[from the diary of William M. Blackford, of Lynchburg, Va., former diplomat, newspaper editor and bank officer, with 5 sons in the Confederate Army]

Thursday 20
Real equinoxial weather, cold
rain greater part of the day–Met as I
was entering the Bank Francis L. Smith
late of Alexandria, who is here and saving
to procure a home for his family. I knew him
first some 35 ys ago, a sprightly young man

who settled in Fauqu Luray to practice law
He went South–returned to Virgina and set
-tled in Alexandria, married a lady of
fortune–rose to distinction in his profession
and amassed a fortune. He had built a
splendid residence from which he was dri
ven upon the occupation of the town by the
enemy. He has resided at several places
since. I hope he has succeeded in getting
a home here as I left the negotiation in a
fair way last night, when I parted with him
I am amused to find how I am relied upon
by strangers coming here for good offices. It is
rather troublesome to have such a reputation.
I shall do all I can however–We have ru
mour well founded of a cavalry fight be
tween 300 of Stewarts cavalry & 500 of the
enemys. We killed 40 and took 100 prisoners
with a loss of 6 killed on our side, among
them Thos. Waller, of [?] Of Radfords
regt. the only companies engaged were White
head & Harris–Four companies of 1 Regt
were there–whom I do not learn. I hope
William may have been present. We learn
that the Wise troop was at Warrenton Sunday
last– The destruction of stores on the Manassas
road and at Manassas Junction was the most
unnecessary wanton & criminal act we have
yet seen during the war.

MSS 4763

[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding, Co. F, 25th Massachusetts Infantry]

Thursday
March 20

George and Phineas and I went
up to the depot and looked around
among the things this afternoon as I did not
get off guard till nearly noon. Read some and wrote home.

MSS 11293

[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, musician and private of the 23rd Ohio]

Thursday, Mar. 20, 1862

Played for Guard Mounting
no parade have done
little today, Saw a
man from Blue Stone
he tells of a tragic affair
shooting his wife’s
[?]
have written a letter
to Father
Rainy [?] showers

buried the wounded
cavalryman to day
he died yesterday

see Templeton’s letter of this date to his father]

MSS 10317

Camp Near Rappahannock River
March 19” 1862 Evening
My own dear Jennie
We are still at the same camp
and quite likely to remain here for 6 or 8 days
to come. the regiment is still below engaged in
pulling up the rail road, carrying off the iron &
burning the ties and all bridges. Genl Elzey ordered
me to remain here with about 150 men so I am
just laying here doing nothing, expecting nothing
and of course more or less blue. I cant tell
where Neds regiment is. I have heard of it being
at three or four places and hence cant say where
it is. When I left I told you to send my clothes
& my horse by Ned, but unless his regiment is
some where on the line of the rail road it
will be entirely useless for him to start with
them for he might go further from me than
it at Frescatti. So soon as I get on the other
side of the Rapidan River I can send for
them & then hear directly from you and get
some more clothes washed.
Thursday Morning Capt Geo Chrisman & John
Kenny will be sent to day to Gordonsville
for some of our men & guns. And I have
concluded to send by them for my horse. Genl
Elzey has just told me that we will probably
have to remain here for a week, not longer –
& possibly not that long. It rained all day
yet night last night & is still drizling [sic] & very
wet I manage to keep dry & comfortable
I am just as well off as I would be if I was

[page 2]
nearer Gordonsville. I am not permited [sic]
to go to the regiment but will have
about 200 men here to take care of, and
to fight with in an emergency.
We have no news at all & dont know
what is going on in the world. I feel
pretty well satisfied in fact I am fully
convinced that we do not go beyond Gordonsville
until we are whiped [sic] by the Yankeys. We
are now engaged in moving the R R and
all supplies in this vicinity back for the
use of the army.
Most affectionately & truly
E.T.H. Warren

Genl Elzey”, line 5 & 24 – ‘Arnold Elzey, Confederate general, commanding brigade of which the 10th Virginia Infantry was a part.

“Frescatti”, line 16 – ‘Frascati. Virginia ‘Jennie’ Watson Magruder Warren’s ancestral home located a few miles north of Gordonsville.’

“Capt Geo Chrisman”, line 20 – ‘George H. Chrisman, Jr., Captain, Company H, 10th Virginia Infantry.’

“John Kenny”, line 21 – ‘John Kenney, Jr., Ordnance-Sergeant, 10th Virginia Infantry.’

“E.T.H. Warren”, page 2, signature – ‘Edward Tiffin Harrison Warren, Lieutenant-Colonel, 10th Virginia Infantry.’

