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

Monday.  Mrs. Mallett spent the day with us helping Sarah
with Wms dresses.  I passed the morning & part of the
evening with her in Mrs Walter’s rooms–After tea Sarah
read Nathalie aloud in my room & we all think it very
interesting–The ladies who arrived on Sunday with their
escorts left this forenoon for Willis boro’

MSS 6960

Monday, November 10, 1862

  I determined last evening to get up
early read & go to work sooner than
usual, but overslept my self. Was just
ready for breakfast & was late getting
my sewing=….
Helped Ma to put wicks in her candle
moulds–sewed for Jacky–
  Bro. C. heard of Peachys death & came
out to see us. said nothing about it however till
he offered prayer when he made a beautiful
& most suitable address at the throne of
grace: that this wound might be of service
to us, that God would pour on the oil of
his spirit & draw us all closer to him.  It
made me love him more.  I think he is a good
man.=…
Br. C. brought me a letter from own dear
husband: I can’t say how grateful I was
for it. I feel that it was an answer to the
pray as I have felt so constrained to make
for him lately-though I do much wish he would
tell me of his spiritual state–It is the
only subject we never thoroughly discuss & I
hope we are both more interested in it than
any other=I always pray for him, & I
hope he ever remembers me.   I need his
prayers= I know he is a good man=though
I pray for better things for him still.

MSS 15406
  

[from the diary of Matthella Page Harrison as transcribed at a later date]

Monday, November 10–a bright, cool day.  Last night Mr. Styles, a Presbyterian
minister called in and spent last night, today and tonight with us.  Very entertain-
ing and agreeable.  Yesterday the Yankees came to Rippon.

MSS 9759

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

Sunday
Nov 9
Had inspection this forenoon and and[sic] spent the
rest of the forenoon in reading.  This after-
noon wrote some and went with John Ssimonds to get
throuroughwort.  After supper George and i went out and
talked and in the evening also, and passed a restful
evening

MSS 11293

[from the diary of Frank C. Fitzhugh, Cutshaw’s battery]

                                  Sunday 19[sic]
Started soon after day
went about 1 1/4 mile and
returned as yesterday.
Brigade went down to
destroy the Manassas Gap
                  R. Road

[Frank A. Dickens adds to a letter begun of November 2]

New Town Frederick Co Va.
Nov 9th 1862

Since writing the foregoing we have been con-
stantly on the go and I had not an opportunity to
send it we are now packing up for another move whee
to I am sure I do not know truly “man who is
born of woman and enlisted in Jacksons army is
few of days and short of rations” we hardly
have time to cook now-I expect that there will
be a terrible fight in a few days I think that
Gen Lee seems to be hemming the Yankeys up Genl
Smith is at and about Fredericksburg Genl Long-
street is on the Rappahannock and Jackson
and the two Hills are along the Shenandoah
from Front Royal to Castlemans Ferry forming
a line of [small sketch] of this shape The yankeys being in the
angle–Have you heard anything lately of [Lew?]
his regiment is somewhere in front of the enemy near
Orleans in Faquier Co–I do not know where
to tell you to direct a letter to me just direct to
Genl [?] brigade write soon love to all
                                      Your aff
                                          Frank A. Dickens

MSS 5533-d

Camp near Front Royal Nov 9 1862

My Darling Wife –

I have received your two last letters

since mine was written to you. As you had not mentioned

him in your letter before these I had hoped that dear

little Gala had gotten well, and am very sorry to learn

from your last letter that he is still sick. I trust he may

continue to improve and soon be well. He is a sweet child and his

loss would be very sad indeed to me.

I do not remember what was done with the receipts to which you

refer. They were probably left in the bookcase. I will write to

Wm White to settle bills for the seed – wheat to Tutwiler and

Johnson. I am very glad indeed to hear that you have finished

seeding. The next thing will be to get the wheat in the mill as

soon as practicable. As to what mill it should be sent to, will

depend upon which will promise to grind it first and guarantee

superfine flour. It should be ground as soon as possible so

as to get the offal for feeding the horses and cows this winter.

Write a note to the Miller at the Point, at Leyburns Mill, and

at Poagues to know when they will grind it, and then send

it to the mill mill [Paxton repeats] which grind it first and guaranty sup-

erfine flour. When the wheat is gotten to the mill I should

like as much ploughing done before Christmas as may

be possible of the ground which you intend to plant

in corn next spring. There may be some good weather

and your corn crop can be gathered when the ground

is frozen. I had a jeans shirt which Rachel gave me last

winter. I wish you to line the new one you make with that

if it is not too late. There will be enough by using it to make

the new one double throughout. If you will pack the trunk and

leave it at some place of your fathers in town it can be sent

to me by the first wagon that comes to the army. I should like

if the material can be bought for you to make and send

me three pair of flannel drawers and another flannel

undershirt. Call upon Tom White for any money you want as

he has collected the money for the hay.\

[page 2]

The day before yesterday we had a snow and the weather

is now quite cold. Winter seems to have set in and it

finds us sadly prepared for it. A large number of our       

soldiers are entirely barefooted and very many without      

blankets. Living in the open air without tents and with

a very small supply of axes to cut wood for fires, there

is much suffering. Those of our people who are living

at home in comfort have no conception of the hardships

which our soldiers are enduing. And I think they manifest

very little interest in it. They are disposed to get rich

from the troubles of the country and exact from the

government the highest prices for everything needed

for the army. I trust the Government will soon take

the matter in hand, fines its own prices and take

what it wants of the army.

