Saturday May 30th 1863
Betsey went home this morning. We have had some rain today, not much. I finished Willie’s dress soon after dinner & put it on him. He is very proud of his homespun with buttons. I washed Pinck’s head after dinner. George cut his hair today. It is shingled very close but looks very well. Mr. Henry out about the farm & mill. Wiley Knight moved the loom this evening in the back piazza. He put the rollers on the trunnel bed also. The children are delighted with it. Mr. Henry got the rollers when he was in Columbia. He is ever thoughtful of his wife & children. He is such a good man.
Sunday 31st [May 1863]
Cloudy & sunshine this evening. Looks very much like rain if the wind don’t blow too much. Atheline is not well today, has headache. Rose is rocking the baby in the cradle now. Strawberries are beginning to ripen a little. Old Goodlake & Margaret were over here this morning. They brought Matt’s shoes, one pair. She will get the other pair soon. Margaret looks badly. She breaks very fast, has two living children & one dead. Old Goodlake would start before dinner. Margaret wanted to stay till evening. There was a wounded soldier stopped here for whiskey. I think him an imposter. Mr. Henry gave him some brandy. He says he was in the Fredericksburg fight, the last one they had. I will stop now as my baby is fretting. He laughed out yesterday, the first time. Harrie came up to take a nap. I am in his room writing. He is lying on his bed.
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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