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

[from the diary of Jonathan B. Hager of the 14th U.S. Regulars as copied and annotated by him at a later date.]

July 1   This morning about 1-0 o clock heavy cannon-
            ading commenced. The shells from the enemy
            came thick into our camp.  We were under arms
            & in line of battle all day.  During the morning
            a wagon had been sent to us with rations. While
            unloading several shells hit near the wagon
            & the teamster became exceedingly nervous, &
            he had good reason to feel so, for during his
            trip to us a shell had taken off the fore
            part of his wagon bed & he begged of us most
            piteously to hurry & let him off  At this time
            rations were rations & we were not going to
            suffer him to take any away, but we un-
            loaded that wagon complete, & distributed to each
            man and officer his hard bread & pork under fire
            Towards evening we received orders to march to the
            front where the battle was raging.  We got there
            in time to participate before it ended–Indeed
            we closed the battle.  It was dark before we
            were fairly in.  It was not too dark however for
            the rifle balls to find us & we lost quite a
            number of men here–We could only see where to
            fire by the flash of the enemys guns.  Our first
            volley brought down a Colonel of Louisiana tigers
            whose regiment was advancing to seize one of our
            batteries, the second volley broke the regiment and
            soon the battle was over.  We slept upon the field
            that night.  It was an agonizing night–The groans
            of the dying & the distressing cries of the wounded
            for water, which we could not furnish.  An hospital
            hastily improvised, not far from us, filled with
            men undergoing amputation whose shrieks were
            heartrending.  Lanterns dodging here & there upon
            the field seeking out the wounded, all made it a
            night memorable for its terrors–This was the battle
            of “Malvern Hill” –the result was a great victory
            for our arms & was the closing battle of the ‘seven
            days fights” before Richmond–Notwithstanding the terrors
            of the night we lay down to sleep exhausted with
            the sufferings of the past week. During the
            night a most singular incident occurred——
            I was laying under a rubber blanket with Capt.
            Smedburg[?] of ours when we were awaked from
            our light sleep by the discharge of a musket
            very near us.  We raised our heads about two
            feet from us in the dark could distinguish the
            outlines of the figure of a mule.  Seeing no other
            disturbance we again laid down–This was perhaps
            about 1 or 2 o clock in the night–In the morning it
            appeared that this mule had threaded his way
            over & through more than a score of men without
            awaking any of them, until he came to this
            Sergeant of Capt. Smedburg’s Company.  He tread
            upon the hammer of this musket & it was dis-
            charged, taking off some of the fingers of this man.
            No one knew when the mule escaped.  Non knew
            how he escaped.  some declared there was a mule,
            I & Capt. Smedburg certainly saw him.  Others
            again declared most positively there was none,
            for they were not only awake but standing near
            when the gun went off.  It was a mystery which
            was not solved & which afforded us talk for some
            time.


MSS 9044

[from the diary of Dr. Brodie Strachan Herndon]

Tuesday 1  Charles good servants Ralph
& Julia left him without notice to
day.  Their temptation was beyond their
strength.  Esther remains faithful.
William gives me notice that
his services as a hireling cease.
Luc goes up every day I sit with
Nannie Gower.  We have reports of
a great victory near Richmond.
In evening Luc & I take a frolic
of a gallop through the woods to
Mrs Lowerys[?]  She repeats from a
favourite piece of verse–The
introduction to the tale of Paraguay.

