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

(Oct 19th)
Another pleasant Sabbath morning.  Feel as well
as did yesterday, sat up.  Mr & Mrs Braden have gone
over to Mrs Pusey’s.  No service to day in our little church.
Hear that Mr Milton by whom sent last letters has not gone.

Spent morning reading the church service for
today, & conversing with Miss L – Mrs P- and
Mr Gregg, the latter called on me & spent a
part of the morning.  Passed afternoon in con-
-versation with Mrs. P- & Miss L- We had
a heavy shower this afternoon lasting
‘till nearly dusk.  Heard some little firing.
At twilight Mr & Mrs B- & the children retur-
-ned; before the horses of his carriage were un-
-hitched servant who had been sent in morn-
-ing after a seamstress some 6 or 7 miles off rode
up and said the horse on which Miss Paxton
has been riding with him, had become frigh-
-ened by her trying to raise an unbrella on
him & had thrown her cutting her head and
injuring her severly.  Mr B- sent his carriage
after her, and soon had her brought up, she
is hurt quite badly but we hope not serious-
-ly. – Mrs P- Miss L- & Jeannette passed the evening
in my room.  Do not feel as well this evening as
did this morning, & have felt through the day.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6150

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

Sunday  19th –Go to Church to day
a priviledge I do not often enjoy

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 5526

[from the diary of Captain William F. Hunter, 97th Ohio]

     Oct. 19th, ’62.
This morning about 3
o’clock, 50 men of our
brigade arrived here
on their way to Leba-
non Ky. whence they will
guard our train to our
camp. They report our
reg’t. encamping last night
13 miles from here on
the road to “Wild Cat”,
where it is thought the
rebels will make a
stand. Cloudy and
chilly this morning.
Don’t feel so well

to day as I did yes-
terday. Although near
a church, this Sabbath
is likely to be spent as
most soldier’s Sabbath, –
as other days.
This is a dreary lone-
ly place, a fit habita-
tion for bats, owls & se-
cessionists. The residents,
who come into camp
to sell things to the sol-
diers, & claim to be Un-
ion men, are a sorry
set, poorly clad &, appa-
rently, not half fed.
They say they are form-

ed into companies –
calling themselves
“Home Guards”’ hav-
ing a rendezvous, &
mustering & drilling
there periodically, &
carrying on a sort
of guerilla warfare.
They may honestly
entertain union sen-
timents; but I fear
many of them are
like an old man to
whom I was talking
a few days since, who
said “men were some-
times compelled to

change their coats”.
I’m inclined to the opin-
ion that, in general, their
sentiments are materi-
ally dependent upon the
character of the nearest
army. Very sick
all afternoon & at night.
Have a very severe di-
arrha – scarcely able
to walk. Tobacco & cof-
fee have an unnatural
taste, being more like
medicine than any thing
else. Remained here
all day & night.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 10547-bm            

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

Sunday, Oct. 19, 1862

Lay about sleeping
& doing nothing all
day.  Very impatient
to hear what we
will do
Mostly cloudy cool
Cold night

MSS 10317

[from the diary of the Rev. Francis Butler, chaplain of the 25th New Jersey]

Sun 19.  fine day – but very high wind at sunset – feared
it would blow camp fires on tents – Chapls. of Brigade
met at my tent & arranged Brig. service –
In morng Chapl. of 4th Pen Cav. spoke at my service
at 4, the Brig. met in mess – a Universalist Chapl. read
[1st?] [hymn?]– Meth – prayed.  Cong. preached.  I prayed & read
last hymn – large number out, very impressive
visitor sick, talk & prayer with Lt. Col A. & held
seven tent py meetgs at Evg.   good deal engaged.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

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

Sunday 19th  A bright beautiful day–cloudless & pleasantly cool
We have just heard of 5 deaths in this place to day–A young man by
the name of Whitaker who left a year ago for the Army in perfect
health died yesterday from Hemorhage of the lungs.  Mrs. Grants
child is to be buried at 9 O’Clock–Eliza has heard this morning
that Mr Mason is sick.  She feels badly about it–I have
just received a letter from Christian Campbell–I heard since
dining Mr Whitaker is not dead a false report.

MSS 6960

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]
Sunday, October 19, 1862
    I do not know why exactly, but my heart
is more filled with love for God than I have
felt it for a long time.  I have been so cold in
prayer, so lifeless,but to day I feel more that
I am not utterly forsaken by the Holy Spirit
then I have dared to feel for a long time.  I read
the II part of a sermon by Laurin from the text
Seek the Lord early while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near, Ish–
  I am so thankful that I read it; it brings
me nearer to God, But Oh, I am such a
weak, miserable sinner, rejoice to day & fall
to morrow–Is there any one on earth, who is
called a Christian that so often feels, dead, weak
& cold to Holy things as I do–I know how it will
be too well. As I sat to night alone, after reading- I
felt so many more good desires-springing up within
me that I thought I would never sin, any more
but I know too well that with to morrows
sun, all such feelings will pale–to
be  [?] by the side of such antagonists as are in
my heart–If I could only feel assured that
I am in the “right way”, &  striving to
fight the “good fight of faith,” But my
heart is so deceitful, so wicked above all
things that I can never know.  O, God wash
me with my Saviours blood & I shall be whiter than snow.
Fill me with the Holy Spirit for the sake of thy sun Jesus Christ
                            Amen

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

Sunday 19  Fine weather–Large congre-
gation.  Bishop Atkinson preached
able sermon–and nothing high
church in it–at night the he preached
again.  I liked him better than
in the morning.  He now reads
his sermons and his delivery  not near
as good–Called on him at Mrs Gar
lands–whom he came to see–There
is great deal of the churchman
about him.  He is fond of power
and disposed to stretch his authority
to the utmost.  I distrust him a
good deal–He spoke of the low
church Bishops of the north as
the Puritanical bishops and as all
bitter against the South –[which?]
is too true

MSS 4763

Shepherdstown, Va where we staid that
day and the next when they took us
back to the rear of the rebel lines where
we remained during the battle of Antie=
tem, and the next day, when being
joined by other prisoners amounting in
all to about 400 we commenced our
march for Staunton, 120 miles. During
our whole march we had nothing to eat
but green corn, until the last three
days when they gave us a pint of flour
each per day and about 1/3 lb of fresh
beef, without a pinch of salt for ei=
ther. We mixed our flour in the cups
and baked it in the ashes. We were
8 days going to Staunton where we arrived
on Saturday evening the 27th, when we
immediately got on board the cars [deleted: at]
and arrived at Richmond next morn=
ing. Here I took sick and was hardly
able to sit up during my 8 day stay
there. I had no medical attendance what=
ever. I spoke to two secesh doctors who

[page 3]

took my name, but that was the last
I ever saw of them. I was placed
in a 3d story room of a tobacco ware=
house with 180 others. I lay on the hard
floor having nothing but a rubber blanket.
On the 6th of October we were sent to Hagers
Landing, where steamers were waiting to
bring us to this place.

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

Sunday
Oct 18
A very nice cool day.  I went out on drill
this forenoon.  This afternoon wrote a letter to
Mary partly answering hers which I received last week.
Have been reading the Fitchburg Sentinel of Oct 10th
but did not find much news–cleaned up my things
and loaded my gun.

MSS 11293