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This transcription has not been verified by Special Collections Research Staff. Please also consult images of the document.
1
Behind this stone is laif, for a
season, alert Sydney Johnson, a general
in the army of the Confederate States, who fell
at Shiloh, Tennessee on the 6 day of April
AD 1862, a man tried in many high offices
and critical enterprises, + found faithful
in all. His life was one long, on a woeful
Sabbath. Did he [] as a holocaust to his
country's need. Not wholly understood was he
while he lived; but in his death, his greatness stands
confessed in a [] team. Resolute mode-
rate, clear of envy, yet not wanting in that fine
ambition, which makes men great & pure.
In his honor impregnable, in his simplicity
sublime, no country e'er had a truer
son- no cause a nobler champion, no people
a bolder defender- no principle a purer victim
than the dead soldier, who sleeps here!
The cause for which he perished is lost-
the people for whom he fought []
Diary
1861~Vol I to April 1st 1862
June 7 Major Ewell sent to borrow forage from
the Asylum, for the use of the cavalry houser.
A messenger from one of
the Army officers, came to the Asylum, expecting
to find there the Principal of the Academy: it
seems that a hospital for soldiers is located
at the Academy, which explains the mistake.
Mrs J. [Millanson?] writes word, that
the bodies in Richmond make up one thousand
uniforms her day.
Mrs M. Clapton writes to Miss [L. M.?] Galt,
saying that Mr Flynn a workman from []
Monroe, removed to Richmond, and in good
business there, is exceedingly anxious to hear from
his wife still in Elizabeth City, his efforts to
do so having heretofore proved [].
Miss M. Copland is finely employed,
in making sixty borelocks for the Lee Artillery
Company?
8 Mr. Douglas was informed by "[] & []",
that since the commencement of hostilities, they
have sold twenty thousand dollars worth of
medicines to the Southern Troops.
9 Capt. Garrett and his company & others, throwing
up field works of the Grove & at Kings-mill:
troopsunder Col. August parade on the
Court-House Green.
David [] and his assistants
[Gaines?] & [Brinford?] arrive at my residence, en
route for Jamestown: on a superior officer's saying
that he should forthright provide a number approved
by him impossible, of wagons, he returned
that "he could do a great many things, but
that he could not make a horse & wagon"
Many of the troops of York had
to employ tents constructed of birch.
10 And hence this was said by some one,
to render "York a finished place". Their tents not
only let in water during rain, but drip
unpleasantly after the rain has ceased.
Saw William [Lively?], who reports
himself as an express to Richmond, in connection
with the affair at Phillip's; he states that the
Confederate troops retreated to Beverly.
I understand that William Christian
started last night with dispatches to Richmond.
11 Mr [Gaines?] wished a room for the transaction
of business, at the Asylum- because of the greater
quietude; it was allowed the [].
On yesterday no soldiers brought a companion
who was then under an attack of []; they
were from the Emmett Guards, and I pre-
sume, a mistake had been made, by confounding
the hospital at the Academy with the Asylum.
Last night we had a serenade from
some of the German company from Richmond.
There are daily rumors of skirmishes on a small
scale in the peninsula below us. There was a short
engagement, described to me by one of its participants
Col. Mallory, which occured on yesterday near
Bethel Church, between a North Carolina Regiment chiefly
& a much larger force of the enemy. The latter fled
precipitately, after many of them being killed and
wounded; one of our men was killed & several wounded
June 12 On the request of Professor [], pickaxes
and spades were furnished to the troops, by
myself and the Asylum.
Military discipline would seem
hereabouts, in certain particulars, rather in
ill-odour with some of the []: thus
a lady is reported to have remonstrated
with a sentinel. And again three ladies passing
the Guard-House of the encampment, and
an acquaintance amongst the soldiery, []
that a mechanical arrangement there was for
the purpose of keeping time, the fair questioner
exclaimed "I'll be dogged if I would agree to
any such thing, I'd sooner kill anybody that
ordered me to do so".
13 Being the day set apart for fasting and
prayer, her [] preached an excellent dis-
course. He said amongst other things that he
had often read with much interest, of the
most important events in the past, but that
now those of equal importance to any that had
taken place heretofore, were about occur in our
immediate neighborhood; indeed he asserted the
late battle at Bethel Church, as fully on a par
with the Battle of Bunker's Hill.
14 Last night at one o'clock, Capt. Henderson
knocked loudly and long at the Asylum gate-
coming to Williamsburg, to procure a crew for
his barge.
I was informed by a [] trooper, that
this Country had furnished his companies of cavalry
& fifteen of infantry.
Col. Stewart arrived at my residence.
June 14 Capt. Henderson borrowed the map of the
Battle of Yorktown.
Col. Stewart spoke of the []
likeability of the Powers and other gentlemen in
York, in loaning to the army houses, servants, etc,
but condemned the apathy of others. He also expressed
surprise at the absence of vegetables & fruits. An old
gentleman expressed regret that he could not offer
him some fine old Peach brandy of his own
preparations, but he had buried some barrels of
it to prevent the enemy from getting at it;
in this regard the old gentleman remarked
very justly, that if they were to get a hold of this
the enemy would become intoxicated & would
then be likely to do all sorts of mischief to him.