MSS 2563-b

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Tuesday 1 1862

I bolted the door last night in order to be obliged to get up early to
open it.  Did so and with some assistance from F[annie], washed & dressed
all the children for prayers.  Having those new summer goods
at Pileans, I thought I should try a[sic] get there to buy clothing
for the servants so proposed it at the breakfast table but
every obstacle was thrown in my way.  a little discouraged
I set to work when I got back to my room to think out a
new way in which I could be more independent.  thought I would take
my carriage, Jacque, and ask Mother for the horses & Susan for Margaret.  
Mother consented but said I must ask Mr. Downs. Susan refused me 
Margaret & I asked Sis B for Carrie.  She looked astonished at such audacity 
and answered hesitatingly– I don’t know, yes I recon so, But who will I have 
to wait on me,  Oh, said I, don’t inconvenience yourself.   I should not have 
asked but I thought Edmonia or Martha could wait on you. Oh yes, says 
Mother, or Cynthia.–Let her have her, said Mary. Well then said sis B, seeing
I looked rather blank take her, take her, I can do without her. I 
could scarcely keep back my tears  –My heart felt like bursting-
This is the return for all our kindness to sis B, & what is there 
that either  of us wold have hesitated to do for her,
  Once before I went to Leeds without a nurse –as she remarked when 
she heard I was going, You can’t take Carrie. So I wouldn’t ask her 
after that.  But as I wanted to go to Prospect H[ill] to stay all night
 I thought I would try, But I will never ask a favor of her again.  
Mr. Downs has not come home yet, & I am afraid I will be 
obliged to give up my trip.  Don’t it seem hard that as 
much as I stay home– when I do propose taking a 
visit- everyone should seem so much opposed to it–
 I feel so out of spirits, so out of heart– I am so anxious 
to hear from you– is the whole cause I believe.

[transcript done in 1972 by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Baylor]

MSS 15406

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

Tuesday
July 1
Have not written anything in here
for a number of days. There has been
nothing in particular of importance
It is very hot today. There were a lot of
new recruits came today.  One of them
came and staid in our tent.  We were
ordered to be rady to marhc last night
but the order was countemanded today.
Had had a violent headache all day.

MSS 11293

              Richmond Va.  July 1st 62.
Dear Ma,
          I wrote to you the 28th inst,
but the letter may have failed to
get off.  We were in a battle on
the 27th.  None of my company were
hurt.  Four of our Reg. were killed &
12 wounded.  The loss of life on
both sides was awful.  Sunday
morning I accidentally learned
that the 6th Ga Reg. was in the
same fight on the 27th.  I learned
that Lew was severely wounded
and was then at a church 3 miles
off.  Although our Reg. was under
marching orders at the time the
information came, I got permission
& hastened to see him.  On arri-
ving at the church I found him

[page 2]
in reality severely wounded.
He was struck by a musket
ball on the left side of the head
two inches above the left ear.
The skull is slightly fractured,
though I hope not beyond recovery.
I returned to my Reg in the P.M.
(at it happened the Reg. had not moved)
and obtained leave of absence
for two or three days to bring
him to Richmond.  I also
prevailed upon the Col. of the 6th
Ga. to allow George Slappy to
come with him.  When he fell, which
was early in the engagement before
he had fired a gun, George took
him off the field & carried him
to a church near by where hun-
dreds of others were carried.

[page 3]
George was with him when I found
him.  Yesterday we procured an
ambulance wagon & brought
him to Richmond.  The distance
the way we came was 10 miles.
I had him carried to the Seabrooks
Hospital.  All the Ga Hospitals
were crowded.  He will doubtless
be well cared for.  He will require
very little medical attention.  The
ladies are very attentive and do
everything they can to make him com-
fortable.  As soon as he is able
to travel I will procure him a
furlough, & let him come home.
He is cheerfull [sic], & does not
complain.  I will be compelled to
return to my company tomorrow.
George will stay & take care of
him.  I will give him money enough

[Inserted in the top margin on page three is the following:]
Capt Colding returned day before yester-
day.  Our Reg. organized anew yesterday

[page 4]
buy whatever he may need that
the Gov. does not furnish, though
the Gov. has a full supply of
nearly every article necessary.
Lew had been in two or three
battles before, & escaped unhurt.
I left Bob in the Hospital in
Staunton so that he was
not in the fight.  He had diar-
rhea & slight fever & was
not able to march.  I am
looking for him to return
to the Company before long.
     In coming to Richmond yesterday
I had occasion to pass through the
principal battle field.  I think I saw
150 dead men not buried & probably
will not be.  It is a horrible sight &
the stench intolerable.  but the War
is nearly at an end.  The Yankees
will have to give up. – John
 [Written in the top margin:] I will send a Richmond Paper

