[from the diary of the Rev. Francis Butler, chaplain of the 25th New Jersey]
Sun 26 – Heavy rain & blow – Camp a piece of mud –
Held service in Hos. Barracks – only a few present – but spoke
with fluency & freedom – visited sick – & held six eveg tent
prayer meeetgs – Postponed Service in P.M. Stormed too hard.
Established S. Schools – four in one Company –
Talked with Peter W. & prayed – he hopes he had become a
Christian –
[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]
MSS 12935
[from the diary of William F. Hunter, Co.. b., 97th Ohio]
Oct. 26th, ’62.
Still snowing a little.
A very cold, disagreeable
Sabbath. Remained here
all day. Our camp is
in Adair County.
[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]
MSS 10547-bm
[from the diary of William M. Blackford, bank officer and former diplomat with five sons in the Confederate Army]
Sunday 26 To my great surprise it
was raining when I wakened. I
went to bed very much knocked
up with a cold, & did not rise
until near ten–I forgot to men
tion that I was round by the fire
both yesterday morg at 3 and
found a nest of wooden buildings
on Main Street near the market
House in full blaze–[Four?] [temements?]
were destroyed. No one regrets the
destruction of them. they had long
been eyesores.
In spite of the weather there
was a respectable congregation to
ear Bishop Johns –His sermon
was a fine one–I have now heard
him preach for 40 yrs and must
say that in spite of his marvellous
command of language & his studied
graces of elocution & manner there
are few preachers who make so little
impression upon me. I am persuaded
a man may be too fluent to be an
orator. His daughter Johanna came
home with us and dined. she is a
very pleasing woman, but has not
a particle of her mothers beauty
It has been announced that the Con
firmation would be held at night
but in consequence of the rain it was
thought best to have the services
1/2 past 3–Just at that time it
ceased to rain and there was
a large congregation. The gas was
lighted and soon the rain commenced
and by the noise on the roof somewhat
drowned the Bishops voice–some
thirty odd were confirmed–some
who intended to offer did not
know of the change of hour. It
was dark and raining hard when
the service was over. We had [?]
ten a young Doctor Davis Thomps
-son of Maryland, now [?] Surgeon in
the army. He is the grandson of
Jno. P. Thompson–formerly editor of
the Frederick town Herald and
afterwards President of the Bank in
Fredk.–Near the beginning of this
century, the federal party in
Frederick county wanted to establish
a paper in the town–my father
then an active man in politics
recommended a young man whom
he knew in [Carlisle?], I think, &
became one of a certain number
to guarantee a sufficient subscrip
tion to the paper to induce him to make
the effort–the paper succeeded be-
yond all expectations–took a high
stand and laid the foundation
of a fortune to the proprietor–I am
now here entertaining the grandson
of my fathers protegee [?] I had at
supper two South Carolinians, one
Georgian & one Marylander. How
this was jumbles us all together.
MSS 4763
[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]
Sunday 26 How uncertain every thing is–Yesterday was clear
& a lovely day–Not one cloud to indicate bad weather. This
morning when I awakened I found it raining & it is now pouring
down heavily–We cant get to Church & it is dark & gloomy
in the parlour–But I have a nice fire & intend reading &
making myself comfortable in my own room–I dont dislike
such days–Weather does not affect my spirits–But the young la
dies are dreadfully worried at having to remain at home all day
one has just come in to ask me what I think of her venturing to
church? I have written 3 letter to day one to Mrs Jewett & one to Liz & the other to Mrs Hamlin
MSS 6960
[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]
Have not spent the Sabbath profitably
=staid in my room & tried to read
but the children were noisy & then
wandering thoughts troubled me
– to tell the truth I fear that my heart
was where they were all sitting talking, but
I can not conscientiously enter into
such conversation on the Sabbath as
if it were a common day.–I never did, but
I would always remember it i.e. Gods
Holy day & consecrate it entirely to him–
–the children have to be attended to
however & I hope that by endeavoring to
do my duty towards them I am
moving forward.
A Co. of 75 men asked to stay all
night & get super. Pa consented to let
them sleep at the barn, & made fires in
the cellar & quarters for them to day, as it
has been raining all, & gave each man
a drink. F[annie] & B[ertie] assisted in the
kitchen & were most expeditious=the
men arrived almost half past five &
by half past eight they had all
gotten their supers–poor fellows
[as transcribed in part in 1972 by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Baylor]
MSS 15406
[from the diary of Matthella Page Harrison as transcribed at a later date]
Sunday, October 26th
A close, rainy day. Oh, my God, help me to recollect and with Thy help to keep the solemn resolves I have this day made. Without thee I feel I am nothing. Oh help me to be thankful for the many mercies I have had bestowed on me and to feel my own unworthiness Oh let me live for Thee and not for this world, its pleasures and profits.
