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

Tuesday 3  It began to rain at 3 p.m.
and kept steadily at  it the remainder
of the day–Recd a telegram from
Chas Gwatham saying Eugene
was in the Sundays fight also &
escaped unhurt–though his haver
sack was shot off.  The mail brought me
a short letter from him dated
Sunday at 3 P.M.  He says 22
out of the 56 men he led into action
were shot down–that they all
stood manfully by him–not a sin
-gle straggler–that he did his duty
and had three bullets through
his clothes–hears that Jackson
had come up the battle Valley, saving
all his captured stores–more dis
agreeable  rumor of Beauregard
having fallen back 35 miles to the
Mississippi–quite unwell con-
tinual excitement affects my brain

MSS 4763 

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

Tuesday, June 3, 1862

It has been
raining nearly all
day and we have
done nothing.  the
day has passed and
know not where
The sutlers brought
in some stores to
day bought plate
and spoon
Have written a letter
& read a very little
We procured from
sutlers a coffee
mill

MSS 10317

[from the diary of Daniel D. Logan, younger brother of General Thomas M. Logan, formerly a Sgt, Co. B, 1st Special Battalion (Rightor’s), now with the Hampton Legion]

                        Tuesday – June 3rd 1862
Spent today in the office paying off
officers & fixing up Vouchers for the
Department – Capt Harrison is very ill
today, sent Dick in for medicines &
if possible to see Dr  Fermenton – Did not
leave the house today – giving the c[h]ange    
in my address & the Events of the last
few months – Nothing doing today on
our lines – I feel very anxious to hear from
Sallie – she has not written for over ten months
& I fear mail communication is Entirely cut off –
Went to some Hospitals Early this morning
that I overlooked last night, but could learn
nothing of Eben Coffin – He is at some
private home but his messmates could not
inform me who his friends are – Rain &
storm today


[Dr. Felix Formento, Jr., a surgeon in the La. Hospital in Richmond]

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6154

                                 Richmond Va
                                   June 2nd 1862

My Dear Creek
              You have no doubt heard
by this  time that our Regt has been
in another hard fought Battle. This
is the earliest opportunity I have had of
leting you know of My Safety. William
is also safe not a scratch on either of us but
I am sorry to say that I cannot say the
same of all of my friends and fellow
soldiers you have no doubt seen the list of
Killed and wounded from the Palmetto
Riflemen and my old Company, as Capt
Humphreys and me had a list of them
sent to Richmond yesterday by Ned
Emerson to be sent by Telegraph which
I hope has been received, both companies
behaved splendidly, indeed our Regt
here covered itself with glory, and has

[page 2]
won the confidence of our Generals and the
admiration of the whole army
I will not attempt to give you a description
of the Battle now, I had the honour to
command the Regt in the fight, Col Jenkins
was in command of the Brigade and our Lieut
Col being at home sick, the command devolved
on me, how I conducted myself on the
occasion I will leave for others to say,
as plenty of letters will reach home by J.B.
Clark, who will bring this. I will not say
anything about who are killed wounded
and missing, as you will hear from other
sources, and I am in no fix for writing as
I have not shut my eyes for two days and
nights, and have been worked nearly down
besides but we have come back from the front
today by order of the commanding officer to
rest from our labours for awhile.

I will have to send in tomorrow or next
day an official report of the Battle or the
part of it in which we were engaged. So if
you will all promise not to make it public

[page 3]
I will send you a coy of it which will be
the truest statement of the affair you will
be able to get.  I may add that in our Regt
there are 23 killed and 2332 wounded,
many of which will die of their wounds.
Dear Creek how grateful ought we all to
be for the extended protection of a
kind Providence, who has hitherto protected
us from harm, even in the midst of the
Battle strife.  Let us with grateful hearts
acknowledge kindness and implore his
blessings and protection in trials which we
may yet have to encounter, and enable us
conquer our enemies and return home to spend
our days in peace and prosperity with
those who are near and dear to us.
                   your affectionate Husband
                                      William

Kiss Dear little Maggie for me and tell her I
will try and get her some Yankee pretties

William Anderson, of the Palmetto Sharpshooters, recently elected Major of the 4th South Carolina Infantry


MSS 10366

West Point  Va  June 2d

Dear Mother

We have not moved
away from this place yet so you
need not worry about my being
hurt in any of the great battles
that you read of as we are not
within 30 miles of them though
we can hear them   It is getting
to be dull music staying here
getting no letters nor no news
only by way of the gunboat which
I go aboard of most every day, but
then am safe from fighting,
and shant have to lug
my shoulder trunk to
Richmond.  I want to hear
from the Regt as they have
been in 2 or 3 fights and
want to know how bad

[page 2]
they are hurt.  I hope not
bad.  Yesterday we lived high.
For dinner we had Chickens
& Turtle Soup or Sea Chickens
Fried Eggs & Fried Sturgeon great
living for one in the army.
Yesterday we  had a whole
quarter of fresh beef given
us. I just stopped to eat
some nice biscuit the first
I have had since I have been
in the army. Bully news from
Richmond Aint it, It makes
old Secessin look blue round
the gills I dont know what to
wish as we see nobody here,
and there is nothing for
excitement here. Last Friday
we had an awful blow here
Friday I thought it would
blow down the houses
and awful thunder and

