Saturday, February 11, 2012

1862 February 12 [Staunton, Va.]

[from the diary of Joseph A. Waddell, civilian Quartermaster, Staunton, Va.]

Wednesday night, Feb. 12, 1862
The batch of news by to-day’s train was not
more cheering than that received yesterday. After
the arrival of the cars, there was, or seemed to be, a
general feeling of discouragement as to the issue
of the contest, but no disposition was mani-
fested to submit to Northern domination. There
was a report that an immediate attack at
Centreville was expected, and another that 75,000 of the
enemy were marching upon Winchester. The
latter is not credited. It is now said that we lost
1700 men at Roanoke Island, and that 400 escaped
Capt. Wise is said to have been murdered by the Fed-
eralists after he was taken prisoner. This is doubtful.
The Richmond Dispatch of to-day does not give a
flattering account of things, generally. Every man
subject to military duty is anticipating the draught
and many persons, especially those having fami-
lies dependent upon them, are full of anxiety.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 38-258

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