[from the diary of Joseph A. Waddell, civilian employee of the Quartermaster Dept.]

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

Saturday 19 Quite a cool morning — Sum
mer clothing too cool for comfort
Board of Directors made a present
to Mr Jellie of $300, in consequence
of the high price of living  I made
no opposition–but I am as much
entitled to it as he–and after which
shall claim it.  With our in-
vestments if all go well we shall
do a good business-in spite of a
low line of discounts–In the evening
went to call on Mrs. Rodes, who in
formed me of the death of Col. Pegues
of the 5th Ala.  Hew was wounded in the
Savage fight in the shoulder–but
not seriously, and was considerd in
no danger–Erisypelas  [?]
and caried  him off.  Mr. R. spoke
in high terms of his character as
a gentlemen.  His wife was with
him. this must make Eugene
the Major of the Regt.  It is moe
than probable it will make him
Lt. Col.  the present Lt. Col. is utter
ly unfit to command the reidg regi
-ment = was slightely wounded at
“Seven Pines” and did not behave
well on the field it is said from a
scratch which ought not to have
made himleave his command, he got
a furlough & went home.  Rodes
told me–he should not return
to the regiment–that he would sum
mon a court and expose his incompe-
tence–This he will the more certainly
do now when the command of the
Regiment falls upon him.  I am glad
of course of Eugenes promotion, which
he deserves by his faithful service,
knowledge of his duties and  [brilliant?] or [thrilling?]
gallantary in the three of the hardest
fights of the campaign–His com-
pany is nearly destroyed & he will
have the less trial in parting with
it. I must look out for a horse
and servanta for him.  Tis strange
he has not written to me or his poor
mother–In many of his letters
last summer, he said he knew he
should rise in the service if oppor
tunity  presented.  He is the best quali
fied man of the regiment to command
it now–indeed  as Rodes said the
only man fit to do it.

MSS 4763

                                     July 18th
Cousin Porte, 

                            Having obser-
ved the deceitfulness of the human
heart I have thought that I could
never trust any one so far as to
bestow upon him that which
you have asked–my love.
But frequent intercourse with
you & a most intimate ac-
quaintance have convinced
me that yours is a noble, a
true heart–one that would
not stoop to deception.  Influ-
enced by this conviction, I am
now about to reveal to you the

[page 2]
truth concerning my own sen-
-timents, as you have desired.
Pardon me, if you deem it bold-
ness on my part, for saying
that I was relieved of not a
little anxiety on reading the
contents of your letter. I believ-
ed that I knew your true sen-
timents towards me, but hav-
ing no positive basis, endeav-
ored to convnce myself that
I was too hasty in entertaining
such a belief.  Frequently have
I found my affection seeking
to incorporate itself with
yours, but never allowed it
entire freedom lest my hopes

[pag3]
& expectations should prove
vain.  But now, since I am as-
sured of  your love, in return I can
assure you that you “love not in vain,”
that the “tender sentiment which
thrills your heart” finds a respon-
sive echo in mine.  My hearts af-
fections are henceforth  yours–
entirely yours.  You will not
prove false to the trust–will
you, my cousin?  If I have open-
ed my heart too freely to you,
please pardon me.  Look upon
the weakness with Christian
charity, & believe me,
                     Sincerely yours,
                                       Minnie

Minnie’s reply to Porte’s proposal of July the 11th.

William McCauley, a teacher at Roanoke College and a soldier in the Dixie Grays, Co. E, 42nd Virginia, and Margaret Jane Shirey addressed each others by the nicknames “Porte” and “Shirey” 

MSS 14953

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

Friday
July 18

On guard to-day.  Rained some, Got
a letter from Mary, consisting of four
sheets. Enjoyed myself well to day.

