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

Mond Tuesday 29th  –We have all been together in my room this
morning talking–Since dinner all have retired to their rooms
it is very warm again today–William was quite sick in
the night but seems better to day–He is walking about &
so fretful–I received a letter from Fan Bradley to day–&
three papers–But no very startling news–Prisoners are to be
exchanged & Captain Johnston will have to go–“Pope”

MSS 6960

[from the diary of Dr. Brodie Strachan Herndon]

29  We  gather around dear Nannie
Gordon’s dying bed & witness the sweet
assurance of faith & love, and
receive her parting injunctions.
    Her countenance becomes radiant
when she speaks of her Saviour,
“Oh how I love my Saviour”
“Jesus I love they charming name”
“And I shall soon meet my
precious mother and she will
say “Nannie have you come
home”  These and many
other sweet expressions gave
much interest to her last day.

MSS 2563-b

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

Tuesday 29  Mr. Willimason left us this
morning–though not recovered enough
I think to travel.  Telegraph from
Wm saying part of Marys baggage
had not come to hand.  I am glad to
find he was in the city. Nothing of
any importance–not a telegram
of any kind.

MSS 4763

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

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Tuesday, July 29, 1862

A most miserable breakfast, but we still
managed to eat the snack, at least I did-
F[annie] & Jeannie eat some of their breakfast;
Mrs. T’s small carriage came for J. & she left us–the
large one had gone to Fauquier for her. the
day before–It came soon after I left
& as we were to take J’s baggage up I went
as far as Berryville with Jacquelin in order
to eat my dinner & rest there before Fannie
came in the evening with Tom & Daisy–
–Jacque behaved dreadfully at Mrs Taylers
he cried all the time we were at dinner &
wouldn’t let the servant hold him.  That is
only a taste with how I am to get along
without a servant of my own–“three
children & no nurse”-  I was glad when
the carriage came–We reached home by
seven–& most  delighted we all were
Pa was pleased at our coming as we
did & thought it most strange that father
would not let us make our own arrangements
about it–especially as he lost by it–as Pa
was to have sent two sacks of salt &
some oil–We told him of that & urged
our plan but he wouldn’t listed to it–
It was at least twelve o clock before we
were all in bed.  there was so much to hear
about.

[as partially transcribed in 1972 by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Baylor]

MSS 15406

[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding of the 25th Masssachusetts]

Monday
July 28
Rested today.  My feet are very
sore and tender.  Did not do any-
thing except read and lay around

MSS 11293

1862 July 28

Dear Brother

Having a good opportunity of sending
a letter by Mr Kerr or Black I seat myself at this
time to write you a few lines  We are all quite
well at present and  hope you are also enjoying
the same blessing.  Mr Kerr starts this evening for camp
at the on account of the earnest request of his soon. I
suppose he intends to take some provisions along, but
we did not know of his going till this evening and
so we did not have time to prepare anything to
send you. if Grovy[?] would have been willing, even to take it
which I dont  know for it appears to me as if they always
act mighty sly about their going or sending anything. I have
not time to write now for I guess they will be along
shortly I have no news to communicate.  I hope you are
enjoying yourself hugely.  Pa has commenced cutting his grass this
evening.  The men over thirty five are getting home at least a
great many of them. Andy Lencus[?] has I believe got his discharge
I wrote last Friday and sent by mail to Gordonsville I wish you
would say if you please whether you got it or not. for people bring
their letters here without directing them to any place & I dislike the
responsibility of sending.  I have been sending to Gor–the last few mails
& if they are not received I guess I will hear of it.  Well the stage is
coming and I must close                                   Your affectionate sister
                                                                                               Mary

Mr Tom. M. Smiley
Com D 5th Reg Va Vol
                Gordonsville
                               Va.

Care of Mr Black

MSS 1867

At a Court held for Nelson county on
Monday 28th July 1862 the Court doth
appoint the following Citizens of said County
To wit. AG Pamplin & S.G Perrow of District No
1, Royal Eubank & Wm D Ligon of District No 2
Wm P. Shepherd & E.G. Thurmond of District No 3
J. W Dickinson & Rev. B.M. Wales of District  No 4
D.A Witt o & J. M Baker of District No  5
& Chas. N Patterson & J.H. Shelton of District No 6
a Committee whose duty it shall be to visit
from time to time the battlefields and Hospitals
of our Army in the Confederate states, to hunt
up and administer to the necessities of the
sick and wounded soldiers who have gone from
this County into the various Regiments of the
Confederate Army.  and have been and to fa
cilitate the objects of this order the Court
doth recommend the said Committee to pro
cure as speedily as possible, a list of the
names of all the volunteers from Nelson
County with the name of the company and
No of the Regiment to which they are severally
attached.  The Court doth further pledge
the faith of said County to reimburse the
said Committee for all necessary expenses
they may incur in carrying out the humane
objects of this order.

