Castle Godwin, Richmond May 16th
1862

My Dear Phil [Philip Barraud Cabell]
I write to make my apology
for omitting to send you the cheque on monday
last which I told you was in the letter; I was
in great haste and flurry and having finished
[?] folded the letter and gave it to the
servant forgetting to take the cheque out of
my desk and put in the letter–I write you
see from castle Godwin not however as a prisoner
but custodian happening to be officer of the
day to day–As you learn from the papers
the Yankee gunboats are lying near Richmond
we beat them in the fight yesterday but I
suppose nothing but the direct protection
of Providence can save us from being wither
shelled or surrendered–We have no guns yet
for our company but will I trust get them and
take the field at once–Best love to Miss Pink
I want to see you all very much–Jennie would
send love too if she knew I was writing.  She has come
to the conclusion that perhaps it is better to send
those dresses unfinished than to risk their re-
maining here to be lost in the capture of the city
I believe she will send them by next boat–
Baby is very well now–In haste ever yours
Affectionately
A.Q. Holladay

MSS 38-111

[from the diary of Lt. John Tyler of the Letcher Artillery]

May 16th  Stopped raining this morning, but
still cloudy & very warm.  divided our
mess this morning.  To day am battery off-
-icer of day.  Drilled N. C. officers this morning
& company in afternoon.  At teatime heard
several volleys of musketry, which was said
to be fireing of pickets in a skirmish on our
right.

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6150

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

                                                                         
                             Camp at Mouth of East River, May 15th.
     The long roll was beaten today, and we all
“fell in” with alacrity.  After standing an
hour in a drizzling rain, without any sign
of the presence of an enemy, we were dismissed.
The cause of the alarm I have not learned,
probably it was occasioned by the pickets
coming in contact & skirmishing.  Being
delightfully near our Southern neighbors, scarce
a day passes but that is enlivened with skir=
=mishes on the outposts, and our ears are
not unfrequently greeted with the sharp
crack of musketry.
     We are, at this time, very scarce of provis=
=ions.  For the past 5 days, but a few barrels
of bread have been issued to the Regiment.
Our principal food is fresh beef, in an in=
=sufficient quantity.
     The 12th Reg’t now belongs to our Brigade,
in place of the 34th (Zouave) Reg’t, assigned
to the 2nd Brigade.  The 23rd, 30th & 12th Reg’ts,
McMullin’s Battery & Gilmores Cavalry, constitute the
1st Prov’l Brigade, under command of Col. Scammon.

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 13925

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

Friday 16  This being the day appointed
by the President as one of fasting, humi-
liation & prayer, it was observed with
religious strictness by our citizens. Our
Bank was closed down and I did not
see a place of business open.  It rain
-ed nearly all the day which thin
-ned the congregations–ours was
small.  Mr. K’s sermon was not, I
thought, particularly able or appro
-priate. He justified slavery, out &
out, on scripture grounds, and conclu
-ded, therefore,that it could not be a
cause of the almightys displeasure
against us.  No rumors of any kind
afloat.

MSS 4763

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

Friday, May 16, 1862

Guard mounting &
Parade

Have done nothing this
day. Considerable
skirmishing up the River
Were called out by
the long roll in line
of Battle a false alarm
Hear that the 34 Regt
had a skirmish yesterday
eve resulting in the Rebels
defeat – 50 stand[?] prisners taken
Had Letters from Miss
Campbell & John M Templeton
Wrote to John Templeton
Cloudy with slight
showers.
 MSS  10317

[from the diary of Matthella Page Harrison as transcribed at a later date]

Thursday May 15th
Beyond a doubt Norfolk is evacuated.  I believe for some good reason , but it
is sorely discouraging to hear, after being given up, of vessels destroyed,
the labour and expense of months thrown away in a few hours.  We have had a
victory at Hampton, taken a good many prisoners and baggage wagons. France
has appealed to England to join in negotiating a peace between the North and
the South but I trust our gallant little band will be able to achieve their
own independence without foreign aid.  Cousin John Page was here today.  Mary
spent the day with me.  Doctor H came home very late.   He had had a fall from
his horse, which made me very uneasy.

