[from the diary of Anne Page Willis Ambler]
Willie Ryland came to day & brings
the same news says several gentlemen
have come to Clarke from the army–
I hope & pray sincerely that we
may gain the victory. It is thought
the fight has already begun.
[as transcribed in 1972 by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Baylor]
MSS 15406
[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding, Co. F., 25th Massachusetts]
Tuesday
Aug 26
Company and battalion drill today
Fired blank cartridges to night.
A small mail came from Fort Monroe
but nothing for me. am longing for letters
as it is nearly a month since I got one
Sometimes feel gloomy but then I trust in God
MSS 11293
[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]
Tuesday, August 26, 1862
I occupied this morning writing to Mother
as Willie promised to return this week
& said he would see my letter across
the river.
Pa heard to day that Jackson
had flanked Pope,who is at or near
Warrenton, & gotten to Manassas, in his
rear, & that Lee was passing Salem
with a large force & with Jackson
would engage the enemy. Johnston is
behind with a large army. Can it
all be true? If it is we will soon hear
great things, for the battle must come
off, there is no escape. How awful
it is to know that hundreds of poor
unprepared creatures must rush into
eternity & give an account to God
of every day the have lived. Oh:
God be merciful unto them. Be
merciful unto all near & dear to
me.
[As transcribed by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Baylor]
MSS 15406
Brandy Station Orange & Alexandria
Rail Road, Culpeper County Aug 26 1862
I had no opportunity, my Darling, to write you
or rather to put a letter in way of reaching
you, since I left Louisa Court House
Mr.. A.D. Dickinson, who is in the vicinity, tells
me he will leave for home to day and I
shall entrust this to him.
We left Louisa Court House Monday
the 18th & crossing the Rapidan at Mitchells
Ford came on the enemy Wednesday
the 20th near Kelly’s Ford on the
Rappahannock. Thursday, after some
skirmishing with the yankees, our troops
moved up the River & to us was
assigned the position of guarding the
rear. That duty we are no perfor
-ming & I can give now no reliable
information of what is going on in
the front.—
Your letter of the 19th by
Sam Price was reced a few days
after it was written. I have
been very uneasy about the
children ever since I read it
& am extremely anxious to hear
from them. I judge from thesymptoms remedies you are using,
under Dr Lyle’s prescriptions
that James has had Diphtheria.
I fear the effects of that disease
on them all but especially on
Harry. Let me hear as regularly
as you can. If you write &
direct your letters to Richmond they will be forwarded
to me I think.
This is a beautiful country
we are now stopping in The
Yankees have stripped it of corn
& bacon and horses. It is a
[page 2]
fine grass country, but it has been
terribly desolated by the enemy.
I wish very much, my dearest
wife, I could be with you in your
troubles to aid & give you such
comfort as I could render.
But it is now impossible, & we can
only pray our Heavenly Father to
have mercy on us and on those
who are dear to us. He will
sustain you, darling, in all
your trials.
I am not able to inform you
what are the plans of our
commanding generals. They
are ahead of us fighting, and
the rumors that reach us are
that our arms are successful.
I pray earnestly that the God of
Battles will hear our cries, will
be with us, & will force our
cruel enemy to acknowledge
our independence & to
treat with us for peace. The
newspapers will give you
more reliable intelligence than
I can furnish from my present
position.
Kiss all the children for me,
including among, them Mary & Alice.
My love to Mrs Riddle, & kind
remembrances to the servants.
My health is very good &
I think you may dismiss all un-
easiness on that score.
Farewell, darling. I take
you to my heart & kiss you tenderly
over & over again. God bless you, &
protect you. Yr affct. husband–John T. Thornton.
John Thruston Thornton, University of Virginia alumnus and Lt. Col. 3rd Virginia Cavalry
MSS 4021
Bull Run
August 16 1862
Dear Mother
I wrote you just after
the terrific slaughter at Cedar Mt
Now the whole Richmond army is on
us & we have retreated, the Wagons &c
here & the troops about 20 ms beyond
We have abandoned per force nearly
all our acquirements of the past
year Here I am right near the
old battle field. McClellan is
with us, but the enemy can get
through the valley destroy the Balto
& Ohio R.R. go into Maryland &c
Isnt it sad to think of? I have
heard from you of your getting the
bond, one answer to your question–
There were no bonds required from
me as Regt Qr M having no Govt.
funds given me for disbursement.
