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

Friday 4th  I have just heard of the death of Willie Wooster & Duncan
Moore–Two more of our finest young men have fallen in battle
Oh their poor mothers, how sincerely do I feel for them–Gladly would
I go to Mrs Wooster–& mingle my tears with hers if I could do nothing
more Show her that I sincerely grieved with her–& felt her affliction
But that painful pleasure being denied me–I can but pray that
God will support & comfort her now in this her great affliction & give
her grace to bear up under it–Eliza received a letter from Mr
Mason this morning–saying he was too weak to start for Chapel
Hill yet–But he would go into the country for a few days & then come up
here–He said Tom was safe so far–He had to remain with his wagon & was
not in the fight–I thank God for this great goodness in saving my child–
Cousin Sally London has been sitting with me this morning — She is
more cast down than I ever saw her before–She is grieving for the
dead & sympathizing with the living–She tells me Colonel Mears is amongst
the killed & William DeRossett missing–What will become of Kate
Mears I know not—She went almost crazy when her son got drowned–
& now to lose her husband will nearly kill her–How severely Gods
hand has been laid upon the DeRossett n the last few years–A family
who enjoyed uninterrupted happiness for 20 years & more–& who have
raised a family of 10 or 12 children–In the last twelve months they have
lost 5 out of their circle–domestic circle–Mrs Willie DeRossett–Kates
largest son–Captain DeRossets little daughter–Dr DeRossetts son
a lad of 18–Edward–& now Colonel Mears. The sun has come out
brightly again–& it is cool & chilly–A young man from Richmond
says the fighting is still going on=Oh that we may rout the enemy
effectually–It is reported that Burnsides has reinforced McClennan
& we have had reinforcements too–May God bless our arms
& give our people strength of mind and body to do all that is right
successfully–The Selden family have just left Chapel Hill.  I
regret not getting acquainted with them–As all that know them
speak highly of them–& they are amongst the first people in Virginia

MSS 6960

Alexandria Va July 4th 1862

My darling
    Hundreds of miles intervene
between us this morning, my love, when
if our feelings were consulted, we would
much prefer being much nearer each other.
Is it not so Addie?  I tried in vain  to
obtain a leave of absence for a few days: It
was of no use, the Secy. of War issued an
order prohibiting furlough,s and his order is
law.  The motto “Law and Order,” is changed
and now reads “Orders are Laws.”
   I received your letter of the 24th Past yesterday
and right glad was I too, and now I am going
to write you a good long letter in reply, and now
we have a chance.  I am going to make up past

[page 2]
deficiencies and write very often to my love
Addie.  Now to commence I will scan over your
letter and make the answer then half finish in
my own odd way.  Does it not do me as much
good to receive letters from you as you from me?
Of course it does my love and I write as often as
circumstances will permit and trust circumstances
will be more favorable then heretofore.  Now I
[?] scolding in a scientific manner, having
been inured to it in “childhood days ” but when
it comes from my youth Addie I confess that I
feel pained, but think perhaps I deserve it and
would like to “kiss the hand which give the bow.”
  My darling, I fear you suffer too much on ac-
count of Hallie and myself.  I know it is a “cross”
to calmly say “God’s will be done,” but do not forget
that he holds the destinies of Nations in his hands
and that amid the multiplicity of national
difficulties, over which He presides, not even a
sparrow falls to the ground unnoticed.  And
will he pass by unanswered, the prayers of his
children?  No, my love.  I have a definite [pre
monition?] —at least, so it seems to me–that

[page 3]
that your prayers shall be answered. Be 
strong, my darling, “as your faith is so shall
it be given you.”  Is not this a golden assurance.
     You ask of Edwin Williams.  He is no more.
He died of Fever, several weeks since, and before
the engagement at [?]
      You ask why Catholics will not permit their
children to read the Bible and still acknowledge the
supremacy of God. They would not be so averse
to it could they be assured that our and their
bibles are alike, but they are not.  A vast differ
ence exists between the Vulgate or Latin bible (Catholic)
and the Martin Luther translation known and
reverenced as the bible.  The aversion to Lutheran
principles is equally as strong as the antipathy to
Luther himself.  In fact the reformation of Martin L.
was the vital deathblow to “Roman” — or as I call it,
perverted–Catholicism, and the defenders of the
mitred pope will know that the dissemination 
of Christian principles as expounded by the great
reformers, would quickly crush the papal power,
hence, their aversion is attributed to ignorance, and
false teaching of the priests.  Am I not a learned man?