On noticing an iron safe, he said to the Col. that
he had only placed therein a few cents, and worthless
papers, burying others of importance. In the battle nearly
all these struck, had some red about them.
Several hundred troops came up this
evening.
15 Some of yesterday's arrived troops are encamped
on the Court House Green.
16 Most of the troops remaining in Williamsburg,
ordered today to the grove.
A skirmish reported, between three
or four of our men employed in scouting, and
double that number of the foe- advantageous it is said
to our party: Mr. Gergory was wounded.
17 The men engaged at Bethel, seem to retain the
white band around their caps, which they then
placed thus in order to contradistinguish them from
the opposing force, who had white around the arm.
June 18 The Louisiana Zouaves reported to have been
stationed for the last few days at Bethel.
19 The Ladies have been engaged during the
last day or two, in covering the canteens
of the soldiers- Dr. A. [Kinsley?] concurs with
others, in representing the condition of the
York Hospital as very defcient.
An alarming rumour of the landing
of one or two bodies of hostile troops, in Warwick &
in the vicinity of the Grove. No entrenchments have
been thrown up, at either the Grove or Kings-Will.
The rumour just opened to seems pretty much without
foundation. But refugees in town reported as threaten-
ing of again emmigrating; only some dozen or so
of soldiers left in town, over four hundred being
at the entrenchments (a mile and a half from
town); and about [] companies passed through
town from Spratleys. Seven cannons are at this
beast-work; there have been lately received by
the way of Jamestown.
Miss Rebecca Ewell said she heard
Mr. [Faunders?] observe, the the ladies and others
of Williamsburg, had evinced a great deal of "pluck"-
showing indeed a proper state of feeling- neither too
much timidity, nor too great a degree of []
as [] the enemy.
20 Last evening saw an extract from
a letter of the galliant Col. Richard Ewell, to the
effect that- "It is absurd to cast reflections upon
Captian Ball, he is merely an unfortunate man".
Mrs Washington said to have perfected an
arrangement by which there would be a regular con-
veyance to take suitable articles of dress, contributed by
June 20 the benevolent and patriotic in Williamsburg
to the rich and convalescent amongst the Louisiana
& other soldiery, who had been troubled with
cases of mischief.
[]! Folk speaking of the Yankees
to Dr M C Cole, called them scoundrels?
Dr M C Cole suffers Governor Yoricks
of Maryland, to have been certainly liked.
Dr M C Cole, after the secession of Virginia,
announced to his congregation that he could no longer
read the prayer for the President.
Additional troops landed of York,
from Richmond. The steamer broke down, thus
carrying fewer than had been intended; it is
rumoured that Col. [McGarden?] has made appli-
cation for several thousands.
21 They are still engaged in transferring the wooden
tents from their original site, to the embarkment
below hours.
Mr Ewell, & I suppose Mr Taliaferro also,
made applications for half a gallon of nitric acid
to prepare percussion caps.
22 Reasons heavily engaged in sending and preparing
articles of bedding and food for the York
Hospital.
23 Dr M C Cole preached of the entrenchments below
town- the "John Letcher grounds", numbering over
900 armied at the entrenchments- from Georgia.
24 I was told that in Col. August's Regiment, there
were in the ranks, two or three clergymen.
25 Informed by Mr [], that things were so un-
certain, that his firm would not procure
any fresh supply of sugar, tea, etc.
June 25 The militia were on yesterday noon to
support the government of the Confederate
(at York). Some assert that a portion
of them took a similar oath a day or two
since, to the Lincoln [].
Mr J. []. [Bonery?] says it is reported
that in a few days there will be 5000 troops
at the entrenchments below town, there now being
1500; the Georgians have cotton tents; twelve are
accommodated in each wooden hut. He looks
badly, and says he has a touch of bilious fever.
A Hospital established at the
College, with Georgia Surgeons; & Georgia patients
amounting to thirty, chiefly cases of the Measles &
Mumps not being able to procure medicine [] here,
the writer furnished Dr Miller one of the staff first
named above, with articles from the Asylum Miss
S M. Gals likewise gave them some gallons of Sage
Tea & other drinks; as also a number of candles, etc. Being
[]oliated by him! I visited this hospital with with
Dr Miller. Only one or two of the sick bed mattresses,
and there were analogous deficiences as to other
things. There seeming no complication, I suggested
that the cases of measles required no treatment,
the chills & fevers immediate treatment, etc.
26 Miss I. M. Galt engaged in sending
to the College Hospital, large quantities of Sage tea, and
of pleasantly flavored Sage and Arrow-Root.
27 The last of the tents removed from the original
encampment to the south of townm, and the
shot entirely deserted by troops.
28 A very sultry day, then at 11 up to 87[degrees], the ground
parched & the grass withered, the slight rains lately
being of no consequence. [] just finished along here and
June 28 reported as good.
29 Then down to 71[degrees]; heavy rain from 7 o'clock
yesterday evening, off and on through the night.
30 Hay is now stored by the troops, I notice, in
the two outbuildings on Miss Martha Christian's
land. They have also occupied for some time
with []s, etc, the lot adjoining Horace []'s.