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

Wednesday 17.  the morning papers bring
an apparently authoritive account
of the capture of six or 8 thousand
Yankees at Harpers Ferry, by a
division under A P Hill which
crossed the Potomac at Williams
port.  I hope this is true.  Later
in the day a report, which was
traced to the Telegraphic oper-
ator [prevailed?] that Gen. Sam
Garland Jr had been killed
in the battle which [prevented?] us
the surrender–Though [?]
it makes me very uneasy.  News
from Lorings Army offensive shows
he has had severe skirmishing
with the enemy, but has drawn
them down the Kanawha with
much loss & taken Charlestown
which they burnt, together with
all their stores.  Gen Jenkins with
a thousand cavalry was below them
and the probability is they will all
be taken–The salt works were
not much injured–salt worth
35 c a bushel there.  Surely every
thing is prospering  Nothing certain
of the movement upon Penna
I think a battle in Fredk Co
will be necessary before an advance
is made–A letter was recd from
wm H. Blackford dated 8th from
the Monocacy–He says nothing of
Wm. or Lanty  No mail from
Richd.  quite a busy day in Bk
–sold the Government agent
J. B. Ferguson £6800 sterling at
140 for amt.  Ferguson goes to
England to buy blankets and
cloth–Mary Green spent the
eveng with us.  Charle & Sue
called—

MSS 4763

Belmead  Sep 16th 1862

My dear Grandfather;
                                  Sister Sallie told
us last night that next Friday was
your Birthday & as a Birthday remembr-
ance myself and Mitts have determin
-ed to write you a letter which I hope
will be acceptable. I was very sorry to hear
that the Docter did not think Uncle
Ned would live long, but I believe he
is prepared to die.  I did not think he
would live either.  When I told him
goodbye he seemed to look at me as
much as to say, “We shall never meet

[page 2]
on earth again.”  My dear Grandpa I
do hope that God will bless you on your
Birthday.  Next Thursday is appointed by
the President for prayer and thanks-
-giving to God for having given us the
victory over our enemies &  I hope we
all shall keep it as it ought to be.  There
has been a protracted meeting at Peterville
ever since I have been home and
several of the neighbors have joined the
Church.  Hoping that this may be
recieved as a congratulation on your
Birthday, I remain yr. devoted Grand
-son.  Chas. H. Cocke.  P.S. Tell Fountain
I have made one hat since I left & am
making another  C.H.C.

[see Cocke’s obituary for “Uncle Ned” written on the 14th]

MSS 640

  Near Camp Lee Sept. 16th 1862
My Dear Mother
                           I received late saturday evening
your letter. Richard’s case seems a stubborn one.
I called for my box as early as possible mon-
day morning. Found it had been sent
to camp Lee Saturday evening, but as
it has merely my name & did not mention
the howitzers they did not know what
to do with it. The tomattoes  were nearly
all spoiled & the peaches ditto. Straw was
a bad thing to put them in, in such
hot weather. They would however
doubtless have been good had I gotten
them Saturday. I was quite sorry
to see so good a peach lost.
You must not attempt again
to send any thing of the kind.
     Ninety nine times in a hundred they will be spoil-
ed before I get them. You depart-
ed from my rule in requesting
M. & F. to send them out to me.
I carried yesterday to the Dulle Depot a

[page 2]
box which they told me would go up
this morning. I did not send it by express
The freight is pd. It contained a big
coat – the one I wore last winter. It was
mostly to save that that I sent the box, and 8
bottles – one you must fill with brandy
as father promised – 4 blankets – two
pr. old pants & two caps, one old jacket.
These things were better to pack
with than straw & I thought would
be of use to the little negroes. One
(the white) blanket if you will
have it washed is a very nice one.
I gave $6.00 for it in Leesburg – the
other three I got from the Yankeys.
The big coat turns rain splendidly.
Tell father I got another the
other day at the govt. store for 20 dol-
lars, which I am afraid will not
be as good a one. My Bill came to
44 ¾ dollars. Big coat 20, Blankets one for. $10
one for 7. Shoes 4 ½. Shirt 2 ¼. This will however
not be paid until the next  time

