1862 February 10 Lynchburg, Va.

[from the diary of William M. Blackford, former diplomat, bank officer, editor and postmaster at Lynchburg, Va.; father of 5 sons in the Confederate Army]

Monday 10 Disastrous news from all quarters this
morning. The enemy captured Roanoke Islane
taking the garrison. poor men--some 2800 men.
This is a sad affair. It gives them a post
in the inland waters of North Carolina & will
enable them to take in succession all the
towns on Albemarle Sound and probably to
organize an expedition against Norfolk
in question with one from Fortress Monroe
The news is equally bad from the west. Heard
[?] [?] Fort Henry, a [?] work on
the Tennessee near the Kentucky line, an ex
pedition in Gun boats steamed up the Tennessee
[?] through the whole state and took pos
session of Tuscumbai & Florence in alabma
at the head of navigation, threatening their
Rail road communication between Chattanooga
and New Orleans & Mobile Memphis. I have
no idea they can maintain themselves there
There success is owing simply to the audacity
of the enterprise--These successes will have
a great moral effect upon the Yankees
and will do us harm in England I never
was so much dejected as to the State of our
affairs--

MSS 4763