are tired of the “eternal negro” & cry “down with the Wooly Heads.”  So perhaps we will not lose so many under their regime.  A more hopeful sign to me is the desire that the Government men evince to shake off the odium of causing the War.  Gen Scott since the publication of his remarkable letter by Mr Van Buren is out with an article reflecting on Mr Buchanon who replies by delicately giving Maj Gen Scott the lie, not in words it is true but by a statement of facts.  He has “Old Fuss and Feathers” in rather an unpleasant predicament.  The Northern Papers are full of rumours of an Armistice, Intervention, & recognition, which Lord Lyons they say, is directed to make, but we none of us believe them or in fact attach any importance to them.  We have to conquer a Peace with our own good swords &by God’s help we will do so!

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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Union occupation: “the Zouaves swarmed in like Devils, yelling, whooping, & screaming.” #civilwar150

November 9, 1862 [part 2]

Our first destination was the plantation, there to attend to the welfare of our negroes, & next to father’s to give what aid & assistance lay in our power.  I packed up our clothing, books—that is our most valuable ones–& made such disposition of them as I deemed proper, getting some things ready to send to Raleigh & Hillsboro, others to remain with us.  I was mortified to find that anxiety or sleeplessness had made me really sick, so that if was with difficulty I could eat.  This I forced myself to do & with many reproaches to my own weakness went on with my packing.  About eleven Mr E went to our neighbor’s Mr Hill’s & found that he had already sent off his family & servants & was preparing to leave for his plantation himself!  I packed up Rachel’s things & a bundle for James E, having a good opportunity of sending it on to him; & about two we left Hascosea perhaps forever—as being on the high road between Hill’s Ferry & Weldon (their probable destination), there is little doubt that should they penetrate so far it will fall a victim to their love of plunder & destructions.

I do not tell all I did, for time would fail me, & besides I can never forget it, so will not need this to remind me.  Suffice it to say that at Looking Glass we made the best dispositions we could, telling the negroes how to comport themselves & what to do in case of the enemy’s occupation, promising not to leave them, & came here to father, who was most happy to see us.

This was on Wednesday the 5^th.  Our dispatches, of which we received two every day, have varied from hopeful to despondant ever since.  It is needless to record them all.  On Thursday Mr E went to Clarksville to attempt to organize a Co for local defence but failed, there being but few there willing to join him.  Capt Clements read him a ltter from his siter, Mrs Kinchin Taylor, telling him of the outrages they committed at her house.  She said the Zouaves swarmed in like Devils, yelling, whooping, & screaming.  Her negro servant, Ness, drew a knife & took his station by her telling them that he would kill the first man who laid a finger upon her.  Noble conduct, as all who know how timid the race is generally will admit.  They sacked the house, threw everything out of it, breaking every thing that could break & chopping the furniture to pieces!  They built a fire out of doors, cut up the corn crop & threw it on it, killed all the fattening Hogs, sheep, cattle, & cows & threw them also into it.  They took her carriage & every horse on the premises, telling her that they would have burned the house but that she was in it.  She went herself on foot to their headquarters, saw General Foster, the officer in command, & requested that her horses might be returned to her.  He looked & spoke so cross that she feared him, but his Aid, to his praise be it spoken, Capt George Anderson of Boston interceded & obtained one horse for her.  Her carriage was also returned with the harness cut into bits.  He (Capt A), when he saw the desolation & destruction wrought in her house, actually wept!  His tears did him credit.  I did not think a Yankee capable of it!  Let him now only resign the service of such a Government & he may yet do well.

At Mr John Williams they burned his  Gin, Screw, & all his cotton and leather.  Mr E had this from Mrs Williams herself.  What fiends!  & what useless barbarity, a barbarity which God will punish!  We have been thus anxious ever since, one account encouraging, the next discouraging us, accordingly as they reported favourably or otherwise of their advance.

On Friday the 7^th we opened our eyes upon a heavy fall of snow!—the earliest ever known in this climate.  I could not enjoy the unusual & brilliant spectacle of the autumn leaves, crimson, yellow, & orange covered with a fleecy Veil.  I was too uneasy & fearful lest the snow should raise the River & allow the Gunboats which we heard were aground on Williams bar to get off.  On Friday came brother, less despondant at first, it appeared, than usual, but we soon found his calmness partook of the nature of despair.  Mr E & himself arranged to go & offer their services to the Comdg-Gen & the Gov as Volunteer Aids & today they left for the head quarters of our Army, now said to number thirteen Regts, but we do not credit it.  We suppose an advance is to be made simultaneously with this from Suffolk & look anxiously for news, but as yet none seems to be threatened.  Brother has sent to Richmond for Annie, fearing our R R communication may be cut off.  I am so sleepy that I will go to bed now & leave the outside news, i.e., news from all but this corner of the Confederacy until tomorrow.  Mr E keeps me in better order when he is at home.  Were he here I should have been asleep long ago.  I am not half done yet.

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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It is a week since I opened this book & Ah! what a week of anxiety & care!

