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

Saturday July 19, 1862

After Guard Mounting
borrowed a Harpers
Monthly from Capt Skiles
which I read until
noon after noon
went out into the
country for Dew berries
a species of blackberries
The  [road?] is an
interesting one the
scenery very fine
glimpses down in
the ravine through
the trees of BlueStone
Parade & Drill
Hear numerous
rumors of future
movements &

MSS 10317

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Saturday July 19, 1862

It had cleared up & Mary Fannie & I
took a long walk, went towards the church
& gathered berries,–found cousin Edward here
on our return, said he heard I was very gloomy &
wanted to go to Richmond, was surprised to find
me looking so well, I was astonished-as I can
not imagine who had slandered me, though
I would give a great deal to be with you,
I am determined not to give up to despair
about you  I know that we both trust in
God. & I feel that he will care for
you—-.

Sis B & bro C- came home this morning. 
the rain had detained them at Leeds.
Uncle Cary was here to dinner, I took Jacque
out to see him  & he prescribed for him–
advised me to give him broken doses of
calomel  three times a day–I will begin
tonight he looks very badly & I am
uneasy about him-
I am so sorry that I did not have him
baptized before you left I think of
having bro C to stand in your place &
have it done now,- but I wish you were
here- think I will wait a few weeks
yet—The rain has knocked all of my
plans of going home into the head.

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

MSS 15406

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

Saturday, July 19

A beautiful day, one of the few lately.  Jane Page spent the day with me.  On dit five thousand Yankees arrived in Winchester today.  I had hoped we were relieved from the wretches.

MSS 9759

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

Saturday 19th  It is very unpleasant–Has been raining all night. Is ow
cloudy & very chilly–We are quite disappointed at Liz’ not arriving last night
& her having such bad weather to travel in.  I received a letter from Tom
this morning–He was on business in Richmond–Nothing new–I wrote
Joe a long letter since dinner telling him how pleased i was at hearing h
had gotten a substitute & had returned to his home & family–I wish
Tom & Fred could do the same.

MSS 6960

[from the diary of Joseph A. Waddell, civilian employee of the Quartermaster Dept.]

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

Saturday 19 Quite a cool morning — Sum
mer clothing too cool for comfort
Board of Directors made a present
to Mr Jellie of $300, in consequence
of the high price of living  I made
no opposition–but I am as much
entitled to it as he–and after which
shall claim it.  With our in-
vestments if all go well we shall
do a good business-in spite of a
low line of discounts–In the evening
went to call on Mrs. Rodes, who in
formed me of the death of Col. Pegues
of the 5th Ala.  Hew was wounded in the
Savage fight in the shoulder–but
not seriously, and was considerd in
no danger–Erisypelas  [?]
and caried  him off.  Mr. R. spoke
in high terms of his character as
a gentlemen.  His wife was with
him. this must make Eugene
the Major of the Regt.  It is moe
than probable it will make him
Lt. Col.  the present Lt. Col. is utter
ly unfit to command the reidg regi
-ment = was slightely wounded at
“Seven Pines” and did not behave
well on the field it is said from a
scratch which ought not to have
made himleave his command, he got
a furlough & went home.  Rodes
told me–he should not return
to the regiment–that he would sum
mon a court and expose his incompe-
tence–This he will the more certainly
do now when the command of the
Regiment falls upon him.  I am glad
of course of Eugenes promotion, which
he deserves by his faithful service,
knowledge of his duties and  [brilliant?] or [thrilling?]
gallantary in the three of the hardest
fights of the campaign–His com-
pany is nearly destroyed & he will
have the less trial in parting with
it. I must look out for a horse
and servanta for him.  Tis strange
he has not written to me or his poor
mother–In many of his letters
last summer, he said he knew he
should rise in the service if oppor
tunity  presented.  He is the best quali
fied man of the regiment to command
it now–indeed  as Rodes said the
only man fit to do it.