[page 3]
I draw my pay & as I expect them
also to draw my 50 dollars bounty
I will not want for money. I will
need these things this winter & will be
so far from Richd. when I want
them that it will be impossible to
get then with our poor means of
conveyance. The govt. seems to have
 risen in its prices considerably. We are
however drawing some knapsacks
gratis – I shall carry my old one (if I
get my new one.) & send up with me
Yankee knapsack & coat & vest
which you left with me. You can
put the old knapsack to any
use you see fit. Perhaps by
cutting it up the oil cloth might
be made useful.
      I did not see Miss Booker after you
left nor did I think you would accuse
me of being smitten with her.
Yr. comparison of course I can’t
assent to. If you should

[page 4]
see the one while in Nottoway
you will of course change yr.
opinion. We expect to start for
the army Thursday morning. I
reckon we will start then. We
have our horses & the cannon are
ready but have to be tested today
I believe.
     I chose the whig for you also
It gave me a good deal of
trouble to decide. The Examiner
is more ably edited & has more in it.
But I am disposed to think the
less we read of such papers the bet-
ter. And there were other reasons
why I preferred the Whig, or rather
why I did not prefer the exr. tho one
is I don’t see how it can continue un-
less it can get printers soon.
     Ask father to write me what he wd.
think of a transfer to the Lunen-
burg cavalry for me? I think in
some respects it would suit me
[continued on the top of page one][
better, tho’ I am very much pleased
with my company. Direct yr. letters to me
1st H. Co. 3rd Brigade, 2nd. Division        
Army North Va.
Dear mother farewell my best love
to all  Ever affly. yr. son W. H. Perry, Jr.
[continued on the top of page two]
The bullet button on my big coat is
one I cut from a tree on the Leesburg
battlefield where Baker was killed.
The button was off my coat so
I made one of that. At Malvern Hills
the coat was lying on the limber chest
by me & a shell ripped the button hole
entirely out I ripped the seam wh. runs
from it  some distance & tore it
slightly between the seam as you will see.

[continued on the top of page four]
   The box I send is the one you sent
to me time before the last

William H. Perry, Jr., Richmond Howitzers

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 7786-d

Frederick Md
Sept 16th 1862

Dear Mother,
                      Here I am where I wintered all last winter a
part of the grand army under McClellan.  We have been
marching night & day to this point.  The troops have gone
on without any rest & the one days rest here for me is
really refreshing.  We have had a severe battle just beyond
here with tremendous loss on both sides. Gen Reno of ours
a most valuable & brave officer was shot & died & others.
The enemy was on the side of a mountain & our loss was
very heavy in charging up hill.  Your letter from D. [?]
though pleasant to show the friendship &c existing for me
I should never have presented for Pope was always a man
I had no confidence in or liking for.  He was the acme
of boastful ignorance.  He has a long & sad record to atone
for Sometime or other.  The Govt. is now too weak to
throw him over but has given him a new Command
to squander money & lives.  Your exertions about
the bond I am very thankful for.  It was

[page 2]
correct.  I am writing Mr W to day.  I have written
you once to F. Haven. When is L. Russell to be married
& cant it be prevented.  What is S. W. Hawes doing
& Dick. the people were overjoyed to see us & were
very affectionate in their reception.  I have no
time to write much & merely send this as the
mail is reopened to let you hear from me
With much love
                             Yrs
                                         Morton

Lt. Marcus Morton Hawes, 1836 – ?  2nd Massachusetts

Assistant Quartermaster to General George Henry Gordon

MSS 11372

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

(Sept 16th) Sent letter
to Hattie this morning to Leesburg to go by
private hands to Lynchburg.  Finished St. Ronans
Well, & commenced “Aspen Court”.  Have heard
distant firing this morning beyond H. F.  Heard
this evening that the Yankees had been in Leesburg
(hope they did not get my letters).  Have felt rather
better to day.  Miss Lizzie & Mrs Peyton spent this evening
in my room, enjoyed it very much.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6150

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

 Tuesday 16. – Write to
L-.  Remain in camp – Report con-
firmed of 13,000 Yankees surrendering at
Ferry –

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 5526

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

Sept 16
Tuesday
Just one year ago to day since I en-
listed.  This morning about three oclock
we came to anchor, just below Roanoke Island.
At about six, we stood up close to the island.
where we lay most of the forenoon.  It looks very
pleasant to see once more,as I had never
expected to see it again. At the present time which
is about noon, we are passing the northern point
of the island, going north but where we know
not, but I have confidence in Col. Upton, and
where he goes.  I directed by the spirit of God
am ready to follow.  I have been occupying
the forenoon in reading my testament and hymn
book. I think I can trust in God through Christ
for protection and in His hands do I leave
myself–Evening–8 o’clock. After a very pleasant
trip we are now lying at Plymouth N.C. where we
have just made fast to the “Ocean Wave,” we
have had a very pleasant trip up the Albemarle
Sound and entered Roanoke river about dark
I have thus far enjoyed the trip very much. The shores
along the sound and also the river, are more hilly
than farther south, or rather the banks are
higher. The Roanoke is a very narrow stream
and deep up as far as we have come.  I have taken
up my quarters for the night one of the guards of
the boat