November 9, 1862

Sunday at Conneconara.  It is a week since I opened this book & Ah! what a week of anxiety & care!  Tonight a week ago I made my last entry, Mr Edmondston being absent in Tarboro.  He is absent again tonight probably in the same place but on how different an errand!  He came home on Monday to dinner & found me in gay spirits, looking for him, knitting a stocking for James & superintending the digging of my Dahlia roots.  He seemed anxious & worried & so soon as he got warm & comfortably at home told me that he enemy was reported as advancing in force, having marched across the country from Washington, compelling Burgwin’s, Ratcliff’s, & Lamb’s Regts to fall back & that Faison’s was on its way to join them having encamped at Tarboro the night before.  They had had a skirmish in which some of our men were killed & more wounded.  This came like a thunderclap upon me & we hastily concluded to go down to father’s that night, not only to see him, but to stop the sending of our negroes to work at Rainbow Bend Hamilton, as they had been ordered to do in the morning.  We went & carried our heavy news with us.  Next morning came Mr Hill & brought more encouraging news to the effect that Gov Vance had gone to Tarboro to take command & that more troops were en route & that we had repulsed the advance.  We returned home, dining at Looking Glass as we passed & making our arrangements to move in the morning from Hascosea.  Went out in the afternoon and I attended to the housing of my Dahlias, dividing them so as to send a nice portion to Mrs. Rayner, Ellen Mordecai, Mrs Mordecai, Thos Hogg’s children, & Mrs James Smith.

No additional news at night, so we went to bed quite reassured.  Scarcely were we asleep when we were aroused by a note from Mr Hill telling us that the Yankees had taken Hamilton—were advancing in force, 12000 strong with 1200 Cavalry, that our troops had fallen back toward Tarboro, & that they had killed Bennet Baker & some others!  This struck horror into my heart, for but a few days before I had seen Bennet Baker, young, vigorous, & full of life & the thought of his bleeding corpse, which had been carried to his father’s house, banished sleep from my eyes for the rest of the night.  About three we heard the tread of a horse & this time it proved to be John Currie with a note from Mr Speed telling us that “times is serious,” “the Yankees advancing,” “Cavalry in pursuit of our men.”  We were soon dressed & down stairs—found Mr C in a state of excitement and alarm scarcely to be described.  He told us that our neighbors were all moving, or making preparations to move, that a heavy land force occupied the roads whilst five Gun boats were in the River, & much more to the same effect.  My heart sickened within me.  I felt weak & faint but, thank God, He gave me strength to subdue all manifestations of fear & in a short time by His support I rallied & was enabled to go calmly to my preparations for leaving home.

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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Mr. Williamson reached here safe on Saturday the 25 with his servants, he left Mary Virginia and the children well. #cw150

November 2

Mr. Williamson reached here safe on Saturday the 25 with his servants, he left Mary Virginia and the children well. They were staying with Mrs. Jones, six miles from their home. Thank the Lord I have heard from my daughter, she and the 2 children are well. This another evidence of the goodness of God.

Mr. Williamson returns from Arkansa today and I hope will bring M. Virginia back with him in a few weeks. I feel more cheerful, I have had peace and comfort ever since the meeting at Wentworth 4 weeks ago. The Lord is good to me and mine.

We received another letter from George this week, he was well. My family enjoy good health, all the servants. Some of Mr. Williamson’s servants have the chills, contracted at Arkansa.

The Lord is reviving his work at several places on our circuit under Brother Pepper, about 70 converts.

 

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

 

tal�6ah�/(�yle=’mso-spacerun:yes’>  That alone & the record of it contained in you is your hold upon existence.  Think how much poetry, how many thoughts have fed your devouring  flame!  Yet, Journal, I love you better than the others.  It would pain me to lose you, so for your sake I will be more reticent & not fritter you away upon idle thoughts & ideas “long drawn out.”  You have eased my anxiety & soothed my pain many at time this past year, but I make too large demands on you!

 

Mr E heard last night to our great relief that the rumour of the capture of the Cotton Plant was an entire fabrication.  Not even a mistake, as she went up the river in safety yesterday & had we been at Looking Glass we could have seen her.  Truth is indeed dead.  Galveston in Texas is captured by the enemy.  I know not which behaved worse or with more pusillamnity, the captors or the captured, if the Newspaper record is the true one.  Two Regts are below us at Hamilton.  Tomorrow our hands are to go down to work on the entrenchments, 500 called out with a fortnight’s provisions.  I hope they will make it safe this time.  We captured a company of “Buffalos,” so we hear, about Plymouth.  What “Buffalos” are does not appear, but they are enemies.  The traitor Col Jones has been captured and is in Jail at Hamilton.  If the State authorities do their duty they will hang him for treason.  I hope earnestly that they will never release him whilst the War lasts, for with his grand airs & pretended intimacy with the best people in the land, which he will be anxious to exhibit to his Abolition friends, he would be a dangerous person to us.  He would pilot the enemy all through our country.  He has long been an admirer of our fair neighbor Nannie Hill & came up often to see her.  I would be sorry for him, much as I despise him, should he ever again encounter her!

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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