[transcription and annotations by John P. Mann, IV]

MSS 7786-g

[from the diary of Joseph A. Waddell, former owner of the Staunton Spectator]

Wednesday night, March 19, 1862.

Thirty-nine years ago, this day, I was born. The
cars arrived just now. We have had no news to-day, not
even a rumor. About 2 o’clock seventy-odd men
were brought in who were captured by our cavalry
scouts in Pendleton or Hardy, while endeavoring to es-
cape from militia service or the draught. Ten or ele-
ven of them are from this county, and the remainder
from Rockingham. They were endeavoring to make
their way, in small parties, to Ohio. Some, if not all
of them, are simple-hearted, inoffensive people belong-
ing to the Dunkard Church. They will be sent to Rich-
mond to-morrow, and are confined to-night in the
Court house, every door and window being guarded by a
sentinel. It is reported that altogether they had several
thousands of dollars in specie. Thirty-one houses, 28 sad-
dles and 29 bridles belonging to them were turned over to
the Quartermaster here. I will take a descriptive list
and appraisement of the property to-morrow. It was,
of course, necessary to arrest and bring back the desert-
ers, but there is something pittiful in their fleeing in
this manner and being taken like partridges on the moun-
tains. The whole crowd had a pocket pistol between them,
and one soldier arrested twenty of them. I believe that
most of them, and perhaps all, had no hostile in-
tentions towards us. Two of them are Dunkard preachers.

MSS 38-258

[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]

Wednesday 19th–An arrival–Judge Person & family drove
up at 3 o’clock this afternoon–They will remain here
until the weather permits them to go to housekeeping.
Liz and i went out toyesterday–& paid 2 visits–Returned Mrs.
Malletts visit & called on Mrs Wm Davis–In the afternoon
we went to Church & got caught in a heavy rain–I heard
from Mrs. Tyler of Wiliam Anerum Lords bad accident
being crushed between the cars–cousin E. Lord gone on to see
him in Alabama–No company tonight It rained too
hard. Eliza spent the evening reading–

MSS 6960

Liberty Hall March 19th 1862

Dear Grandpa [General John Hartwell Cocke]

Pink goes down again
to-morrow to finish her visit home & I
write a note by her to say that the cuttings
& trees have never come to hand tho’ I gave
directions for them to be sent by the boat
& have looked for them every Boat.

If they have been sent to the lock,
please ask Mr Denton to ship them
on the mail packet & I will be responsible
for the freight.

I have secured a substitute for the war
& shall act as overseer & manager both
for the coming year. It has been my
most earnest wish to be in the service
from the beginning of the war but no persuasions
can induce my wife from being desperately
opposed to it–and I have determined to do
all I can for the country at home in the way
of caring for the volunteers’ families–With
much love to all at Bremo & Recess I remain
as ever Your affectionate Grandson

P B Cabell

Philip Barraud Cabell, 1836-1904, one of the few ante-bellum students at the University of Virginia to obtain a Master’s degree. After the war he was a professor at Urbanna University in Ohio and later a minister of a Swedenborgian Church in Wilmington, Delaware. His wife Julia Calvert Bolling Cabell, known as Pinkie, had been a popular Virginia belle before their marriage.

MSS 38-111

[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, private and musician in the 23rd Ohio]

Wednesday, Mar. 19, 1862

Played for Guard mounting
no dress Parade
practiced
Have done nothing
important–read and
talked
Hazy this forenoon
rained this afternoon

MSS 10317

[from the recollections of Capt. Jonathan B. Hager, 14th U. S. Regulars, as copied from his diary]

Mar 19 I went up to Washington on the 19th and laid
in the necessary supplies for a campaign and
returned to camp next day. While in this camp
we had the pleasure of witnessing the review
of Gen. McDowell’s Corps of 30,000 men. It was
a grand sight. Here I first saw Gen. McClellan
that little man who was destined to occupy
a play so conspicuous a part in the grand
tragedy of the rebellion. He looked small,
but he was big enough. Little Mac, as he was
familiarly called by his soldiers was big
enough to act a leading part in this
grand drama of a world in arms. Bit
enough to have the devotion of an army
rare for its numbers, patriotism & intelligence.

MSS 9044

[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding, Private, Co. F, 25th Massachusetts]

Wednesday
March 19
On guard again to day. My post
was near the river, and close to
the New Brunswick and when I got off my
beat I went on and staid till six. Got a
good supper and had a good time. Talked on
shore with the inhabitants in regard to the war.

MSS 11293