[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Thursday, August 21, 1862
Fannie & I got Pas horse & Willies &
started off on our visiting rounds this
morning–went to Mrs Hammonds
first–found cousin Sallie as neat &
elegant as possible–entertained us with
Yankee outrages &c &c–
went on to Mr Flaggs–Found
cousin Annie Beckwith there said
she had been to Mrs Frames the day
before & Mrs F. was cooking & Lizzie
churning when she got there–is not that
dreadful–who knows when our time
may come.  Ma had a talk with
Hilsy- & asked her plainly what she was going
to do.  Hilsy denied having any idea of
leaving but said that Cornelia was
getting ready to go, she thought though
she had told her nothing about it.  Ma
is satisfied that Hilsy will not go–but I
fear she means she has no idea of
going yet–Charity was corrected for
something the other day & when Ma
turned her back she said “Oh yes
you have had your way & now I will have
mine I can go off any day I choose.”
We were truly provoked & would have
her whipped if she was not afraid that
might make her angry & she would go in
spite of every thing which now keeps her.

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

MSS 15406

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

Thursday 21–Nothing of any particular
interest. not a rumor of any kind
afloat–Went over to Sue’s –while
 there she recd letter from Charles
giving an account of William
which makes me very anxious
-He says he staid with him Sunday
night–Monday he set out to join
Stuart who had gone down the road
to a friends house five miles off.
Monday, Charles met Stuart &
his aide with their horses in
a lather of sweat, having been
pursued by the enemy.  Stuart
lost his hat, haversack & sword
& his aide, Chiswell Dabney
was riding without saddle & bridle
-William had gone down the plank
road not suspecting the enemy were
so near.  He had not been heard
of Tuesday morning and Charles greatly
feared he had been taken prisoner
  Returning home in the rain met at
Dr B’s office young Botts and
a son of Dr. Bolton, seeking lodging
–Took them home with me–They are
going to Nelson Station.

MSS  4763

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

Wednesday
Aug 20
On guard today. Have not felt
very well.  Have felt bad about
Ed Brown going away, as he has been
promoted to one of the new regiments

MSS 11293

where we retired for the night
we all slept in the soldiers
retreat, a building put up for to
rest soldiers in the morning we
got our breakfast which was bread and
a hunk of meat and chocklet
with greese swimming on it a half
an inch thick. I had a great notion
to greese my shoes with it. We spent
a Tuesday forenoon in running
around through the City and about
10 O,clock we were marched to
where we now are. We are in-
camped about in the 7 miles
south west from Washington. We
were marched from the City to camp
wells 7 miles with only 2 rests
of about 10 minutes each with
our knapsacks on our backs
and our guns and our haversacks
all together weighing about 50 lbs
and we were doublequicked part of
the way

[page 3]

I now must close for the present
for we must drill 9 hours tomor-
row. write sou soon and give
me all the all news of old Southampton
Give my love to all the Ladies of
old Franklin. Nothing more
at present

At Mrs Hopkins 10 min of 3 A.M.
                                   Aug 20, 62
Genl

          Your courier arrived ten min-
utes ago. I can readily take the road
to via Hanover Junction this morning.
Rodes & Anderson are about a mile
from Yellow Tavern & my Brigade
about 2 1/2–I will send forward to
the Junction for news of ripley
(We took the left at Yellow Tavern &
have only to return there & take the
other fork)  I shall set out at
5 1/2 under standing orders
Yours truly S. Garland Jr
                       Brig. Genl.

Maj Genl G W Smith
Commdg at Richmond

Later notes on verso:

Mrs Hopkins’
   10 minutes of 3 o.c.a.m.
        Aug 20th 1862
—————————-

Genl S Garland
         Cmdg etc.
—————————–

Letter about the
route to be taken
on the March
Via Hanover Junction
 

Samuel Garland, Jr., 1830-1862, a law alumnus of the University of Virginia

MSS 38-348

                        Head Quarters division
                                 [holly?] Hill
                                          Aug 20th / 62
Major [Samuel W.] Melton
                       I sent my staff
officers early this wednesday
to select camps for my[?]
Command, as directed
by Genl Smith yesterday between
Mechanicsville & Meadow
Bridge roads.  The Brigades
I suppose are now quite
in position excepting one yet
to arrive from below–I will
send an order for them
to be more consolidated
than the directives for their
camps contemplated–If the men
however could be allowed to
get on the cars from the road
side in the vicinity of their camps

[page 2]
a great deal of marching
could be avoided
                        Respectfully
                        L m Laws
                           Maj Genl
Aug 20 ’62

Official
Major Melton
Adj Genl
Genl Smith
Spottswood Hotel

———————————————————————-

                          Head Quarters Division
                                 Aug 20/62
                                      4.20 M

Major Melton
          adjGenl
                     Sir
I have just recd a
note from Genl Smith dated 2 PM
stating that it had been determined
to send my division, & that two
Brigades would be sent off the evening
at 3 PM
As I cannot start with the Brig-
ades I will do so by the first op-
portunity after this.
  I had no idea of going
off until tomorrow & have made
no preperations–particularly– being
busy all day in bringing up my division
papers to date
           I will be in to see you [the?] Genl[?] this
evening if he you can spare time to see
me                   very truly
                           I am obd Serv
                                  L m Laws
                                      Maj Genl.