MSS 4763

                                     July 18th
Cousin Porte, 

                            Having obser-
ved the deceitfulness of the human
heart I have thought that I could
never trust any one so far as to
bestow upon him that which
you have asked–my love.
But frequent intercourse with
you & a most intimate ac-
quaintance have convinced
me that yours is a noble, a
true heart–one that would
not stoop to deception.  Influ-
enced by this conviction, I am
now about to reveal to you the

[page 2]
truth concerning my own sen-
-timents, as you have desired.
Pardon me, if you deem it bold-
ness on my part, for saying
that I was relieved of not a
little anxiety on reading the
contents of your letter. I believ-
ed that I knew your true sen-
timents towards me, but hav-
ing no positive basis, endeav-
ored to convnce myself that
I was too hasty in entertaining
such a belief.  Frequently have
I found my affection seeking
to incorporate itself with
yours, but never allowed it
entire freedom lest my hopes

[pag3]
& expectations should prove
vain.  But now, since I am as-
sured of  your love, in return I can
assure you that you “love not in vain,”
that the “tender sentiment which
thrills your heart” finds a respon-
sive echo in mine.  My hearts af-
fections are henceforth  yours–
entirely yours.  You will not
prove false to the trust–will
you, my cousin?  If I have open-
ed my heart too freely to you,
please pardon me.  Look upon
the weakness with Christian
charity, & believe me,
                     Sincerely yours,
                                       Minnie

Minnie’s reply to Porte’s proposal of July the 11th.

William McCauley, a teacher at Roanoke College and a soldier in the Dixie Grays, Co. E, 42nd Virginia, and Margaret Jane Shirey addressed each others by the nicknames “Porte” and “Shirey” 

MSS 14953

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

Friday
July 18

On guard to-day.  Rained some, Got
a letter from Mary, consisting of four
sheets. Enjoyed myself well to day.

MSS 11293
 

Camp in the Field Near Harrisons landing Va July 18th 1862
Dear Mother–I received your letter which was enclosed in Fathers of the
11th on the 15th & I can tell you I was glad to receive it as I am all
letters from Home, you said that you saw in the paper that I was wounded
if you did there is nothing in it you need not worry about my being wounded
because it is not so the Division had A hard time of it coming to this River
& saw some hard Fighting through the seven days but since we have been
here we have got rested & are getting along verry well I am well &could not
ask for better health which I have had ever since I came to Virginia we came
of from Picket Yesterday from the Outposts where we could get everything
we wanted to eat such as turkeys, pigs & chickens & I should like to stay A
week on Picket but we are relieved every twenty four hours I suppose you have
blackberries at Home so do we & in the summer we live high on Fruit and
such things I received A letter from William yesterday & wanted to know
whether I felt like going into another Battle I am agoing to tell you that
I do not care about going into Battle but as I enlisted to serve the Government
in what Position I was placed whether it was Fatigue or Fighting I shall do
my duty that is if I am able to do it & I know that the Generals do not expect
any that is not able to do it  but it has been the Case with me whenever this Regi-
ment has been in battle that I have been with it & am Just as willing to go in
one tomorrow: that is if I am required to I had A trembling come over me when I
went into battle this last time but I done my duty & if you want to know you can
send & ask the Commanding officer of the Company & he will give you all the
information that you want there is one thing about the Rebels that they are
full of powder & Whiskey & they are so that they will come up to the mouth of
the cannon & hold out their hands to grasp it, one day as this Regiment was
supporting the First Massachusetts Battery they came up to the verry mouth
of the cannon but when the Infantry gave A charge they was not to be seen they
had scattered in all directions of the woods & you can guess what kind of firing
they was under that afternoon by the numbers of tons that the Battery Fired
it was just five times the Captain reported so the name of the Captain is Porter
& that afternoon the General told  him to give them A taste of everything. O.S.
I was verry sorry to hear that Edward was sick give my love to him & the rest &
when I get this I want you to tell William that I want him to send them papers. I
guess that Father does not send any as I do not get any  from him, which I should
like to have I will  now close by saying give my love to all from your Son Joseph Leavitt.

Letters of Joseph Leavitt of the Fifth Maine and his brother George of the Fifth New York were copied into a ledger by their father after the war as a remembrance of them.  Both boys were mortally wounded in the war, George at Second Bull Run and Joseph at Spotsylvania.


MSS 66

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

                               Friday 18
  I went to  Keen ____
Baldwin & Co.[?] Hospital
with M. A. Sneed.  sick
with Dissentary.