Tuesday, October 28th
Another cold, bright, day. Dick Meade dined with us. Finished gathering apples.
MSS 9759
[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding, Co.F., 25th Massachusetts]
Saturday
Oct 25
Got through the night very well. ate four
eggs this morning. Mail came to-day but
I got nothing. Read newspapers most of the afternoon
MSS 11293
Camp of 2 Co Howitzers about
10 miles from Winchester Oct 25th 1862
Dear George
I recd your favour of 26 Sept.some days which was forwarded to me by Father
some days ago and would have answered it
before now but we have been moving about so
much that I have not had time.
I am glad that you had such a nice time
on your trip, and almost envy you your visit
to Presbytery. Oh that I could attend another meeting
at old Lebanon with the same persons who were
there last year. I left home to join my Co
on the 8th Sept. and after hunting for it for more
than 2 weeks found it near Martinsburg I had
a very hard time on the road but spent some
very pleasant evenings with strangers you see
I was entirely dependant on private houses for
anything to eat there being no Public houses open
one night I stopped at a Mr Masons who[sic] farm
adjourns Major Tunston’s[?] Miss Mary’s father I had
a very pleasant time being introduced to his Daughter
and some Ladies from Winchester who were both
interesting and pretty. I advise you to set
your cap for Miss Mary for I tell you what
she has got a very fine house large rich farm
[page 2]
and plenty of Negroes with fruit Trees and
Grape vines in abundance.
Our Co was in the fight at Charlestown the
other day you have doubtless seen accounts of it
(the fight) in the News Papers we were driven back having
no support we had only one man wounded and
he not mortally.
I am very sorry that your Brother Wm’s arm is
rising again I hope that it may be stopped before
it gets as bad as it was before.
I am very much obliged to you for giving
me an account of the Waynesboro Ladies for I likevery to hear from the very much I would
like to pay them a visit and am not without
hope of doing so sometime this Winter you must
give my best respects to them.
I have some hope of getting the position of
“Midshipman” in the Navy and if I succeed I
think I may safely say I have a “soft” place
for this war.
give my love to Your Mother and all enquiring
friends and hoping that you will soon be well.
I Remain
Your Afft Friend
John Waldrop
Private
2 Co Howitzers
1 Regt Va Art
P S Paper is scarce
excuse the mistakes
and bad spelling
Write soon. direct as before
and your letter will be forwarded to
me by Father
MSS 2689
[letter of the Rev. J.C. Granberry, begun on the 24th continues]
Saturday morning. Have just arisen, and eat my
camp breakfast of beef-hash and butterless biscuit.
Would like for you to see our kitchen and parlor. rush
heaped up against a rail fence screens us from the wind
a tree cut down is our sofa. We have one chair, former
ly the property of Gen. Casey, but captured at the Seven Pines.
Sometimes around the blazing fire of that apartment
and sometimes in our chamber we receive our guests.
There is one terrible drawback to the comfort of our fire–the
smoke, blown in all directions by the changing breeze, brings
tears to eyes that were unused to weeping.
Was disappointed in my hope of a letter from the dearest girl
on earth to me. but one will come this evening–the one
you wrote last Monday morning. I was greatly pleased
last evening by getting a letter from Salem. I had written
about our expected marriage. Vallie (Mrs. Foley) says she
had suspected something of the sort; was told by Miss Mag
Peyton that I was addressing you; Mrs. Speiden said, not
so, it was certainly Kate Carter. Vallie and Mrs Massie
express great pleasure in the engagement, had often wished
that I would love and marry again because they know how
lonely and desolate I was believe from all they have seen and
heard that I could not have made a better selection, and that
you are exactly suited to make me happy they request a visit
from us. Vallie advises me now to quit the army, as I have a
wife to look after; thinks it will not suit Ella for me to be in the army.
She doesn’t know all Ella’s self-sacrifice–dies she? I have scarcely room to
[in top margin of page 1]
say Good-by, my pet and jewel
With all my heart, yours,
J. C. Granberry.
Granberry, University of Virginia chaplain, chaplain of the 11th Virginia was later a bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and on the Vanderbilt Board of Trustees.
MSS 4942