[page 4]
Now I am going to finish in my own style not
in the spread eagle, Bunker Hill, 4th of July ’76 style.
not in a learned disquisition upon the signs of the
times, nor in the humdrum style of an essayist.
  To be sure we must  revive the scenes of olden
times on hearing national salutes fired and “Dec. of I.”
read and it is pleasant to recall the happy days
of yore.  But amid all the pleasures derived from
the celebration of our natal day, there is the sad pain
at heart arising from the fact that just now, the
green earth in many places is saturated with
the blood of thousands who have fallen in defence
of the independence we this day celebrate.  Thousands
have died that our national integrity, our glorious
institutions, and our once happy  Union might be
preserved intact.  As we pray for the speedy
restoration let fitting honor be paid to those who
fell in the noble and heroic act.  Requiescat in pace.
 The guns of thirty forts on Arlington Heights have
thundered their honors to the republic this day and as I
sit here, and view the 2’s and 84’s of Fort Lyon,
Ellsworth and Worth, I think they are impatient to
be used in the holy cause of suppression of this unholy rebellion


remainder of letter from Charles Tenney of the 7th Ohio to Adelaide Case missing.


MSS 11616

[from the diary of Dr. Brodie Strachan Herndon]

                                    4th Day
celebrated by Yankees, tho they
have not much heart for hilarity
Every body engrossed with the great
battles and anxious for loved ones in
them.  Mother & I spend evening
at Charles’.  He & Lucy take their
fate (loss of servants) very patiently.

MSS 2563-b

[from the diary of Joseph Addison 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]

Friday 4.   American Independence!  How
strange that in 86 years we should
have separated.  The Yankees of course
will continue to celebrate the day
I hope we shall also.  We are now sus-
taining the very principles which
the Declaration of Independence annou
-ced and they are violating the spirit
of that instrument daily.  There
was no public manifestation–here
nearly all the stores & places of busi-
-ness, including the Bank, were closed.
I went at 11 to the 1t Presbyterian church
where was held a prayer meeting.
Mr. Ramsey & Dr. Thompson led the
exercises. The latter made a good
address but that it was too long
Mosby & Goggin= were called on
[?]—I wanted rest–but
had to do a good deal of writing
–in the evening went to Mr K’s lec
-ture which was quite appropriate
nothing very decided from the
army–Dispatch from Lanty
Amelia C H. “saying no Lynch
burger was hurt”  the meaning
of which we understood when we
heard that there had been a collision
of the trains by which 5 persons were
killed.

MSS 4763

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

July 4  The anniversary of our Independence.  Here we are
           An Army of Americans, beaten, dispirited and
          almost demoralized. Beaten by Americans, brothers!
          Language cannot do justice to so terrible a ca-
          lamity–as this Civil War which has burst with
          such intense fury upon our once happy land–The
          God of justice to home Vengeance belongeth will
          make the right to conquer & will visit the sins of
          the fathers upon the children to seventh genera-
          tions of those who have been instrumental in
          producing this unhappy condition of affairs——.
             A salute in honor of the day was fired from
          several of our batteries & with this exception the
          Day passed quietly by.

MSS 9044

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

Friday, July 4, 1862
        A lazy day this
    morning at daybreak
        we went out &
played the National
air. Helped Mr Brames
to get a pass
Guard mounting
Wrote Letter to Tom Weeks
After noon John Benton
Campbell Herb & I got
two cans strawberries
& one of Pine Apple 2 Cakes
Gillett on a drunk
No Parade Played in the
evening Co D boys
built a large Bower
under which they had
a dance a main feature
was one of the boys dressed
up as an Indian in
Leaves  quite pretty
many of the men several
of the officers drunk
    clear pleasant

MSS 10317

Camp Near the James River City Point Va July 4th 1862
Dear Father  I suppose you have heard of the masterly retreat
of McLellan to this Point saving every thing baggage train & all of the Troops
as it was, I suppose you have heard of this & Georges Regiment being in the fight
A week ago to day at Gains Mill, in which him & I got safe, out of it, I have not
had any sleep for as Much as a week as our Division & Genl Kearneys had to cover
the retreat which has been the hardest time I have seen since I have been here I want you
to know that I have as much confidence in genl McClellan as ever & am as willing to
Fight as ever for him & the cause but this regiment has ost some of the cooles men that
ever carried A Regiment into the Field in the Field [sic] & in that man is the name of Lieut Col Heath
who was shott while forming his Regiment & out Col was wounded & he has gone to Fortress Munroe
all of our Officers are A Cool set of men & I do not beleive that there is another Regiment in the whole
service that has any better Officer than this regiment & I can tell you that when the Officers prove themselves true
so you will find the men as true, as I am I could not keep from writing these few lines to keep you from worrying
about George & me as I sppose you had read in the papers tht this & his Regiment being in the fight Gen McLellan
is Firing A National salute & the bands are playing National tunes Genl Pope is here & has got command of the
Valley Army of Gen Banks & McDowell there is A report going round the Camp that Gen Keys has captured two batteries
& one Brigade of Rebels.  I am not here fighting the battles of Politicians but for the whole North & what you would
say for the whole country & I want you to know that the Boys are nto disheartened at the march to the James
river but believe that Genl Mclellan made it for the best interest look at it we have fallen back for A week
& had A fight with them every day & drove them & fell back in good order this is no retreat & you will find that
McClenan[sic] is the man before many days we are now on the the onward march to Richmond from your son Jos leavitt
P.S. I received another letter with four stamps & the Boston Journal

