[from the diary of William M. Blackford, former diplomat,editor, and bank officer, Lynchburg, Va., with five sons in the Confederate Army]

Tuesday 1. I begin a new volume &
in consequence of the war this is the last
book I can procure–being one that my
son Launcelot had begun to use. One wd
think the most ardent free trader would
now modify his views somewhat &
agree to some protection if necessary, to
encourage the manufacture of the
absolute necessaries of life. Yesterday
was our quarter day–and we had
the usual count, showing the last
term, most of the gold and notes
sealed up. the labor was not great
I always feel a great relief when
everything is certified to be correct
-though I can but think the count
a mere farce-with collusion on
the part of the bookkeeper and
teller or cashier a deficit might
be had for years & would not be de-
tected without the minutest in
spection of the Books. the only reliance
is on the honesty of the officers.
No telegrams-no reports–It is but
the calm before the storm. We must
in a very few days have news of
momentous events–Every days delay
is of vast importance. Our forces in
in[sic] the field are strengthened hourly. Our
furloughed men are rapidly returning
and the new recruits joining. The army
is kept in a mobile state and is in
high spirits. It is perfectly astonishing
how the movements of troops are kept
secret — variously employed in the
[?]–Telegram from Ro. Saunders
to meet Miss Smith & the Misses Gwath
-mey at the Boat landing and to hire
a hack for them. The are bound to
his house & called in the evening
with Mary J. on Col Tylers family
afterwards on Mrs Gen. Rodes-Re
turning found Mrs Evans & her daugh-
ters at our house–very nice people
they are concluded not to go to the
cars–it being uncertain whether Chas
would come–At qr past 8 recd a tele=
gram from him asking me to have
a hack here at 8. Hastened down
and found the cars already in & that
he & Sue had been compelled to walk
from there both more cheerful
than I expected–Learn from him
there is little doubt Eugene will
be made Lt Col. of 12 Alabama &
that his company will be attached to
that regt. This was the scheme Rodes
had in view when he was here. It
will be an honorable testimony to his
soldierly merits–His company could
not expect him to decline the posi-
tion for their sake.

MSS 4763