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

Friday 25   Very pleasant day–Williamson
not well enough to continue his
journey.  He is an exceedingly enter
taining and intelligent man.  was
educated at the University of Hanover
and spent 9 years in Europe.  He
was a rising Lawyer in Baltimore
and a man of means.  He abandoned
all his advantages & has served
for months in the Maryland Regt
as a private –very dull & stupid
all day in consequence of loss of
rest last night, owing to drink
-ing too much strong coffee at
Deanes–nothing of any interest
except fresh news of further
[?]  [?]  present movements of
Morgan in Kentucky–He has fright
-ened the border towns north of the
Ohio.  I hope he will yet lay
Cincinnati in ashes.  Whenever we
have been aggressive we have suc-
ceeded.

MSS 4763

Bk Springs, July 25th 1872
Dear Sir
Poor Mr Traylor died on Tuesday
night, about 10 o’clock, & was buried at  his
plantation on Wednesday evening.  His family
will remove to their own  home early in the next
week.  I have taken charge of the books at Me-
herrin, & assumed the duties of my position
as understood between us.
The officers for enrolling conscripts, have received
orders to take them immediately to the camps of
instruction; & I learn that this will be done next
week.  I hope therefore that you will be able
to obtain a substitute for Rawlings very soon.
If more than one person undertakes to get the
substitute; it might lead to confusion, & more
than one substitute might be gotten for the same
man. I shall desire to hear from you when you
appoint your agent in Richmond to attend to the
matter, & I may be able to find some one whom
I could send directly to him for the substitute
When I have made permanent arrangements
for Meherrin, & can get things under way, I
will write again.  With kind regards to yr. household.
                I am, very truly yours
                J. Ravenscroft Jones


John B. Cocke, Esqr


MSS 640

 Camp Near Gordonsville
                          July 25 18862
My Darling Wife –
                             I reached here on yester-
day and now hold the place which I had
when I left, volunteer aid to Gen Jackson.
The position is very agreeable, and the
only objection to it is that I draw no pay
and pay my own expenses. I feel quite
at home and am entirely satisfied
to spend the rest of the war in this position.
Everything here seems very quiet. The troops
are drilling and there is every indication
that the troops will rest here for
some time. Considering the severe
hardship through which they have
passed since the war began, it is
very much needed – Every ^’thing’ has a happy
quiet appearance such as I have not
seen in the army since we were in camp
this time last year after the battle of Ma-
nassas –
I am sorry to have left you with so
much work on hand, but hope you
may bear it patiently. There is more
need now than ever that as much
should be made from the farm as poss-
ible as I am drawing no pay.
And now Darling Good – bye. I will
write to you frequently and let you
know how I am getting along. I hope
you will be as contented and happy
as possible. Manage matters just
as you please and I will be satis-
fied.                         Ever Yours
                                   E F Paxton

Elisha F. “Bull” Paxton, University of Virginia Alumnus, commanded the 27th Virginia Infantry and later the 1st “Stonewall” Brigade

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 2165

         Campt Near Liberty Mills
                       J uly 25th  1852

Dear Kate

             I seat my self once
more for the purpose of pen
-ing you a fiew lines.  I ar
rived safely in camp on the
2d[or 211] and have been improving
in health ever since.  We have
a very nice camp and the
water is very good   Our camp
numbers sixty odd at present
more than we have had present
for some time past I hope provi
dence may smile on our armies
and bless us with health.  I found
Brother John looking badly again
I was very fearfull he was taking the
fever but think he is somewhat
better today.  Charles has returned
to the Camp at last he was

[page 2]
to see [?] and ma.  he says he
had a grate deal of pleasure
I tried to shame him for treating
us all so badly by not wri
ting. he wrote home to day for
the first time for the last
six months I believe. we have
to drill twist a day.  Mr Robt
Taylor received his discharge
to day being over thirty five
years of age.  he has been as
good soldier and I am glad
to see him get of honerably
our Regt. has a Chaplain at last
he is a Baptist thare was prayer
meeting last night & night be
fore. I hope & pray that his teac
hings may be a benefit to the
Regt & that many may give
them selves over unto the true
living God, our Chaplains name
is Walters he is a very good preacher

[page 3]
well Kate I had a wonderfull
time Saturday night of the 28
hunting for deserters we all enj
oyed our selves finely serround
ing the houses & charging the dogs.
We arrested Frank Taylor & brought
him as far as Peter Hights and left
him in the charge of Isaac Vines
& George Hight untill I could go
home & return.  About sun up he ask
ed permission to go down to Mr
Faubers a half miles distant. Hight
granted his request & Vines went
with him. he had not been thare long
before he told Ike he wanted to go in
annother room to see Mr Fauber who
was sick Ike thought all was right
to let him go alone & then he made
 his escape.  Ike after looking around
for him returned aloan I had been
waiting nearby an hour. We all laugh
ed at Ike and told him he was a
bad sentinel.

