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

Monday 21–Letter from Lanty –rather
doleful–one also from Eugene
wanting me to get him boots & spurs
Rumors of some good news having
passed through the telegraph office–
which the operators could not [?]
[?]–Report of the enemy having
made a dash at the central Rail
Road and destroyed depot at Beaver
Dam was marched on last night
which I discredited–But Mathew
Maury came up this evg and con
firmed the news.  He was in the
cars yesterday morg and was stop
ped by obstructions on the road with-
in 300 yds of the Depot.  He saw
the burning–He thinks it was
a mere handful of cavalry who
were frightened off by the train
which had soldiers on board.
Mathew was very communicative
very bitter against the Yankees &
not sanguine as to the safety of
Richd  He thinks the attack will
be made on both sides of the Ri
-ver and by [?] [?] from
also.  He is on his way to join
his wife in Albemarle–Sue
Crutchfield, his son Dick’s affian
ce mad her escape from Fred
and got to Charlottesville where
she and Dick were married
Thursday last–what a time for
marrying!  called at Mrs [?]
to see Capt. Hobbes He was too
ill to let any one see him–I shd
think he was in a very critical
condition: He was in bad health
before he was wounded & the Ball
is yet in the knee–He had a
chill to day–Dr. John Minor came
in at night & staid until 10.

MSS 4763

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Monday July 21, 1862

Anniversary of the battle of Manassas,
Fannie & I with Mark & Tom took a long walk–
–  gathered some very fine blackberries–
Uncle Cary asked sis b wt. bro. C Y mother
down there to spend the day right before
our faces & never even looked at us–
Isnt it strange, you remember how polite
they were visiting us before you left-
the only thing that has ever been said
about it since was when aunt Susan spent
the day here–she turned to me & said in an
offhand way she would be glad, if I
would bring my sister & the children &
stay some with her.  I thanked her, & then
it ended…..
Mother sat all day in my room.  I
had read a little before we walked–&
after that didn’t have a moment to
myself

  Jack is better – though I am still
giving him the calomel.
We see the Maryland News Sheet & it gives us great
news  Our prospects seem as bright as possible
I can’t help hoping we will have peace
soon & settle down at Clifton again
next fall.  McClellan it is said, must
surrender.  Mere matter of time  Can not
be provisioned much longer

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

MSS 15406

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

Monday, July 21st

Powel came today.  A cloudy day, rain may fall any moment.  Yesterday at church we heard the sad news of dear Cousin Ben Harrison’s death.  What a blow.  God give his father strength to bear it and his poor wife.  He was well prepared, few more so. He was killed at the battle of Turkey Bend.  Willie Carter under Magruder was wounded at the battle of White Pines, non from this neighborhood even wounded.  We have much to be thankful for.  From General Pope’s abominable manifestos, we have much to fear from his administration.  Oh, for the dove of peace to light on our unhappy country!


MSS 9759

                 Petersburg Va July 20 1862

My Dear Father
      In haste I drop you a few lines to
inform you that on to morrow (Monday)
should nothing prevent I will start for
Orange.  As I have heard nothing from
you I suppose there well will be no
difficulty in my going directly on to
the station, I am still quite weak but
have improved very much since
you left. Kidder is a little better this
morning  [Sister?] was here to see me
yesterday.  With love to Mother and
the girls & boys
                   I remain
                         yr aff son
                              G S Bernard

George S. Bernard, 12th Virginia Infantry, after the war a lawyer in Petersburg, Va., and member of the Virginia House of Delegates.

MSS 7745

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

Sunday
July 20

About twenty of our company went down
to church in the city.  I went with them
and heard Mr Clark preach.  Signed the
pay-roll to-day.  Wrote a letter home this afternoon.

MSS 11293

[from the diary of Daniel D. Logan, younger brother of General Thomas M. Logan, formerly a Sgt, Co. B, 1st Special Battalion (Rightor’s), now with the Hampton Legion]

   
                        Sunday – July 20th 1862
Bro & I went down to the So Ca Depot this morning
at five o’c to meet Father, the cars did not come up
until Eight o’c – after some I search I met Father
on the platform – he did not Know me at all he is
not looking as badly as I had been led to Expect by the girls
but tho’ with a wretched cold he is looking better than
when I saw him last – he spent the day with us but
returned by the Evening train for Charleston at 5 o’c p.m.
Walked out with Lilly & Georgie this Evening to our
plantation – saw  the Misses Dicksons on our way –

[The diary ends here.  The following several pages contain addresses, a roster of officers, and notes. Your bloggers do not know if Logan ever returned to the Army.  He died December 1, 1862, probably from pneumonia, and is buried in Charleston S.C. His brother “Mullie” Thomas Muldrop Logan, 1840-1914, became one of the youngest Confederate generals.  After the war he helped found the Southern Railroad]

MSS 6154

[from the diary of Ephraim Wood, Co. C., 1st Massachusetts]

     Sunday  July 20th/62
     Pleasant all day
          Went to the Depot and
worked hard all day.  Did
not get through till nine
O clock in evening.  Loaded
nearly two hundred teams.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12021

 [from the diary of Samuel Johnson of the 1st Massachusetts Independent Light Battery]

    July 20^th

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

 [Sunday, July 20, 1862]

Guard mounting
lay around until near
noon when with
Lieuts Smith, Hill, Beeton
& Hick we went
out about two miles
to the house of Mrs Lilly
whose husband is in Col[?]
a prisoner i had a very
good dinner green peas
new Potatoes &c played
several pieces came home
in the evening
Had no Parade as it
rained a [?] Shower
Played on the porch of
the house.  This evening
went up to the Cavalry
heard the boys sing some
mostly clear fine day

MSS 10317

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Sunday, July 20, 1862

Brother Charles preached today & they all
went but Mother & I.  Mother’s foot is
still stiff & she cannot wear her shoe.
I staid with Jacque–who looks
very badly–The calomel makes him
sick-
– Tried to read but Jacque and Daisy
took up more than half my
attention.  Tom went to church
with Fannie

[as transcribed in 1972  by her granddaugther Anne Madison Wright Baylor]

MSS 15406