Everything here indicates that we move to morrow; where

there is no telling. But I trust we may soon find ourselves

settled for the winter. If active operations were suspended for

the winter our men could soon build huts and make them

selves comfortable. If however we have active operations the

sufferings [of] our men must be intense –

So you growl about Sunday letters. They are written on that day because

all work in the army is suspended on that day and I always have

leisure then. They are not interesting you say. I am sorry

for it. It is because I have but little to write about that

would interest you. They always tell you I am alive &

doing well. Isn’t that always interesting intelligence?

You never mentioned in your letter which company White [The letter is in ink. This section is

Williamson is in – Let me know & I will go to see him. Give lined through in pencil.]

my love to Martha and tell her I say she has good quarters in

Lexington and she had better stay there. Our army is a

moving concern and there is no telling where it will be a month

hence. Possibly we may be here but quite as likely at

Richmond – You speak of the army as my idol but you

never were more mistaken. I had a good deal rather live in a

house than in a tent, though I can bear the change as there is no

helping it. I had good deal rather be with you and the children, than

with my idol the army your opinion to the contrary notwithstanding

And now Growler good-bye. Kiss the children for me

and try to be better natured – Goodbye

Ever Yours E F Paxton

[Written in the top margin on page one:]

Since this was written I have received an order giving me to the title of Brigadier General

and assigning me to the command of Jacksons old brigade. I made no application

for it and if I had consulted my own inclination should have been disposed

to remain in my present position.

Elisha F. “Bull” Paxton, University of Virginia alumnus and now commander of the Stonewall brigade.

 [Portions of the above letter are included in Civil War Letters of General Frank “Bull” Paxton.]

[transcript by Mary Roy Edwards Dawson]

MSS 2165

[from the diary of Frank C. Fitzhugh of Cutshaw’s Battery

Thursday 6
Commenced moving about
11 A.M. Continued all day
recd orders to move late in
the evening, harnessed the
horses but did not move.
Remained all day in camp

 
Friday 7
Commenced Snowing
about 11 A.M. continued
all day. kept horses
harnessed all night.
Very cold night

November Saturday 8                                              
Wrote to Mama by
Lieut Bibb.
Kept horses harnessed
all night expecting to
start.

Sunday 9
Started from camp about
light this morning went
about ¼ mile up the
road to Middletown,
and returned to our
camp about 11 Oclock A.M.
Horses harnessed all night

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 4448

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

Sunday 9th – Go to M. E. Church in
Court St. heard quite a good sermon
from Rev. Magee of the N. E. Church.
Attend same at night – Mr. Langhorne
of same church preached – write
to Sister Anne.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 5526

                 East New York
                   Hosp. Dept. 24th Regt. M.V.M.
                               Nov. 9. 1862
Dear Parents & Brother:
                                Thinking that perhaps
you would like to hear from me even
if I should not write but a few lines, I
have seated myself upon a box with another
box of medicines for a table for the purpose
of dropping you a word.
I suppose mother the first thing you would
like to know, is if I sleep warm, well I
am glad to inform you that I do very.
there is a large stove in the room
next the dispensary where the Steward
& I sleep & as we burn coal in this
country it keeps us warm and comfortable
all night.
I never lived so well in my life before
beef steak once & twice a day and
other things in proportion:
Work just enough to keep up good digestion.
Expect we shall have to take it by & by
Quite a number of sick ones in the Hosp.
about 35 from both Regiments the 24th & 21st

We have a matron & one female cook
and one male cook 4 nurses &c
I expected to go to Plymouth Church to
day but it has been snowing & such

[page 2]
nasty, muddy, sloppy getting along
(for you ca’nt call it walking) you never saw.
We are on Long Island at the South East
Side of Brooklyn City (I guess) about eight miles
from N.T. city.
Went to the city last night night[sic] with
Lieut. True of Capt. V’s Co. and attended the
theater for the first time in my life–(Wibloe’s)
can not say that I want to go again.
I should like to go to a good prayer
meeting.
We shall be likely to stop here some
little time as the measles are
appearing among the soldiers.
This is a bad place for the soldiers.
Election day I went to the Hall
of one of the wards of this place.
No wonder the Democracy triumph.
under the Hall in a large room was
a bar and all kinds of liquors free
for any one who was of a mind to drink
and I need not tell you that it
was full to overflowing.  [?]
placards containing the names of
the Democratic Candidates were posted
in the Hall on the fences, and
in every available place.
What effect will the election in this and
other middle states have upon the war?
Where do you thing these Maine Regts will go?
I guess we shall go to Texas.
                        Your affectionate Son
                             C. P. Morrill

Cyrus and the rest of the boys are well
Is there any one in the city you are
acquainted with who would be glad to see
your son.

Charles Plummer Morrill,  24th Maine

MSS 11031