MSS 11293

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

Tuesday, Sept. 16, 1862

Lay last night
without blankets
or any covering very
disagreeable cold
The fight commenced
again this morning
an Artillery fight was
kept up most of the
day Several of the shot
& Shell passed over &
fell into our Camp
one man killed & one
wounded in the 30th from
a shot.  An immense
Army behind us Saw
Gen Burnsides
Left our place near
evening marched about
a mile entirely up to
this time enemy fireing
in front of us
Found a barn to sleep in
Partly clear very warm threatening
rain now & cool

MSS 10317

        Franklin County,      
    Green Castle, Penn.
          Sep 16th 1862
Dear Friends at Home
                            By the mer
cy of God I am again where
I can write to you and I may
say that I am well, yet am
nearly worn out by the fatigue
of the labor through which I
have passed since the 7th
of this month.  On that day
we had a sharp brush
with the enemy near Winchester
and whipped them completely.
We were kept on picket
duty til the 12th and early in
the morning of that day we were
compelled to evacuate Mar
tinsburg and go to Harpers
Ferry . We left Martinsburg

[page 2]
in such a hurry that we
were compelled to burn
nearly every thing that we
had to prevent its falling
in to the hands of the Rebels
I was on Picket guard 4
miles from Camp and
knew nothing of the evacua-
tion at Camp until every
thing was put together, in
a pile to burn consequent
ly every thing I had was
burned up.  all my mini-
atures, books, letters and
extra clothes were consumed by
the flames hence I have no
change of clothes now. We staid
at Harpers Ferry two days &
On  the morning of the 13th
the enemy commenced to
Shell us out and we were
under a constant fire
from their batterys all

[page 3]
that day  When night came
on, all hostilities ceased
and we rested upon our
arms until morning. This was
Sunday and the cannondading
commenced early in the morn
ing and continued all day
In the P.M. it became
very evident that we were
entirely surrounded by
the enemy for shells were
being poured in upon
us from every side I
tell you we began to smell
powder and things looked
rather gloomy for us
At night fall Gen White
told our Col and the Col of
the 8th New York cavalry
that they might take their
men and cut our way
through the lines of the
enemy.  We started and

[page 4]
came through with out
being damaged very much
by the enemy We only had
one horse shot by the enemys
pickets We were shelled
as we came through their
lines and had quite a little
battle Sun yesterday  yes
terday[sic] morning (Monday morning)
but not one or our men
were killed  We captured
from the enemy 72 waggons
with 5 mules to each waggon
and the  waggons were loaded
with ammunition and com
missary stores During all
this time we had nothing to
eat except Hard Crackers & Pork
Well in Short we have had
quit a hard time We arrived
in this place about 10 A M
yesterday and have been treated
well ever since we came
in here and so we shall
live well if we stay a month
Ah! they are loyal here.

incomplete letter of William Henry Redman,
Co. C., 12th Illinois Cavalry

MSS 7415

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

This morning as I was dressing you
came back to tell me that Hilsy &
William had presented themselves in
the kitchen–Mr Flagg had brought
them up the evening before.–F & B
were getting breakfast & as soon as they
saw Hilsy  perceived she was not
exactly in the right humour–Pa
went to the kitchen to speak to them &
she kept her seat & answered him impolitely–
poor Wm seems entirely worn out & subdued,
says he will never go again, when Pa
found that they had left Charity–he started
off with you to get her, but came
back later without haveing seen her at
all.  After Pa left Hilsy came in
& had a long talk with Ma professed
to be penitent, & said she will never
go again  has lost all of her clothes
says she left them here intending to
cone back & they were stolen.
Mr. Porter brought Cornelia home last eve, & she
came back this morning  Ma ordered dinner
as if she had never left–they all look
mean & worn out–cousin Julia Fleet came
There were about 24 men fed at our
table & slept here to night.- nine came in
the house & we  found them quite pleasant
gentlemen.

[as transcribed by her granddaughter, Anne Madison Wright Baylor]

MSS 15406