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April 1863

Wednesday 15th Wind NE & E. Rained all day, Shelled Corn to send To mill in Mr. J. Hands. Could do nothing else, indeed I have scarcely any hands left to do anything when the weather is good. Old Younger, Joshua (a Cripple) Nick, Alick (a boy & Susan & Milly girls are all the out hands that remain & their stay is very uncertain -

Thursday 16 Wind NW, Cloudy, Cut & hauled wood, Finished opening drains in Oats, Joshua went to mill -

Friday 17 Wind E Cloudy, Joshua Nick & Alick all the hands I have left spaded up squares in Garden, Younger Daphne, Milly Susan & Maria a little girl of Jane's and Lucy hired to Col Page went to the Yankees last night - Younger burnt his house & carried off 150 lbs my Bacon - I went to Wilson's Creek [in Mr J?] Thirty odd of Mr Curtis' negroes have gone to the Yankees within the last few days, They carried off a Cart & 4 fine oxen Bacon Wheat Flour and a good many other things from Mr Curtis -

Saturday 18 Wind SE Clear, Nick & Joshua ploughing, Sowed some Cabbage & other seed in Garden, I went to Ct-house, Longstreet is said to have completely surrounded Suffolk -

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April 1863

Sunday 19th Wind SE Clear, We staid at home, - Heavy cannonading in the direction of Suffolk, all day and for several days and nights past -

Monday 20 Wind NE & E Cloudy, Began to rain about 1, O.clk & rained the bal of the day and all night - Nick & Joshua ploughing - A Yankee Gun Boat The Crusader, Capt Andrews, came up the river Today, Landed Three Barges & about 40 men, Searched the house & every where else - Took all the Bacon from the smoke house except 4 little pieces about 2500 lbs four fat hogs, all the Turkeys and all the Hens, Ducks, & geese they could catch about 50 in all - They insisted repeatedly & persistently that I should take "The Oath of allegience to the US Govt" and everything should be restored to me, I of course most positively refused, when Capt Andrews arrested me, put me under a guard of four men & said he must carry to York Town, I got ready to go but when he left, he said would not carry me, but would give no reason either for arresting me, or for not carrying me to York -