MSS 9759

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

Friday
May 16

Was on pickett to day with Partridge
and Phillips.  Rainy and muddy.
Part of the time fixed up a bough house
to stay in and read some and stood
watch two beats

MSS 11293

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

Thursday
May 15

This morning at two o’clock were
aroused by the order to fall in
and marched up near Trenton, about
eleven miles, together with some cavalry,
and also the 17th Mass and some aritllery
The cavalry had a skirmish with the
rebel cavalry and drove them across
the river, when we received orders to march
back.  It was a hard march as it rained
and was very muddy.

MSS 11293

Fall Hill  May 15th
1862
Dear Will[?]
Your letter reached me
to-day.  We were much pleased to
hear from Cellie & yourself.
Mother wrote you a long letter
some days since, which I hope
has reached you before this.
The fact of my arrest you
saw int he papers was true–
I was arrested on Negro evidences
and confined ten days but
was discharged as there was no
proof that I was a spy.
I am thankful for the inquiries
afte rmy health.  I am very well
except a bad cold contracted in
Prison…Mother Father & Sister are
at Fall Hill “The others are all gone.”
Father’s health is very infirm.
His eyes are failing him and
are a sore trial to him

[page 2]
As for my treatment in Prison
I have nothing to say at present.
I can only hope a similar fate
may never be yours. The scar=
let fever has rage in Fbg
this Spring. The mortality has been
fearful. “War and pestilence” we
have had, but not famine.
Our Friends have lost none
of their children as yet. But
I know not what a day may
bring forth.  Every day we
hear of some Friend who has
been shot on Picket duty, no
doubt but vice versa is true also.
Spring with all its beauty has
burst upon us. From my win=
dow is a panorama of four=
teen miles of the Rappahannock
Valley as fair as T[?], the
only blot, the hostile tents, that
mar the beauty.

[page 3]
But all this beauty seems a mockery
to me now.  Flowers and natural
beauties all seem melancholy.
In confinement a bouquet was
sent me, but it seemed to taunt
me with my freedom and I sent
it off.—————————
How is dear little Emeline.
Only last night we were
speaking of her & wishing to see her…
Dr. Hackley sent your letters to
Cousin A. who sent them to us.
How is your Class this Spring?
Much love to Cellie and a
kiss to the Baby
Write soon to your
Aff Brother
D. S. Forbes

[page 4]
Dave has handed me this sheet
my beloved Brother to add
something I scarcely know what
to write & oh if we could meet &
talk over matters.  I suppose it
will be along while before we
three do so. A poor afflicted
people bowed down with
care and anxiety.  All gone
we know not where even Tem
ple, who was at the Institute, our
poor dear old Father almost
given up. god in his infinite
mercy will permit us to see &
feel the good that is to result
from this. We have to watch
Papa like a child almost,
tho’ he bears the loss of earthly
things better than any one I know
of, he says his days are nearly
run and were it not for his
children he would resign all
that he has, he seems to long
for those loved ones every
day more, Ma and he were
greatly distressed at Dave’s being
arrested.  Ma looks badly, We
were much pleased to hear
from you today, we frequently
wonder how your precious little
Em is doing if she talks as sweetly

[in margins on page 1]
as Bessie who calls me Miss  [?] She has just been in
where I am writing for me to hide her from her
Nurse, she is a
great comfort to
us in our hour of
misery and trou
ble. Every thing
around us is so
beautiful, only
man is vile, the
Birds are more
numerous than
I have ever
known them to
be. I have a splen
did mockingbird
& sometimes I en
joy it exceeding
ly though again it
makes me so sad
and home sick I am compelled to put it out of the
way Our love to dearest Cellie tell her to write Ma &

[in left hand margin of page 2]
Bessie with Papa join me in love to you
Your attached
Sister

Dr. William Forbes of Philadelphia was separated from his Fredericksburg, Va., family by the war.

MSS 15127