Letters from Joseph Leavitt of the 5th Maine and his brother George of the 5th New York were copied into a ledger by their father John Leavitt in the fall of 1865 in order to remember his sons who were both mortally wounded in the war, George at Second Bull Run, August 30, 1862 and Joseph at Soptsylvania, May 18, 1864.


MSS 66

                                                                        
                                   
                                       Camp Jones, Flat Top, July 4th, 1862.
     The glorious 4th has made its annual return;
but less glorious than it was in its pristine purity.
How oft in bygone years we hailed with
rejoicings this anniversary of American
Independence; with what unalloyed
gladness we celebrated it in a thousand
and one places all over our glorious
country.  Hoary=headed sires and white=
haired infants congregated together this one
day out of three hundred and sixty=five,
to demonstrate by their presence their
love of country.  The little boy who is
so filled with patriotism and enthusiasm
that he can scarcely express it, knows
why we hold in reverence this day, almost
equal to the holy Sabbath, although he
can scarcely carry the book which tells
him all about it.
     In gloomy contrast with what once
was, let us contemplate what now
is the condition of affairs in our
country.  All are well aware of the
                                                                             
dist struggle now going on between different
sections of a once united nation.  The
sword, instead of peaceful debate and logic
has been made the arbitrament of a few
political differences.  Generals have been
substituted for statesmen, but these, of
course, can do nothing without the
assistance of the populace, who, knowing
the justness of our cause, and comprehending
the greatness of our peril, have nobly
responded to their country’s call whenever
made.  Upon this continent we now have
two great armies arrayed in hostile attitude,
and contending for a mastery; one to assert
the supremacy of the National Constitution
to over those of a State, and a consequent
filial regard for the National instrument,
no matter what a local law may
teach them.  Upon a different basis,
the other army army professes to be based,
deluding themselves with the idea that
the National Constitution is subservient
to ‘States Rights.’

I will not longer indulge in these
general features at present; enough to
know that the contrast between now
and former times is indeed painful.
How others are spending the day, I
know not, but those in camp
here experience a dull time.  This
evening, however; through the agency
of some of the boys of Co. A, a
dance was gotten up, and was kept
up until late bed-time, an arbor
being constructed of green boughs for
the purpose.  Numbers right merrily
joined in, and tripped the light
fantastic toe “over the velvety
carpet of Mother Earth, but one thing
was wanting to render all things
perfect.  Plenty of good music could
be had for the asking, any quantity
of the sterner sex, but none of the
other part of creation, gentle woman.
How dull, how uninteresting is every
place without her presence to charm,

                                                                             
her smiles to gladden, her beauty to
adorn, her devotion to animate.
To speak of practical affairs, how useful
to cook your victuals, mend your
clothes, and a thousand other things,
which you prefer to let go undone
because of apparent insignificance, and
suffer inconveniences there from; and how
neatly, quickly and systematically done.
To deprive us of woman’s society, we
are too much like the odd half of a
pair of shears, or a knife without a
fork. ~ And while we are contending
for this Union of States, let us bear
in mind with what intense interest
our actions are regarded by the hundreds
and thousands of blue, and hazel, and
soft brown eyes possessed by the loyal
fair maidens of the land.  Let us hope,
too, that with the restoration of this Union,
and our return home, another happy
Union may await each and every one of us,
as it most assuredly will, if we but denisan

ourselves properly.  Were it not for the
encouragement we receive from fair ones
at home, accompanied with advices and
solicitous fears as to our safety and wel=
=fare, the army would be much less
effective.  Those who have so strenuously
excited themselves to provide for the sick
and wounded of our army, will be
remembered for generations, and posterity
will look back with pride upon the
maidens and matrons of our day.
     But I commenced with the 4th
of July, and here I am wandering off
into distant regions, and talking upon
all sorts of subjects as they occur to
my mind.
     Well, let this suffice for this 4th.
but hope another may find us in
the enjoyment of peace, and plenty,
that enemies may become friends,
that the sword may be turned into the
plowshare, and the spear into the pruning-fork,”
and that nations shall learn war no more.”

 [transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 13925