[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]

                 
                        Friday – July 18th 1862
Took a walk this morning to Taylors hill
& the Park with Julie & Lillie spent the
day in the house petting & being petted 
by my sisters – this is indeed happiness
& real rest – after fifteen months of camp life
I am disappointed with Columbia, tho it
is a pretty town – had heard so much
of its beauty that Expected great beauty –
Went to the bank today & saw Mr Strobel – also
to the Taylors [tailors -?] & shoemakers, to make myself
more appearanceable to go abt with the
girls – Lizzie read a letter today from Sam
asking how long we were going to be in town
in answer to Bros dispatch – Spent the day
in the house, taking another walk in the Eve’g
Lizzie has the mumps and could not go with
us – [Here follow three more lines of code.]
[-] apparent Each day – what a little

[The following line is cross-written over the above lines.]
[-] fresh fruit here in abundance

Julie & Lillie:  [Julia Rowena Logan, 1836-1909 and  Josephine  Maria (Lillie) Logan, 1843-1923.]
Sam: Brother Dr. Samuel Logan, 1831-1893.


[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards; family notes by Sally Rice Forsyth Donnelly]
MSS 6154

[from the diary of Ephraim A. Wood, Co. C, 13th Massachusetts]

          Friday   July 18th
     Rained hard all day.
Our work to day, was carrying
hard bread up stairs, and
packing it away.  We handled
about fifty Thousand pounds
of it.  It is in cases of
fifty pounds each.
Received letters to day, from
Mary H. and Sophia.

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12021

                              U of Va  July 18th, 62
Gen J. H. Cocke
                        My Dear Sir
                                           We are still
uncertain whether the Board will continue
the sessions of the university for another year–
They have had no meeting this summer–
My wife and myself enjoy our usual
health, admidst much sickness in our
midst and arround[sic] us–We have had
for weeks past, from 100 to 15000 sick &
wounded in the U of Va–while the ori-
ginal population has remained healthy
except amongst the servants–several of
whom have been and are still sick with
typhoid fever–Since about the first inst
Lavinia has been confined to her bed, &
latterly has been quite ill with this fever
nor has the disease yet reached its crisis
Dr Howard is as you know our family phy
sician–we hope for the best–
How thankful we ought all to be for
the deliverance from our enemies before
Richmond!  May this be the beginning of
Divine interpositions in our behalf!-

[page 2]
What a remarkable season we have!
Hardly three successive days without rain!
How does this effect your crops on the low-
lands?–our early potatoes are said to be
already suffering from the rot!- our crop of
strawberries and raspberries was extraordinary–
The latter but just over–I gathered bushels
of strawberries from my little patch–they proved
acceptable to our wounded soldiers–the sic
were not allowed to indulge in them–
Will you please mark the exact time when
your late raspberries are in their prime that
I may know how they would come in with
my rasberries[sic] and the Lowton blackberries.
The young mulbery, you brought me, grows
finely–several berries formed on it even this
year—it must be of a most prolific species of
the “Morus”-
I met the other day, Mr F. Cabell at the Depot
He seems in somewhat better health than when
we last met  Rev Mr Hoge and family are now
occupying Prof Gildersleeve’s house near the Univer
-sity and are therefore our near neighbors–Would
that you were with us, to enjoy, in common, his
society–He sends his Christian salutations &
begs to assure you of an interest in his prayers
which are continually offered for you and yours.
May the good Lord fulfil[sic] all you desires, as to
your family, our friends and our country, and
sustain you to the end by  his free spirit.
  When may we hope to see you at the
University?  Nothing gives us greater pleasure
than you visits–My wife joins me in kind
remembrances to you and yours–yours as ever
                    W.H.McGuffey

MSS 640

Richmond Thursday
My darling wife
I write to let you
all know of my safe arrival
in this place after one of the
hottest rides I ever took–the
weather is still so warm, that
I am afraid to expose myself
to the sun–I met with a
number of your acquaintances
on the South Side & Danville
roads Col Peyton, Alex Carrington
wife & child, Abram Venable
Chas Carrington &c
Col Peyton says that Gov Floyd
has only about 250 men &
cant possibly raise more
by enlistment–Fannie

[page 2]
Venable says that Campbell
could walk a little with
crutches when she heard
last–I found John Lewis
at Mrs Sudduths and took
up my quarters with him.
He is looking very thin &
badly, I am afraid his
liver is disordered–he cant
bear exposure to the hot
sun at all–he tried to go
to the Broad Street Depot a
few days ago and had to
return–I shall try to per-
-suade him to return to the
mountains when he can
get some fresh air, for I am
surprised at any one being

[page 3]
able to live in such a  hot
disagreeable hole as Richmond
is–John Lewis thinks though
that he will return to his
company where there is a
good deal of office business
to be done, without exposure.
Henry took dinner with us
today–I spent a part of
this morning at Seabrooks
Hospital and have a heap
to tell you about wounds
& scars–I hope to see George
tomorrow or next day–Mr
Blair is sick and substi-
tutes very scarce–
John Lewis & myself visited
the market this morning.

