Browse Items (21 total)

Where Home used to be,
Apr. 12th 1865

Your precious letter, My dear Janie, was received night before last, and the pleasure it afforded me, and indeed the whole family, I leave for you to imagine, for it baffles words to express my thankfulness…

Brother writes from Raleigh that Sherman effected a junction with Schofield at Elizabethtown in Bladen county, that on Friday there was a sharp fight a Black River (which divides Sampson from Cumberland) without decisive result. He is most despondent…

Fayetteville, N.C., March 22, 1865

Sherman has gone and terrible has been the storm that has swept over us with his coming and going. They deliberately shot two of our citizens-murdered them in cold blood-one of them a Mr. Murphy, a wounded…

Later two more knocked at the door, came in & entered into conversation with Mrs. M[ickle]. Finding them well behaved, I fired volley after volley of rebel shot at them. One was from Illinois, the other from Pennsylvania-both young, as indeed…

Columbia, S.C. March 2nd, 1865 Charles Lamar returned the next day (Saturday) to keep off the soldiers and see that the Asylum was well guarded. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday we remained at the Asylum-days of pain and anxiety, and oh, nights of…

As I made my way to the fireplace my attention was attracted to one of the officers who sat in the corner with a map open on his knee. From the pictures I had from time to time seen of him I knew at once that this was General Sherman. I determined…

Sallie has commenced studying and will receive her lesson to me tomorrow. I cannot summon energy or interest to go back to my own studies. That must not be until, anxiety banished, we are reunited and settled down in quiet. When wilt that be! The…

Saturday, January 21st . . . . A lady was passing the general’s office when, noticing the United States flag stretched above the sidewalk, she stepped down into the sand to avoid passing under it. The guard called to her to walk under the…

January 7, 1865 . . . . To obtain a mouthful of food we have been obliged to cook in what was formerly our drawing room, and I have to rise every morning by candle light before the dawn of day, that we may have it before the enemy arrives to take it…

. . . . This morning the last of the vandals left our city and burned the bridge after them - and leaving suffering and desolation behind them, and embittering every heart. The worst of their acts was committed to poor Mrs. Nichols. Violence done,…