1862 January 3

[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell]


We have exciting news from almost every
quarter to-day. At 2 o’clock, an express arrived
from Alleghany mountain, beyond Monterey, with
intelligence that the Federalists in large force
were at Greenbrier River, and also at, or near,
Huntersville. An attack from them was anti-
cipated, and reinforcements were requested. –
We hear that large reinforcements have been
moving up to-day from Richmond towards
Centreville, beyond Mannassas, in anticipa-
tion of an attack from the enemy in that
quarter. Gen. T. J. Jackson has moved with his
division from Winchester towards Romney,
and we hear of skirmishing in that region. –
One or two Regiments passed yesterday evening,
by Railroad, for the Greenbrier region, from
which our troops were lately withdrawn. –
The weather has been more favorable within the
last month for military operation, than it
had been for the previous eight or ten months,
and Federalists have taken advantage of it. –
They have occupied a large portion of the

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Kanawha country, vacated by our troops, and
are committing great depredations. The people
are calling loudly for help. Some persons in
Lewisburg have prepared to send off their move-
able property. There is danger of their being over-
run and permanently subjugated.
It is now ascertained that Mason & Sliddell
have been surrendered on the demand of England!
This after all the Yankee bluster as to what they
would do to John Bull! Tate & Frazier came
down to-night, on their way to Richmond. The
latter came up to supper, and Tate coming in be-
fore we had left the table. [several words lined out]
We had a bowl of oysters.

Joseph A. Waddell, 1825-1914, Private, Ferguson's Battalion, Virginia Cavalry (Guyandotte Battalion)

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 38-258