[page 3]
and[sic] lightning.  Last night
we had a tough time.
fought all night and
the dead lay all round
our rooms, as we are
quartered in houses now,
The musquitos were awful
thick, no sleep and so
big that they would try
to take the muskets out
of our hands as we stand
on guard nights when I
came in last night I found
one just strapping on my
knapsack and going to
run off with it. Whoppers
aint they I mean the mosquitos
But I must close with
much love
from your aff son
Wm Wallace

Mrs. E. Smith
Newton Lower Falls
Mass.

William Wallace Smith of the 22nd Massachusetts was detailed to guard stores at West Point, Va., under Lt. W. S. Morris, when the rest of the Regt moved up the Peninsula.


MSS 15360

[from the diary of Daniel D. Logan, younger brother of General Thomas M. Logan, formerly a Sgt, Co. B, 1st Special Battalion (Rightor’s), now with the Hampton Legion]

                        Monday – June 2d 1862
We were up this morning at four o’c
ready for the enemy attack, which they
did not make however – at seven
o’c we moved to the rear marching
abt qr mile beyond the church where we went
into the woods & bivouacked.  At noon I left
Mullie there being no prospect of a fight –
returned to Capt Harrisons & in the afternoon I
went to town in search of  Ebin Coffin who was
sent in wounded yesterday morning – Visited a
large number of Hospitals, but failed to find
him   saw nearly all of Mullies Co. but they
could not say where Ebin, McEllroy & Roux
went.  I must have walked ten miles in town today
but without success.  Spent this night at Mr              
Harveys – Found Capt Harrison very unwell
today – Mr Harvey did not get in until
very late from his farm – No letters yet from
N.O. or Charleston – The Hospital[s] are crowded with young
& old women nursing & tending the wounded Soldiers –

 [Lt. James McElroy; Henry Roux of Co. A, Hampton Legion]

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6154

     [From the diary of Captain George Hazen Dana, of the 32nd Massachusetts Infantry]

                               
                                                 June 2nd
     We are encamped about two miles from Washington,
in Camp Alexander –     A dirty hole is Washington,
with nothing redeeming about it, except the beauty
of its few public buildings.     Georgetown, to
the west of Washington, where James Dana lives,
is a lovely place – beautiful residences, grounds
tastefully laid out, etc.     I trust they will

move us on soon as this life in camp is too quiet for
me. – – – I like the novelty of the soldier’s life,
and if they will only give us work, have no doubt shall
continue to enjoy it.

MSS 5130

[from the diary of Jonathan Hager of the 14th U.S. Regulars, as copied and annotated at a later date]


June 2 We disposed ourselves to day to keeping cool
as possible.  The day was comparatively quiet
very little firing.  Among the thousand & one
rumors which are always flying around the
Camp there was one, that our Gunboats were in
shelling distance of Richmond and we ex-
pected every day to hear of its evacuation,
and some of our generals confidently predicted
it, but as the sequel will show they didn’t
evacuate, nor had the such intention just at
that time.  We have often since, as we did then
wish most sincerely that they had.

MSS 9044

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

Monday, June 2, 1862

Wrote letter this
morning to S.T. Hanna
Practiced some
Rec’d letters from Ev. Buter
answered it and
inclosed it with
Jo Crotts’s letter
Paymaster came in
to day commenced paying
cavalry We  signed the
payrolls this morning
Large train of wagons
came in with Tents
camp equipage &c
Had a talk with Lieut
Hicks about Phil &c
very communicative and
confideing. am hearing
Tom the cook read
Herb & I are reading
Citizens manual  mostly clear
with clouds & showers

MSS 10317

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

Monday 2 Never felt less like work
Full list of the killed and wounded
of the Home Guard reached–five of
the first & 21 of the latter–Twenty
one wounded in the Battery (Lathams)
–The real character of the battle at
length known, our success but modest
the advantages in all expect except
the killed & wounded, with us–We
drove them back, took 14 guns and
some 500 prisoners–but from their fight
ing behind entrenchments I fear
our loss is greater than theirs–The
Orange train brought the rather
startling news that the enemy had
returned in force to Front Royal &
was marching on Strasburg from Moore
field–Jackson is in danger–but
I doubt not by prompt movements
and hard fighting will extricate him
-self–he had ordered Ewells column
to attack the enemy at Front Roy
-al  to while he advanced to Strasburg
Sheeran, one of Eugene’s men in the hos
=pital here, called to take leave, hes
intendng to join his company tomorrow
–send by him a ham & a box of biscuits
for Eugene–It is gratifying to hear

the way he speaks of his captain
Ro. Saunders came on his way to Rich-
mond with a trunk full provi-
-sions for the wounded of his late
Regt–Rain at night.

MSS 4763