MSS 15244

Camp Fifth Maine, near Harrisons Landing Va July 28th 1862

Dear Father–I received your letter of the twenty first this morning & you say that you had one from George on the tenth & you thought he wrote as he was cross I suppose he has them cross spells once in A While because I am in that way somewhat some times I have seen the times since I have been in the Army when A wounded man yes A Soldier could not get in A Ambulance but if A nigger should come & demand A ride why of course Mr Nigger gets in I know the fault is not in Gen. Mclellan but it lays somewhere & should think that somebody would say something Father I seen enough of the Nigger to be down upon them & I am if one of them is better to ride where A wounded Soldier yes A wounded Soldier that the People at home are preaching as defenders of their Country now I do not see why they do not say something about these niggers As well as I like Gen. McClellan I should like to have him issue an order like that of Genl Popes where he [word missing?] all guarding of Rebel Property should be done away with the soldiers of this Army has guarded every place that they have come to & some of the places that they have been Placed over some of them never returned they have been shott I could not say by who but it looks to me as if the owner of the Property had done the deed but still there was nothing said now there was one rebels property that they put A guard over & you could not find A bigger one in America one they caught sending up skyrockets so as to give information to them the Name of this Rebel is Dr Gains who was taken along with us at the move to this River, he is Owner of the Place where the Battle of that Friday came off & I can say that it is one of the finest places in Virginia as far as I have seen, you want to know who I meant by politicians I mean such men as Wendell  Phillips who has said more about the Nigger I think than any other Man in the Country & what did he say, he said that he had been these seventeen years trying to break up this American Union & why does the Government allow such men as him to go at large them are the men that I call Politicians & I should like to be the one to putt the rope to his neck I guess you will thing that I am in the Nigger question well I feel kind of Niggerish this afternoon, you want to know if I get enough to eat yes I get enough & clothing the place where we camp on is called A nice place by the Doctors but I do not think it is as we have lost three of  our members of the Regiment two of Which belonged to Company E & the other to Company A Company E is A Lewiston Company & a belongs to Brunswick now there is one t hing more & that is about George you wish you would see some of Georges Friends them who pretends to be & see if they cant get him A commission in one of the Maine Regiments that are now getting up there, He is capable of having one you Just speak to Mr Green & I bet he could get it & Unkle James or to Mr Chase & I want you to speak before it gets to late George thinks that there ought to be enough there that could try their influence by taking A little interest in him I will now close by putting A little piece about Ambulance Drivers & Genl Popes order about Rebel property which I think has got the ring to it, I am well & enjoying good health which I hope is the case with you and Mother & give my love to all although you may think I have said A great deal about  the Nigger I mean Just as I say but still I want you to know that my confidence in Gen McClellan is Just as good as it ever was & shall have as long as he has command of the Army & I can say it would do for any other one to take command here I know by the way that some of them talk because they think A great deal of him, I am going to put down things that we draw for Rations dried apples, beans, potatoes, pork, beef,  Fresh Pork & beef, coffee, sugar, salt, vinegar, & vegetables for soups them are the rations that we draw we had for breakfast this morning baked beans & to night Vegetable soup now why should the men Grumble This is from you Son Joseph Leavitt.

Letters of Joseph Leavitt of the 5th Maine and his brother George of the 5th New York were copied into a ledger by their father John in the fall of 1865 as a remembrance of them.  Both boys were mortally wounded in the war, George at Second Bull Run and Joseph at Spotsylvania.


MSS 66

[a continuation of A. S. Davis’s letter of July 27]

July 28th / 62
Tell Father that I recd his of the 23rd inst
last evening and that I have by no means forgotten him.
\Will write hi to day enclosing a cop of my recommendation
as there is not time before the mail leaves this morning
the time being 6 O’clock for the departing of the mail.
Yesterday after writing you I hunted up Isaac Farr
having learned that his regiment was near & found him
very glad to see me as I was to see him.  The way I hap-
pened to find him was this. One of my comrades invited me
to take a walk over to the Maine regiments Y thinking it
would be a good chance to pay Whitney & Booker a visit I con-
sented & found the 7th Me & found Billy Whiting well but Booker
is sick in the hospital & I did not see him. During the
conversation I learned that the 5th Me. was nearby on my
way back I resolved to go there & ascertain if I could not find
some one that I knew.  In the Lewiston Co. I found a man
by the name of Jordan well acquainted with all the Davis
family & said he used to be a pedlar & had stopped at
father’s many a night.  He informed me during the conversation
that Isaac was in the  17th Regulars & told me where they lay &
I immediately hunted him up.  Isaac is a little unwell at
present but I hope will get better in a day or two.  But I must
close wishing you all prosperity & happiness
                              Your Brother
                                                          A S Davis

Allen Seymour Davis of the 1st Minnesota Infantry

MSS 11338