[page 4]
Well Kate I came away & forgot
my preasents but I hope and pray
the day may not be very far
distant when I may return to
recieve from thee a richer & nobler
blessing, thy hand & heart. Oh dear
Kate with out thee evry thing would
be dark & dreary.  I would rise up
in the morning & lie down nights
with out having any one to whis
per the breathings of a pure
and noble heart.  I must bring
my letter to a close.  Write soon
My prayer is that you may be
blest with all the mercies of our
[alseeing?] god.  I remain your true
           and affectionate admirer
                                     W.F.B.

William Francis Brand, Co. e, 5th Virginia Infantry (Augusta Grays) to his future wife Kate (Amanda Catherine Armentrout)

MSS 11332

               Greensboro’ July 25th / 62
Genl J.H. Cocke
                   Dear Sir
                               I write you a
few lines to let you know how we
are getting on.  We are having quite
a sickly time.  The man that belong-
ed to Genl Philip Cockes Estae; that
was sick when I wrote you last died
soon after I wrote to you, since that
time we have lost Harriets daughter
(Sallie). She died with Typhoid fever
We have six (6) others sick, but none
dangerously ill.  they seem to have
pretty much the same complaint of
the others.  the people at New Hope
have had some little sickness, but none
of consequence.  We had a tolerable
rain yesterday, but not enough to do
the corn any good,  it may do the cotton
& potatoes some good. We made
a better crop of wheat this year
than Mr Powell expected; we made
(66) sixty six bushels. It was not very good,
the grain was rather small: the rye
turned out tolerable well at present.  I believe
as Lucy is going to write you a few
lines I will stop.
                   Yours Respectfully
                            S.W. Hardy
Gen J.H. Cocke

my Dear master
I Again take my seat to let you
hear from me  We are not all
very well at present I am
Sorry to inform you that we
are in the midst of Sickness
and death, but we have a right
to be thankful that we have
escaped so far –Sallie died
this morning, after an illness
of four days.  She was the woman

[page 3]
that was so sick the last winter
that you was out here. I have been
quite unwell for the last
day or two but I feels much
better than I have been.
I am not geting along with my
business very well at present.
So much sickness is seting me
back.  Mr Powell saw your
message to me about  Maria liv
ing with him but as his wife
did not receive the letter
you wrote to her he said
that he would not take
her untill he can hear from
you again. Mr Bordens family is
well. I have not seen more of
Mrs Averys family very lately
The garden is looking very dry.
This dry weather has nearly
put an end to our vegatables.
I will now bring my letter to a close
hopeing soon to hear from you again I am
as ever your Servant.  Lucy Skipwith

MSS 640
                                   

July 25th  / 62

My dear Boys
Both your
letters acknowledging the receipt
of the box reached me safely.
I regret it did not reach you
in time for a fourth of July
celebration but no doubt as
you say you enjoyed it as much
when it did come, I have some
fear lest the chicken salad may
have spoiled, it was delicious
when I made it, but it was
too long on the road to have
kept well.  I rejoice with you
that there is a prospect of a
speedy exchange of prisoners, there
will be much joy on both sides
at such a consummation

[page 2]
I think both governments
should have come to an under
-standing about a July exchange
long ago, better late than never
though; Oh how I do wish and ray
for peace, blessed peace once more,
why cannot this bitter feud be
calmly talked over and adjusted?
this cruel seperation from loved  ones
without being able to hear from
them is terrible beyond expression.
I have no news of interest to you
Lizzie Chambers went home soon
after you left–her brother was
married about that them, now
St. Paul on Monday, Lou and I will
be left here all alone, I shall have
the blues awfully I know.  I am too
sorry to hear that there is a prospect
of more disturbances in this state
I think it the most ill advised


[page 3]
measure ever heard of, it will
cause much suffering for no purpose;
and this terrible guerrilla warfare
I cannot but condemn it, & would
not for worlds have one I love en
-gaged in it–did you not see sometime ago
your father was at Vicksburg.  I do not
know whether [?] left in the
general stampede which has taken
place here within a few days past
among both loyal subjects and rebels
or not as I have not seen any of the
family since.  I wish I could write
a letter of  interest to you but there
is nothing to write about.  I hope
you will write me as soon as you
hear of your exchange, and that you
may come this way. Should you [?]
[?] give my love a thousand times
over. Adieu dear children may God
guard you safely to your mother’s arms
once more is the sincere wish of
                       your devoted friend.

unsigned letter to Alexander and Paul DeClouet, sons of Confederate Congressman and State Senator Alexandre deClouet.  Both were in the 1st Field Battery, Louisiana Artillery, which served in New Orleans until the fall of the city.

