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

Tuesday 11 Bright mild morning. Rumor of
a great battle in Arkansas said to be won
by our troops–The actual loss of the Yankees
at in the battle of Hampton roads is the total
loss of the two frigates Congress & Cumberland
and of one or two steam tug–the Minnesota
badly crippled and their steam battery, the
Monitor damaged–Several guns dismounted
on the bottom at Newport News–nothing defi-
nite as to their loss in killed wounded & drowned
great distress and uneasiness in town about the
[?] [?] [?], which I think a very foolish
thing–It may have the effect of making
men volunteer and thus filling the ranks
of existing companies–The President disapproves
of the conduct of Floyd & Pillow and suspends
them until investigation be made–a pox[?]
upon all political generals–both of those in
aspiring to office and on [?] their present
position to enhance their importance.

MSS 4763

[from the diary of Daniel D. Logan, younger brother of General Thomas M. Logan and a Sgt., Co. B, 1st Special Battalion (Rightor’s) Louisiana Infantry]

Tuesday – Mch 11th 1862
Rose this morning at 7 o’c [—] I
breakfasted. Spent the day until breakfast
12 o’c getting [-] & other things for the Schooners
all of which are unloaded & under my orders –
took them on the river & anchored our little
fleet in the cove under Pages battery – Went
over in the evening & remained at the point
until dark. Saw some of my [-] friends
at Page’s battery – they are improving it very
much – spent the evening with Lieut Lindsay –
Took supper by invitation with Capt. Higgins
family – By today’s papers heard a confirmation
of the news we had yesterday of the Virginia
doings – A grand affair indeed – The General
has not yet returned from below – Eggleston
returned today and reports all quiet – Our Battalion
at Deep Creek & the Miss’ Batt. at Wallshouse[?]
Return at 10 1//2 –

[Capt. Wm. H. Higgins, 2nd La. Bn.
Capt. Higgins was Asst. Commissary of Subsistence for General Magruder.]

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards, annotations by Robert K. Krick]

MSS 6154

[from the diary of Daniel D. Logan, younger brother of General Thomas M. Logan, and a Sgt., Co. B, 1st Special Battalion (Rightor’s), Louisianan Infantry.]

Monday – March 10th 1862
The miss [-] battalion left camp Hurrah for
deep creek at 10 ½ o’clock this morning –
I bid the boys goodbye & turned my
face towards Yorktown – a long &
lonely march of 4 hours, brought
[—-]quarters at Capt
Higgin’s – bathed & dressed, took
a nap & read the papers, with the
accts of the doings of the Virginia
[—]. The march today
tired me very much – [-] on my way to my
[-] company & having taken no-
Thing [—] for breakfast.
Write to Mr. [-] to forward my
letters & a long letter to Sallie tonight
Return’d at 11 o’c – News tonight
that the [-] & the [–] St Law-
rence damaged to day – Effects of their
[-] to the Virginia

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6154

[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, civilian of Staunton, Va.]

Tuesday night, March 11, 1862.

Legh seemed quite exhilerated to-day at the pros-
pect of joining the army so soon. His near-sight-
edness would probably exempt him, but he ex-
pects to start with the others on Friday. The Rich-
mond train of cars have has not arrived yet, not being
able to pass a large number of cars on the track
at or near Gordonsville. It is stated that they ex-
tend ten miles — probably an exaggeration. The
telegraph reported to-day further triumphs of the
“Virginia” near Norfolk. It Four steamers of large
size and three gunboats destroyed, and three gun-
boats captured – – this is the report. The last intel-
ligence from Winchester is that when the enemy
were advancing on Saturday (?) Jackson had his
force drawn up to and Ashby attacked them
with his cavalry. They ran, or at least retired, and
according to one report have gone beyond Charles-
town. Our army are reported as in fine spirits. —
Northern accounts state that our loss in prison-
ers at Fort Donelson was six thousand, in-
stead of from 12000 to 15,000.

[transcription by the Valley of the Shadow Digital Archive]

MSS 38-258

[from the diary of Charles Hay, of the 23rd Ohio]

Fayetteville, March 11th, 1862.
Times are very dull. Were it not for the
cheering news that reaches us once in a
while, it would be an almost unbearable
kind of life to lounge around this dull
town and country, all the little interest of
which has long ago been exhausted. Scarcely
anything occurs to break the monotony.
Today I visited a romantic spot on New river,
where a stream called Wolf Creek flows into it,
some two miles from town. The relative position
of the two streams form an acute angle of the
point of land between, and which rises by
successive steps no less abrupt than lofty, from
the bed of the river, until a height of, I should
judge, 400 feet is attained. Standing on the
summit, which is but a narrow ridge, from
which you can gaze beneath on either side,
you can see far up and down New River, which
here flows through a gorge only wide enough to
admit the stream, and which is away beneath.
Wolf Creek before flowing into New River, descends
rapidly over the rocks some hundreds of feet. This,
with the sparkling water reflected in the rays of
the sun, and a beautiful little cascade, nearly
opposite, across New River, and which falls a
hundred feet in 2 or 3 successive leaps, these, alto-
=gether, form a grand sight, and well worth a
visit. The almost perpendicular hills on either
side of the river are covered with forests, now
mostly leafless, and protruding from the sides,
may be seen the edge of layers of rock, evidently the strata,
of which I counted some 5 or six.