John Y. Bedingfield, 4th Georgia Battalion


[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 13119

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

Tuesday, July 1, 1862

Arthur Fox Campbell
& Ritter[?] on a little
spree last night as
was Capt Skiles Drake
& others they had a
lively time and succeeded
in keeping us awake
until after midnight
they br[?] Fulkerson
& Jos horns some
Guard mounting but
did not practice any
either before or after
noon
Had some dessicated
potatoes for dinner &
supper  Gillett Charlie
& I a very good substitute
have been reading most
of the day          
                             day
drizzling rain near all ^

MSS 10317

[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]

    Tuesday – July 1st 1862
Rose this morning by Early day – fed our horses
& started to meet the general – found him upon the
battle field of last night, resting under some trees
& amid the bodies dead soldiers – I here took this
chance of paying the general off for June – Our troops  were
soon moving after the Enemy who were not far
ahead – We made a move towards their right wing it
but it was countermanded by noon when we moved into
Frazier’s farm


[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6154

Bremo  July 1 1862
My dear Christian Friend
  I was not greatly surprised by the receipt of yours
of the 25th June nearly a month after its date and was truly rejoiced to hear from
once more after so long & painful an interruption of our correspondence by the most cruel
and wonderful War what has disgraced the history of christian nations for centuries
past–You & my Northern friends have been daily the subjects of my thoughts so often
of my conversation with my [?] latest adherence to the Union  (as almost to expose
me to suspicion of loyalty to the South) –while in my prayers you were never forgotten.
and as you say “war or no war” never shall be forgotten–For I am sure scores of such
men as I associated with at the North are as you & true men I have ever known–I
only have full & frank intercourse with men of the like character of the South to agree with-
out difficulty upon the principles of an amiable adjustment of our disgraceful quarrel–
I am sorry to hear your private griefs like mine have been thickly mixd with our national
calamity–since this was I have lost two of my children–both parents of large families of children–
For the loss of your fine Boy Willie I deeply sympathise with you–but in the whole history
of our distracted country there never has a time been known when you could with more probity
say “he has been taken away from the evil to come”  In my case I am consoled with the
remembrance of Him who has said for the comfort of departing parents–leave thy fatherless
children I will preserve them alive & let they widows trust in me and truly I have not
gone unblessed for several of my parentless good children have give hopeful signs of a saving
interest in religion–Remeber me most cordially to Dr. & Mrs Nott Mr  & Mrs Ransom & the other
friends you mention by name–I am afraid to mention others lest I might mistake feelings – since
I have seen the unmeasured denunciations of the South by such men as your Ex.Gov: King & your Revd
                               Rev. Kirk
Doctors Spring & Tyng ^–this may be bringing me too near to the Contraband of War to find a passport
thro the hands of Gen. Dix to whose kind feelings we are indebted for our intercourse–Nevertheless
I hardly blame from what I know of the character of Gen Dix that he can be afraid of much mis-
chief being plotted between an  Octogenarian & one of three score years & ten–I shall therefore be pretty free
                                                                              as what I
in my remarks on public affairs–Nothing doubting-that ^ shall say is truth & be of use
             & others
to Gen D ^  himself if as I  hope he is a christian but not whether he might prefer to suppress it