[page 4]
Bacon around 55 cts–Toma-
toes $1.00 pr quart–potatoes
thirty cents per quart–butter
1.00  Home made soap 75 cts.
& other things in proportion.
No molasses in town–
Molasses and sugar would
be cheaper in Lynchburg
than here.

I saw [Mosby?] Lewis in town
this morning–he was very
well-
Excuse this scrawl, but
it is immediately after
dinner, and very very
very hot–
With much love to Ma Pa
the rest & yourself–
I am your devoted husband

unsigned letter of Howe Peyton Cochran

MSS 9380

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

Friday July 18th
Last night about twelve o’clock my precious brother Fez rode up.  It was such an unspeakable boon to know both he and Archie were well after having been in the most dreadful battle at Port Republic  and Cross Keys.  He and another man were sent down by General Robertson on a general scout.  the body of the cavalry were at Harrisonburg.  They will not advance until Jackson appears.  Some say he is at Gordonsville, others that the Federals have possession of that place.

MSS 9759

[from the diary of Anne Madison William Ambler]

Friday July 18, 1862

It rained hard last night so Fannie
will not be able to go tomorrow & the longer
she is obliged to stay the more chance I have
of going with her as Mr. F is busy just now & so is
Father.

I had read a little in my bible when Mother
came in & sat down–Soon after Mary cane &
they kept me company all day, so I have
done no reading at all.   F kept to herself &
had a quiet day reading–I had some pressing
sewing to do however & was glad of company–
I find Washington so interesting, that unless
I am obliged to put it down, I would read
from night -till morning (vis a verso)=
It rained so hard yesterday evening & has
kept up all day that Mother C & sis B
have not been able to come home–
Mary & I had a real old fashioned girlish
talk this evening about our husbands., just
as if they had been beaux, only we were
more open in our expressions of love –
than the most barefaced girl could
have been  Finally, we concluded by
remarking “That the first five years of our
married life we had gone on increasing in
love for you”.  Now, is that not enough
to satisfy you?  I couldn’t say more.

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

MSS 15406

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

Friday 18.  It rained much during the
night–Randolph McKim was
to have gone, but deferred his de-
parture in consequence of the rain.
In the ev rain continued at inter
vals during the day–weather
disagreeable also–more like a
an exquinoxical storm than
a July rain  The enemy seem
to be concentrating a force under the
Ridge in the countyeis of Rappahan
nock & Culpeper–Jackson is mar-
ching on them in two columns–what
his plans are no one knows but
himself–the Valley is free from
troops of either party–a blessed
rest to the inhabitants doubtless
We hear of a [?] success at
Murfreesborough, Tenn and that
great alarm was felt in Nash
ville–upon which a strong col
-umn of our forces was marched.
The news comes through N.York
ad may be relied upon. I believe
the tide of war has changed in the
west.  Tennessee will be recovered
ad Kentucky  invaded–The
defense of Vicksburg is most gal
lant.  She is the  [?] of
the war–

MSS 4763

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

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

Friday 18th  The morning opened with rain–& it has continued to rain all day slow
ly–I dont regret the gloomy day as the ladies call it, as I do not feel well, & therefore
have no desire to go out–One or two students arrived last night–But they look
like mere boys–The papers to day contain pleasant intelligence from Vicksburg
the brave little City still holds out–& the Ram Arkansas is doing gallant
service–She sunk two boats coming out of the Yazoo river–the Federal fleet opened
on her both sides, pouring in a terrific fire as she passed–on opening a Porthole
for air, a shell entered killing nine, and wounding several others. The Ram Benton
(Federal) attempted to butt the Arkansas, but missed, & was struck by the Arkansas
She put for shore in a sinking condition–another Gunboat was fired.  I received a
long letter from Joe this morning, which has relieved my mind greatly–He wrote
from Sleepy Hollow where he is once more with his family–He has gotten a
substitute & left the company–He has been quite sick with dysentery- &
had become disgusted with ignorance and incompetency occupying high
places while he was but a private.  Besides the service was too arduous
& harassing for him–& the Island said to be very sickly–He found no difficulty
in procuring a good strong substitute for $600-& he is now to my great
joy free–He might had he been necessitated to do so have held out a month
or two longer–But his constitution would have given way under it–&
I thank God the way was opened for him to leave  He says [“]the officers Lt Ball
Major Anthony, & Adjt Harris with others were sorry I would leave–& the
men seemed very sorry that I would leave them – & tried to persuade me
to remain promising me the 1st vacancy in the company if I would”–
Joe seems determined never to go again as
a private.  He says if he ever goes again it will be as an “amateur”
fight on his own hook, without being attached to any company.
I hope Peace will be proclaimed before he is obliged to go in any
way–Enclosed with Joe’s letter was one from Ellen long & pleasant.

MSS 6960

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

July                          Thursday 17         1862                        
     Went around Richmond
leaving it to our left.
Crossed the Mechanicsville
T. Pike & camped on the
Central R. R.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]