MSS 13925

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

[from the diary of Samuel S. Johnson, private, 1st Massachusetts Independent Light Battery]

March 11th 1862.

Were turned out at six A. M expect-
-ing to resume our march. After
breakfast packed up, but no orders
to move made their appearance.
About 10. A M the report that the
rebs had evacuated Manassas,
began to circulate among the
troops, although at first it was hardly
credited. Troops have been marching
in all day steadily. The day has been
Pleasant and mild.

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 8493

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

Tuesday 11th–Liz has taken a bad cold & feels quite unwell
We walked up as far as Mrs Nuns to see if she had conclud
-ed positively not to take us–& finding she had–We made
up our minds to feel satisfied where we are–Several nice
ladies are in this Hotel & I am sorry they intend renting a
house–There are 2 Mrs. Davies’,one Dr Greenhow & family
& one other lady all from the neighbourhood of Plymounth
Every night Eliza has two or three students to see her–&
one of them last night accompanied her with his voice on the
piano. This being Lent we have service twice a day–9 o’clock
in the morning–& 4 in the afternoon.

MSS 6960

[from the diary of Jonathan Hager of the 14th U.S. Regulars, as copied and annotated at a later date]
The weather during the time we remained at
our Camp near Fairfax was all a soldier could
ask.  Bright & balmy, more becoming early June than
blustering march.  The sunshine was inviting
& the earth dry & the transmutation from the
horrible, soundless & continuous mud of
Perryville made each heart leap as at a
new found joy.  Nothing to do but to bask &
we did nothing but bask.
MSS 9044 

Clifton House Richmond\March 11th 1862

My dear Johnnie
Is it not too provoking
that just the very day you left
the trunk should have made its
appearance? Saturday morning
Het went to see Mrs Elsey, who
told her that the trunk was undoubtedly
at the Express Office, that it had been
sent up from Norfolk to her care, &
that she had gone herself a week
before and told the man where to
send it–of course Het proceeded
immediately with George Lemmon
to the Office and after a long time
succeeded in making the man
acknowledge that there was a trunk
there directed to Miss Hetty Cary-
they ordered it to be sent up
immediately and consequently shortly
after dinner a leather trunk
and an envelope containing the key
thereto were landed in my room.
As usual Col Pegram was in the

[page 2]
parlor, and there and there I had he stayed until
to after tea, and I had to sit
and wait with the trunk in the
middle of the floor and the key
laying on top of it in the most
inviting manner, and to make
it worse, I was so sick, my cold
so bad, that I could not read
or write or sew or do anything but
lie and wonder what was in it
and stew at Col Pegram & Het
and mankind generally, & think
I was the most injured individual
in the world. The greatest
misery must come to an end
sometime, & so at last he went,
and in we pitched– what was
our amazement to find it not the
Christmas trunk but one dispatched
since the 23rd of Feb. The enclosed
letter from Ma was in it, the
trunk had evidently not been
touched, it was full of summer
things, there were three silk
dresses for Het, which she

[page 3]
can wear now, but nothing
except an apron that I can
put on for a month to come
so I am not much better off
than I was before–Ma’s letter
has determined me to go home.
I can see in every line of it
how much she needs us–
So I am up today for the first
time, my cold is no better
but I am tired of bed–On
Sunday Ida Winn’s letter
was handed me, I send it
to you although I know
she would kill me if she
knew it–Today Sister’s
letter came–I am sorry
I am in such a hurry
that I cant write any
more Good bye
your devoted sister
Jennie Cary

MSS 1415

Mar. 10 1862

My Dear Walter

We are very anxious about you.
why do you not write? Let us know
whether you think Gussie[?] might be at
home–If so, try to make some arrange
ments to have her got out–Your Ma
the children and all well–Love to Sis C
the Colonel and all. Truly your Aff parent
M B Buck

[cross hatched on the page]
Be sure to write
and let us hear
from you immediate-
ly- Try to come by
home if you
can–Can you
buy a horse for
the certificate
for Choltan[?]

W Walter Buck Esqr
Warren Rangers
Berryville

MSS 3064