[page 2]
or no  war is essentially at variance with all that is christian it may exist where the fault
            Fire eaters with higher law Faulty on both sides   pro[o]f Af s trade
may be only on one side-not so in this our war–we have our faults to answer for on both
sides–none can deny that in the commencement the initiative that was later in the inauguration
of the higher law–assuming to set aside the rights of the constitional compact which bound us
together–this first aggressive movement  of Northern fanaticism stirred up the fireeaters of the South
     adoption of the doctrines of the fanatical                                  [illegible] compromise agains slave trade
to flare up in retaliation by the open advocacy of the piratical atrocities of the slave trade
                                                   spectacle
both sides exhibiting the disgraceful wrong that where party spirit is fully excited all truth & reason
are over[?] & totally disregarded–But of all the wars which have disgraxced the History of
modern Cristendom ths war of ours is the most disgraceful–passing over the disgusting details of
crimination & recrimination which under petty exitement have been crowded into the last years history
of our country with all the appalling details of bloood shed & pestilence & destruction–and ruinous in-
debtedness which eclypses all former examples known in History–let us ask ourselves what results
have been attained ? and what are we now fighting for?  The South contended for their rights as guaranteed
to them under the Constitution. While The North contends they are fighting to protect the Constitution! against
the aggression of the south yet –the present posture of affairs exhibits the whole power of the North
arrayed under a consolodated[sic] Military despotism-carrying on a War of invasion, claiming unconditional
submission to their dominion while they openly proclaim their design of establishing Universal Emancipation
among our slaves — and universal confiscation of our property of all who oppose them this leaves no alterna-
                                                                                  liberty                    Again
tive to us but unconditional submission or to fight it out to victory or death –passing over all
details which have occurred since the extremes of fanaticism & fire eaters stood out arrayed
against each other while [?] Christian men of the Soouth acknowledge they have incurred
                                                                                                        than does our
sins to be answered for they re[li]giously believe they have less to answer for ^ the Enemy-
let me recur to the single act[?] of preventing & denouncing the Slave trade recordered in our Constitution
while we have yet to learn the first abatement of Northern pretensions except when extorted by
circumstances-Now then what are we fighting for?  We claim for ourselves the right of self govern-
                     which you can never give
ment under some new guarantees –since your side have proven to us they were not sufficient under
                                                                          a right  Va. reserved to herself
the old Constitution– We you deny us the right of peaceable secession--a right you have claimed &
                                                                                                       the [?]  states
acted upon yourselves–Massachusetts by her State Legislature stands seceded from the national since the recepion of Tenn into the Union –we care not whether you allow us risgt by secession we claim it as a
reserved             quotes Va art. of ratif
revolutionary gift and your the question arises whether Rebellion of freemen can be restrained from
asserting  with armies their right to chase their own form of government against the de[?] of 18 millions who




a partial draft of a letter from General John Hartwell Cocke to a northern friend on the subject of the South’s right to secede.  Cocke, the only surviving member of the first University of Virginia Board of Visitors, was involved in numerous ante-bellum reform movements including temperance.  He manumitted many of his own slaves, but only on the condition that they emigrate to Liberia.

MSS 640

                Wheeling Virginia
                  July 1st 1862
Dear Parents
                   With very
much pleasure I write
you a few lines to let
you know where I am and
that I am well.  I arrived
here last evening at
five oclock; and we
have camped for to stay
until our horses are
refreshed again, then we
exect to take up march
for some place farther
south I do no know
where. We left Camp
Butler on Friday morn
ing last, and would have
reached here sooner had

[page 2]
we not stoped {
apolis and {
from Saturd {    [corner of page
until Sund {       chewed away]
We came throug {
and Ohio had a very {
ant trip indeed The weather
has been good and every
thing favored us on our
journey  The Union Flag
was displayed not only
at every little town but
from every dwelling in
the road,  May the Lord
bless the ladies of Indiana
and Western Ohio, for
their kindness toward us
Such processions of people
as turned out at the large
Citties I never saw before
At Dayton Ohio on Sunday
evening not less than eight
or ten thousand surrounded

[page 3]
                     }while the Engines
                         } charged At
[corner of page     }s the ladies
 chewed away]    } us baskets full of
                  }nd many received
              }ets from the young
Ladies Who wouldent fight
for this country when chear
ed on in such awy[sic] “God bless
those we have left behind
us is all we have to say
but Dear friend I am
now in the enemies coun
try and shall not see you
again until this war is
over  May prosperity attend
you all, and God grant
that if we never will [?]
this clime that wee may
all be so fortunate as to
meet in a brighter
Do pray for  your unwor-
thy  Son–Father you need
not [?] any the letters post

[page 4]
of your life {
doings but  {
in peace I {   [corner of page
some money { chewed away]
pay your {
with But you {
case we do I am {
hurry  Give my love to
all in quiring friends
and write soon I will send
the money to Lanark as be
fore but you need not go
there after it until I write
you again. good Bye
I will write to the girls
as soon as I canredman
Do write soon and often
                   Yours Very Truly
                   W[illiam] H. Redman

E. Redman
C. Redman
Direct to Wheeling Virginia
12th Ill Cavalry Co C.
Col. V.G. Commanding
Hank will fight hard