MSS 11293
 

Camp in the Field Near Harrisons landing Va July 18th 1862
Dear Mother–I received your letter which was enclosed in Fathers of the
11th on the 15th & I can tell you I was glad to receive it as I am all
letters from Home, you said that you saw in the paper that I was wounded
if you did there is nothing in it you need not worry about my being wounded
because it is not so the Division had A hard time of it coming to this River
& saw some hard Fighting through the seven days but since we have been
here we have got rested & are getting along verry well I am well &could not
ask for better health which I have had ever since I came to Virginia we came
of from Picket Yesterday from the Outposts where we could get everything
we wanted to eat such as turkeys, pigs & chickens & I should like to stay A
week on Picket but we are relieved every twenty four hours I suppose you have
blackberries at Home so do we & in the summer we live high on Fruit and
such things I received A letter from William yesterday & wanted to know
whether I felt like going into another Battle I am agoing to tell you that
I do not care about going into Battle but as I enlisted to serve the Government
in what Position I was placed whether it was Fatigue or Fighting I shall do
my duty that is if I am able to do it & I know that the Generals do not expect
any that is not able to do it  but it has been the Case with me whenever this Regi-
ment has been in battle that I have been with it & am Just as willing to go in
one tomorrow: that is if I am required to I had A trembling come over me when I
went into battle this last time but I done my duty & if you want to know you can
send & ask the Commanding officer of the Company & he will give you all the
information that you want there is one thing about the Rebels that they are
full of powder & Whiskey & they are so that they will come up to the mouth of
the cannon & hold out their hands to grasp it, one day as this Regiment was
supporting the First Massachusetts Battery they came up to the verry mouth
of the cannon but when the Infantry gave A charge they was not to be seen they
had scattered in all directions of the woods & you can guess what kind of firing
they was under that afternoon by the numbers of tons that the Battery Fired
it was just five times the Captain reported so the name of the Captain is Porter
& that afternoon the General told  him to give them A taste of everything. O.S.
I was verry sorry to hear that Edward was sick give my love to him & the rest &
when I get this I want you to tell William that I want him to send them papers. I
guess that Father does not send any as I do not get any  from him, which I should
like to have I will  now close by saying give my love to all from your Son Joseph Leavitt.

Letters of Joseph Leavitt of the Fifth Maine and his brother George of the Fifth New York were copied into a ledger by their father after the war as a remembrance of them.  Both boys were mortally wounded in the war, George at Second Bull Run and Joseph at Spotsylvania.


MSS 66

  [from the diary of Frank C. Fitzhugh, Cutshaw’s Battery]

                               Friday 18
  I went to  Keen ____
Baldwin & Co.[?] Hospital
with M. A. Sneed.  sick
with Dissentary.

[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]

                 
                        Friday – July 18th 1862
Took a walk this morning to Taylors hill
& the Park with Julie & Lillie spent the
day in the house petting & being petted 
by my sisters – this is indeed happiness
& real rest – after fifteen months of camp life
I am disappointed with Columbia, tho it
is a pretty town – had heard so much
of its beauty that Expected great beauty –
Went to the bank today & saw Mr Strobel – also
to the Taylors [tailors -?] & shoemakers, to make myself
more appearanceable to go abt with the
girls – Lizzie read a letter today from Sam
asking how long we were going to be in town
in answer to Bros dispatch – Spent the day
in the house, taking another walk in the Eve’g
Lizzie has the mumps and could not go with
us – [Here follow three more lines of code.]
[-] apparent Each day – what a little

[The following line is cross-written over the above lines.]
[-] fresh fruit here in abundance

Julie & Lillie:  [Julia Rowena Logan, 1836-1909 and  Josephine  Maria (Lillie) Logan, 1843-1923.]
Sam: Brother Dr. Samuel Logan, 1831-1893.


[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards; family notes by Sally Rice Forsyth Donnelly]
MSS 6154

[from the diary of Ephraim A. Wood, Co. C, 13th Massachusetts]

          Friday   July 18th
     Rained hard all day.
Our work to day, was carrying
hard bread up stairs, and
packing it away.  We handled
about fifty Thousand pounds
of it.  It is in cases of
fifty pounds each.
Received letters to day, from
Mary H. and Sophia.