MSS 9564-a

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

           Friday  July 25th/62

   Pleasant in forenoon
Showery during afternoon and
evening  Worked as usual
at the Depot  

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12521

                         Martinsburg, Va.
                                 July 25th 1862

Dear Father, Mother, Brothers
and Sisters–You all
will please excuse me for
addressing you all; for I
want time to do otherwise
I have recd. all of your
letters,and I tell you they
were gladly received.
Be assured that all you
write to me, is interesting,
though you think it but
little consequence.  I am
all right; and never had
my health better in my
life.  You would hardly know
me I am so fleshy and have
such a “big” “Mus–Tosh” I
shall send you my picture

[page 2]
at the earliest convenience
Our occupation now
is principally scouting
and going out as picket
We bring in a Secesh band
nearly every day. Yesterday
we caught an old Secesher
with a Rebel flag- about
seven or eight miles from
here in the mountains I was
out scouting all day yesterday
and until 12 oclock last night
I have a good horse and good
arms, have a Sabre, car-
bine, and a Revolver, and
can shoot 13 times per min
ute The carbine is loaded at
the breech and a person can
load and shoot it 13 times per
minute: So you see that with
it & the revolver I can shoot
about 13 times.  Our Col is
commander of 40 miles

[page 3]
Square, Martinsburg being
at the center We sometimes]
go Scouting to the distance
of 40 miles from Camp
and are gone Several days
Maj Gen. Pope has issued
a proclamation declaring
that the Cittizens shall feed
and Support the Soldiers
of his Command while
Scouting & passing through
the country hence we
carry no raitions out
when being so we just call
on the Cittizens  You people
of Ill know nothing about
the hardships of this war
What would you think if
40 or 50 men would call
on you for dinner or a
feed for horses every
day or two?  fancy that you
would think it very hard

[page 4]
A part of our company stoped
yesterday at an old Quakers
for dinner & horse feed.
He was very kind and said
that he is willing to give us
any thing we wished, if he could,
but that he knew very well
that if the Rebel Jackson should
ever get back into this Valley
he will be a ruined man
He gave us bread, butter, &
milk for our dinner and
Oats for our horses.
It is likely that we shall
remain encamped here
fore some time as t his is
to be a regular military
post, and will be fortified
soon.  Maj Gen. Wooll was
here day before yesterday
and inspected the troops
here.  He is a gray–headed old
man and is the first Maj
Gen that I have seen
I saw Gen Sigel at Bloom-
ingtoon Ills, but he is a Brig-
adier Gen. Gen. Sigel is
now somewhere near Harpers
Ferry and Maj.Gen Wooll
makes his head Quarter at
Baltimore Turn back to next
page (a scarcity of paper and stamps)

[in right margin of pages 2 and 3]
commander of 40  miles would think it very hard

[crosshatched on page 2]
Em you wished to know abut my lat-
tin books.  I do not owe Oneal any
thing and wish you to get my books
if he has them. I think that they are at
home. Em I want you to look up all my
books. [?] ONeal has my Higher Algebra
Get it home if possible.  Wooley promised
to  to[sic]  pay Miss Black 40 cents I owe here.
I want  you to see that she gets if if Woolley
dont pay it and that Miss Drake gets
that dollar I borrowed of her.
Wooley may have my Lattin Books
You ask how I spent the fourth
                         of Wheeling

Well I paraded the Streets ^ with the
Regiment and enjoyed myself
quite well.  think I could enjoy

[cross hatched on page 3]
myself better though had I been as
you wished “at home”  Oh yes
I supposed that you did have
a good time  All I have to say
go it while you are young but
girls do be -ware what kind of
company you keep  Remember
the old saying that “a person is
known by the company they keep”

I must bid you all good bye
and promise to write again soon
Do write Soon and give me partic
ulars about harvesting &c Tell me
all the news about School marms &
My Friends   W H Redman
No pay yet but think will be getting it soon

William H. Redman, Co. C. 12th Illinois Cavalry


MSS 7415

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

Friday, July 25, 1862

Guard mounting
this afternoon
went on an expedition
with several of the Band
boys & four companies
of our Reg’t in to Monroe
Co to get the family of
Caldwell over to a
point near the river where
the comps were halted until
after dark. I went toward
the Camp bathed had my
supper &c after dark were
joined by two more cos Inf
one Howitzer & small detachment
of Cavalry Marched up the
River about 12 miles two comps
leaving us 5 miles from the
Ferry to guard  some.  Went to
near the mouth of Indian  [?]
arrived there 3 [?] to M & Bivouaced
Regt–clear warm

MSS 10317

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Friday, July 25, 1862
Though I still felt sick I thought that I would
walk with Fannie as it might be
beneficial to me–but the sun made me
violently sick at my stomach–I laid down
& have not been able to eat, or sit up
since–read the Beckhams all day – I must say
that it is interesting but it seems to me
that it is a book which will make much
more mischief in the world that[sic]
 it will do good…
I took a blue pill,–slept very well

[partial transcription by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Baylor in 1972]

MSS 15406