[from the diary of Anne Madison Wright Ambler]

Saturday, November 1, 1862

Again went to work before reading=A
practice I endeavor to avoid as I am so
much better prepared for the day when I
can read my bible & bet Gods protection from
the snares & sins which beset me all around
Impatience, Impenitence, hardness of heart
Oh God deliver me from these besetting sins
-Hear rumours of foreign intercession,
What would we not give for “peace”–I
am afraid that there will be little
to gain by the time this war is over=Pa is
terribly worried about his woods.  We walked out
to look at it. A great deal  of valuable young
timber was destroyed.  amused ourselves
looking at the various contrivances for
beds.  they showed great ingenuity- E[mma] found a
bayonet which she gave Tommie who was
charmed after playing with it- said Ma dont
tell grandPa, because he will say it belongs to
the soldiers=I told him that he must show it to his
GrandPa & I though he might prohibit his playing
with it as it was dangerous=Oh No Ma. Put it
away till I am a man, to fight the Yankees
with.  Dont show it to grand Pa; I reasoned
awhile & then left  him to his own thoughts, & this
evening as soon as Pa came he ran up to him
& told him what he had found= Pa said [but?]
my son, it is not yours it belongs to the soldiers
So it seems Tom understood him

[transcribed in 1972 by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Baylor]

MSS 15406