I hope you will find no trouble
[page 2]
in the matter, as it is of great
importance to me to have it
speedily arranged. Gen Halleck
has just published an order
prohibiting our sending off any
mail whatever, so you
must expect to hear from me only
occasionally. I send this to Alexandria
by one of my clerks, who will
mail it there. Nothing new
here, but our retreat, we hardly
dare look forward. In haste
with much love
Morton
Marcus Morton Hawes, Quaartermaster, 2nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers
MSS 11372
[from the diary of the Rev. Francis Butler, future chaplain of the 25th New Jersey]
Rye Beach N. H. Aug. 1862
Tues 26 Augt. Fine warm day. Shot at mark with Mr.
Bird. pistol practice – very pretty tangled woods behind
the house. Began sermon on 2 Cor 8:9. bathed, pretty cold
short-term horseback after ten – talked in Phi & Euy
MSS 12935
Tuesday. 26 A letter from Mary dated
Sunday Evg, sent by private hand
came this morng. It represents Eugene
as much better–He had been removed
from the room in which he has long
lain: He had no fever. They now think
he will be able to come home in a
week. I must go down I think.
–Mrs. Louisa Davis arrived from
Flat Creek–No letter from Lanty S.
S. train did not arrive. Young
Singleton came back this way from
Charlottesville–carrying Lanty’s coat.
MSS 4763
[from the diary of Wesley Hammond, Co. E., 42nd Virginia]
Tuesday 26 – Wagons move 5 miles
hear nothing from Yankees. had
quite a good breakfast this morning
went to press apples for supper.
[Transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]
MSS 5526
[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]
Tuesday 26th A bright beautiful day—& so cool that Sarah & I
availed ourselves of it to walk up to the shoe makers & have our
measures taken for a pr. of shoes. He is to mak[e] them for the
small sum of $6 a piece–& for little William $2.50cts a pr
From there we returned home after a pleasant walk–Sarah
to rest–& I to make a few visits with Liz–But we missed
each other as she went off first to make a visit while I got
ready–& not finding the lady Mrs Ransom at home she paid
another–So I went to Mrs Hargrave’s by myself–was politely
received by Miss Mallie & spent a pleasant half hour with her-
Mr Hargraves having left some days ago for the Mountains
after paying that visit I went to see Mrs Elliot & Harvey-& there
Liz found me–When we returned home we found a gentleman
& three ladies had arrived–Mr McPhetus from Raleigh. His
daughter–Miss Badham & Miss Haywood–all apparently very
wild girls–After tea Mrs Fetter & her half grown daughters
came down & sat with us until after 10 Oclock–No War
news to day–except some skirmishing on the Rappahannock–
& that rather confused–Two Canadians have deserted McClennan’s
army–They represent his force as small & in a very demoralized
state. Moving fro m “Harrison’s landing”- Our troops have been
sent from Richmond to reinforce Stone Wall Jackson-
Received a letter from Mr Jewett–& a long one from Ellen–All well
MSS 6960
[from the diary of Matthella Page Harrison as transcribed at a later date]
Tuesday, August 26th
Twenty-seven years old today. Oh would that I were more fit for that hour to which I am a year nerarer than this hour last year. Cousin Mary Page has been with me since last Thursday. We went to the Briars where we dined. Jane returned with us. Near Stewarts’ gate we met thirty Yankees. They passed without notice. When we reached Mr. Clarke’s we stopped and inquired the news. Glorious. Stuart’s cavalry made a charge last Friday night on the Federal camp. Took six hundred prisoners, four or five hundred horses destroyed and a good many waggons. Took Burnside’s boots and Banks’ pantaloons and shirt buttons. Burnside and Siegle are reported killed. the firin we heard on Sunday was at Jackson who, having crossed the Rapid Ann, pursued Pope across the Rappahannock. The latter burnt the bridge after he passed. Jackson rebuilt it, and while he was so occupied the enemy shelled his men. I stopped at Mr. Shearer’s to speak to him about Dr. H’s coat. He was full of news brought by three Confeds, hiding them near. Longstreet had cut Burnside’s forces all to pieces. Those he didn’t kill he drove into the river. Anderson had cut up Banks’ forces very much. A night or two ago a boy dressed in Yankee clothes went to the postoffice in Winchester and demanded General White’s mail. The postmaster said he did not recollect him as the same boy accustomed to take the valuable documents but gave them to him. He immediately decamped to the Confed. camp. Our men are very brave. The Cause must make them so. Last week a part of them went to Wade’s depot near Winchester. Stopped the train of cars, took the passengers prisoners, released thirty of ours, captured valuable mail, burnt the cars and sent the engine into Winchester. No news from my precious brothers.
MSS 9759