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12021

                              U of Va  July 18th, 62
Gen J. H. Cocke
                        My Dear Sir
                                           We are still
uncertain whether the Board will continue
the sessions of the university for another year–
They have had no meeting this summer–
My wife and myself enjoy our usual
health, admidst much sickness in our
midst and arround[sic] us–We have had
for weeks past, from 100 to 15000 sick &
wounded in the U of Va–while the ori-
ginal population has remained healthy
except amongst the servants–several of
whom have been and are still sick with
typhoid fever–Since about the first inst
Lavinia has been confined to her bed, &
latterly has been quite ill with this fever
nor has the disease yet reached its crisis
Dr Howard is as you know our family phy
sician–we hope for the best–
How thankful we ought all to be for
the deliverance from our enemies before
Richmond!  May this be the beginning of
Divine interpositions in our behalf!-

[page 2]
What a remarkable season we have!
Hardly three successive days without rain!
How does this effect your crops on the low-
lands?–our early potatoes are said to be
already suffering from the rot!- our crop of
strawberries and raspberries was extraordinary–
The latter but just over–I gathered bushels
of strawberries from my little patch–they proved
acceptable to our wounded soldiers–the sic
were not allowed to indulge in them–
Will you please mark the exact time when
your late raspberries are in their prime that
I may know how they would come in with
my rasberries[sic] and the Lowton blackberries.
The young mulbery, you brought me, grows
finely–several berries formed on it even this
year—it must be of a most prolific species of
the “Morus”-
I met the other day, Mr F. Cabell at the Depot
He seems in somewhat better health than when
we last met  Rev Mr Hoge and family are now
occupying Prof Gildersleeve’s house near the Univer
-sity and are therefore our near neighbors–Would
that you were with us, to enjoy, in common, his
society–He sends his Christian salutations &
begs to assure you of an interest in his prayers
which are continually offered for you and yours.
May the good Lord fulfil[sic] all you desires, as to
your family, our friends and our country, and
sustain you to the end by  his free spirit.
  When may we hope to see you at the
University?  Nothing gives us greater pleasure
than you visits–My wife joins me in kind
remembrances to you and yours–yours as ever
                    W.H.McGuffey

MSS 640

Richmond Thursday
My darling wife
I write to let you
all know of my safe arrival
in this place after one of the
hottest rides I ever took–the
weather is still so warm, that
I am afraid to expose myself
to the sun–I met with a
number of your acquaintances
on the South Side & Danville
roads Col Peyton, Alex Carrington
wife & child, Abram Venable
Chas Carrington &c
Col Peyton says that Gov Floyd
has only about 250 men &
cant possibly raise more
by enlistment–Fannie

[page 2]
Venable says that Campbell
could walk a little with
crutches when she heard
last–I found John Lewis
at Mrs Sudduths and took
up my quarters with him.
He is looking very thin &
badly, I am afraid his
liver is disordered–he cant
bear exposure to the hot
sun at all–he tried to go
to the Broad Street Depot a
few days ago and had to
return–I shall try to per-
-suade him to return to the
mountains when he can
get some fresh air, for I am
surprised at any one being

[page 3]
able to live in such a  hot
disagreeable hole as Richmond
is–John Lewis thinks though
that he will return to his
company where there is a
good deal of office business
to be done, without exposure.
Henry took dinner with us
today–I spent a part of
this morning at Seabrooks
Hospital and have a heap
to tell you about wounds
& scars–I hope to see George
tomorrow or next day–Mr
Blair is sick and substi-
tutes very scarce–
John Lewis & myself visited
the market this morning.

[page 4]
Bacon around 55 cts–Toma-
toes $1.00 pr quart–potatoes
thirty cents per quart–butter
1.00  Home made soap 75 cts.
& other things in proportion.
No molasses in town–
Molasses and sugar would
be cheaper in Lynchburg
than here.

I saw [Mosby?] Lewis in town
this morning–he was very
well-
Excuse this scrawl, but
it is immediately after
dinner, and very very
very hot–
With much love to Ma Pa
the rest & yourself–
I am your devoted husband

unsigned letter of Howe Peyton Cochran

MSS 9380