[from the diary of Charles Hay of the 23rd Ohio]

                             Raleigh, Va., Aug. 15
     Reveille beat at an unusually
early hour this morning, and we
were all obliged to “turn out” long
before day, and prepare for our
march.  At daybreak, we were on
the move, the detachment at Pack’s
Ferry forming a junction with us on
the main road.  Soon after starting,
rain commenced falling, which
was all very well, had it not
continued until we were pretty thor=
=oughly drenched.  However, on these
hot August days, it is preferable
to have rain-water dropping, than
to be swimming in perspiration.
At Shady Springs we joined the
Flat Top force, and halted for dinner.
Without incident worthy of note, we
reached Raleigh about an hour before
sundown, and camped a mile north of
town, traveling 20 miles today.  Everything
looks quite familiar.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 13925

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

Friday 15th  Sarah & Mrs Walters both have received letters –But
they were of old dates–It is so cool that we have all added to our
wardrobes–No letter from Mr Mason since the battle at or near
Gordonsville–Eliza is very uneasy–& I feel so myself–as he was
with General Winder who was killed

MSS 6960

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Jacque is rather better, I left  him with
Em. while Fannie & I took a short walk–
We met Capt. Sensbagh[?]  coming here & found
him sitting in the parlour amusing them all
when we returned–He is a German & a real
gentleman.  Says his time will be out in two
weeks & he will go  home for good–nothing
was said about the war, & he talked very
agreeably on any subject introduced–Mr Henry
Timberlake hearing he was here, came walking
up with three Yankees – who proved to be horse
thiefs, professed to have an order from Col
Miles but the Capt said that Col Miles said he
had given no man an order to get horses from
the people,  I am so glad they were caught &
hope they may meet their reward.
Emma & I walked to Mrs Lukes.  They
were inclined to be sarcastic about Pa being
able to go in & out Harpersferry, when no one
else could–wanted to find out whether
he had taken the oat &c=Emma told them
he had not & it had only been offered to
him once when he positively refused to
take it.  This is the thanks he gets
from Mr Luke who owes the recovery of
his horses to Pa going to the Ferry & finding
out the truth.

[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]

Aug 15  slight rain & threatning clouds
all day.  McKim left us at qr. past
5.  wrote by him to Mary. Hard days
work–Lee has assumed command
of the army, and an advance is or-
dered-It is said but one division
12,000 is left before Richd.
In a day or two a great battle will
be fought–it the enemy are
beaten it will be disastrous to them
as they have no gunboats to flee to
and will be far from their ships
lines of defense at Washn and
their transports at Frdg–At night 6
went to call on James Barbour
whom I found better and sitting
up-went to Sues for supper–She
 is quite well again–Letter from
Lanty 11th Inst–He was not in the
battle of Cedar Run, owing to their
gun being disabled–Mail from
Richd has not arrived.

MSS 4763

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

Thursday
Aug 14

On guard to day.  Felt rather
sick this afternoon.  Read in the
Christian Instructor and enjoyed it much.

MSS 11293

[written on patriotic stationery with the words Confederate States of America next to a Confederate flag and the verse
“Gather around your Country’s flag,
Men of the South! the hour has come–
None may falter,and noe may lag;
March to the sound of the fife and drum.”

printed by West & Johnson, Richmond
                                              Augst 14th
Dear Susan I am well and hope
you are the same I have not
the chance to write you mutch as we are going
out this evening to relieve one of our company
that is on picket I send you some things
coat Blankets &c have the coat washed
and put it in good order for me by winter
if I should kneed it I have  good one
belonging to Bro Walker he says he dont
know that he will kneed it the Blankets
you can wash and when cold weather
comes I shall want some of the smallest
ones which I will let you know in time
my shirts you will keep until cool wether
they are worth to mutch for me to keep
that run the risk of loosing them
your pap says he will come down any
time and bring me any thing you have
to send, the axe is Lewellens but I dont
want him to use it yet till he gets
larger Box for [?] Brush for
Edga pencil for Len and other trunk
bits[?] you can doo as you think best with

[page 2]
if you can get a good price for for[sic] your cow
(Star) Say thirty or thirty five dollars
you had better sell as you cant winter many
cattle this winter  I forgot to telet you
know about the cow you baught of Cole
Johnson I sent to his son to know and
he said he should not interfere with
the sale as he knows the party that
baught and his father kneeded the
money your things to eat was gladly reced
but having to go on picket we wont bee able
to enjoy then as if we could stay at camp
Austin thinks that he can get a man to
come down and take my place for ten days
if he can get one let me hear from it and
I will let you know when he must come
down I want to come home but 10 days
looks like it would not be mutch
pleasure to me but I would gladly snatch
the opportunity all the clothes you kneed
prepare for me will bee a pair of pants
for winter no matter how cours and
rough let me hear if you have any chance
to get shoes for winter and will know=

[page 3]
how to make some arrangements
to try and help you to get them
I have a bundle in D J Kings trunk
one shoe and some bags I will try
and get cosin Jas to get you some
sugar in town–for I cant go under
the curcumstances of having to go on
picket write to me and it will get
back by the time the letter gets
here as a company dont stay more than
ten or 15 days you must not despair
cheer up and dont work hard I wrote
you in my last something in regards
to your comeing to richmond I hope I
will bee able to visit you before cold
weather by geting a substitute in the
manner spoken of above I cant advise
you what to do with the wheat you
must try and get it threshed the
best you can you wall will kneed evry
bit of it to eat I am sorry to hear C[?]
had so mutch trouble with it that
ought to convince you what I know
about stacking wheat

[page 4]
My health is vary good and has bin for
some time I try to bee prudent in all things
some of our company have and are now goin
home without leave but you will never
see me come in that manner let me die
in camp or bee slain on the battle field
[?] shant bee thrown up to my [childrens?]

[next two lines obliterated by fold line in paper]

yours in haste
your devoted husband A.J. Gillespie

Andrew J. Gillsepie
Ancell’s Co. Virginia Light Artillery

MSS 9564

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

                                  Thursday 14
Returned to Camp this
Morning at 8 Oclock
             (14th ’62)

[from the diary of Lt. John Tyler as entered by him at a slightly later date]

 Next morning
(Aug 14th) Sent letter down to Gordonsville by Henry.
Genl. Thomas this morning requested me to
continue with him and assist him as his
Adjt.  Genl [one undiscipherable letter] aide had been wounded, so I
consented.  To day Tanner got permission
to go to Richmond so I wrote a letter to
Jennie & one to Ma to send by him.  Day
passed off very quietly.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6150

[from the diary of Wesley Hammond of the Dixie Greys, Co. E, 42nd Virginia, who  has been on sick leave since April]

              Aug. 14th 1862
   Leave home this morning for the
army – Came far as Lynchburg – put up
at Maddals – Considerably crowded in
the town.