Lafayette McLaws, 1821-1897, attended the University of Virginia where he did not study penmanship
     

MSS 38-348

[from the diary of Wesley Hammond of Co. E., 42nd Virginia, the Dixie Greys]

20.  Remain in Camp with wagons
Our forces leave and
march towards the Yankees

MSS 5526

Dear Miss Essie
  Your letter reached
me on Tuesday, and I was
quite glad to receive it,  I
have not been able however
anxious to come up to Charlottes
ville, for private as well as
reasons connected with the
association.  Your long, faithful
and complaisant service to the
cause entitles you to any thing
you ask for,  you have truly
done & done well what ever
you were requested to do and

[page 2]
therefore you have only to say
now what you desire for me to
endeavour to carry out your
wishes.  If to stay there you
can stay.   If to remain in
Charlottesville to remain &
if to come here, then come!
At [?]  however, I have not
succeeded in getting a house
I hope to do so by October
when I expect Mrs Barnwell
on , and we shall establish
here just such an arrangement
as we had at Charlottesville.

[page 3]
and we will  have work carved out for you, if you
desire to come, as to arrangements there, let me
say that you are authorized to make at our
expense any arrangement you find most pleasant.
I understand that Dr. Reinhart[?] has taken the
house servants and all responsibilities just as he
did before,  He then paid us 5$ board per week
without ratioons.  I take it for granted that Mrs
[?] Mr B[?] & yourself will now pay–ie
the ass[ociation] pay for her at the same rate–making
allowance only for  Rations furnished–If you
are not drawing (as McMaster tells me you are)
rations, then I hold myself obligated to Dr R for
$5 per week.  So that you may feel perfectly

[page 4]
easy about staying with them at present, it is probable
that our operations will be resumed in Charlottes-
-ville on an active scale, though I will not rent
a dwelling house, there, so that if you prefer you
may remain there, otherwise come here, Your
box is still here, and the Express has refused to
bring Mrs L’s fine  [?] unless divided into
two portions, as it exceeds 40 lbs.  My sisters will
divide it for her if she thinks so, and will write
them.  I send a check for 25$ with pleasure
With my kind remembrances to the ladies
& Gentlemen  I am yours
                                        respy
                                               Robert W Barnwell Jr.

Confederate Senator Robert W. Barnwell to his niece Esther “Essie” Habersham.

MSS 15091

[from the diay of Lt. John Tyler of Letcher’s Artillery]

(Aug 20th)  Off at
4 o’c reached hill this side of Rappahannock
river at 8 o’c waited here until 4 o’c in after-
-noon.  Enemy in force on opposite side of
river.  We sent a part of Stewarts cavalry
and engaged their advanced post, but did
not result in anything but slight loss
on both sides.  Took dinner at Jas. Barbour’s
(quite a fine house).  At 4 o’c moved up the
river & bivouaced in the woods.  A rain came
up in the night, but a little portable tent of
Maj Ginter’s sheltered 4 of us easily.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6150

[from the diary of Lancelot Minor Blackford of the Rockbridge Artillery]

Wednesday Aug. 20/62  –This morning our Corps, with 3 days
cooked rations, moved from the camp below Orange C.H. to
this place, viz, about 4 or 5 miles above Brandy Station, O. & A.R.
The rest of the army is following us, I presume.  Our
Division occupied the rear of the Corps to day, our Brigade the
rear of the Division, and our battery the rear of the brigade,
so that we were the hindmost part of the corps.  We
rose and got in readiness to move as ordered at
moonrise but did not move off fairly until at least
9 o’clock.  Then our journey was very long and laborious.
The country we passed through was by no means fertile
or promising, we travelled very fast; the weather
was very warm and the road very sunny.  We
crossed the Rapidan River at ______ Ford, and then got
into Culpeper, the best part of which however we
did not see to day.  Late in the evening we passed
through a village called “Newtown Shepherdsburg” a
short distance below which we bivouacked for the
night. This Battery was the last of the whole corps
to halt, as we had been the last in the morning to start.
It was sometime after night ere we turned into the
field by the road side where we are to spend the night.
The country this side of the Rapidan seems to have been
rid of the Yankees finally but yesterday.  today Joseph Packard, Jr.
returned from Hanover where he had been to minister to  his bro.
Walter, ill of Typhoid Fever there at the  house of Mr. Nortons.
Poor Walter, however, after lingering some time finally died
of that fearful disease this day one week ago.  His bro
Joe was the only one f the family near him.  His
father, mother and all his family are at their adopted
home in Fauquier, within the enemy’s line.  They will
not be hampered however may days longer, I fancy.

MSS 5088