1862 February 15 [Lynchburg, Va.]

[From the diary of William M. Blackford, former diplomat, bank officer, editor and postmaster at Lynchburg, Va., with five sons in the Confederate army]

Snow covered the ground during the night
and fell at intervals during the day, to the depth
of 4 inches--I am not sorry to see it, as bad roads
and bad weather are our only guarantee against
an advance of McClellan, which I should much
dread just now when furloughs have reduced our
forces, at best inferior to his, at least 20 per cent. The
news from Tennessee is encouraging. The enemy were
repulsed with considerable loss from Fort Donelson
and the despatches, as heard passing through this office
from Gen A.S. Johnson, Pillow & Floyd, all at
Donelson, are said to be very gratifying. That
Johnson should have left Bowling Green to direct
operations further south is a good sign. Our
loss, after all in killed & wounded, at the most
was, if reports be true, disgracefully small. That
they should have surrendered after the loss of only
10 or 15 men is unpardonable--unless indeed the
other rumor is true that their ammunition[?]
failed[?] Capts I[?] Cole, & Seldon were killed
the latter was of the Engineer corps and a friend
of Lewis--His other friend & associate, Capt Tal
cott was taken prisoner. The enemys loss, by their
own admission, was very large. Lewis writes
that the disaster was owing to the systematic
and persistent disobedience of orders on Wise's
part. I sincerely regret the enemy did not take
him On the other hand, Capt Harris of Bed
ford, who saw Wise lately says he is loud and
unsparing in his denunciation of Davis & Beau
& Johnson--and pronouncing the Government at Richmond
more corrupt than that of Washington. It was a
sad day when he was appointed to a military
command.. The telegraph reports an arrival
in N. Orleans of a steamer with 15,000 muskets
and large stores of ammunition--God grant this
may be no mistake on this.. very busily engaged
in Bank until afterhours. Letters from Charles
who is not well--from Randolph Tucker, who says
Mr Hunton has interested himself in Lewis's applica
tion & thinks he can will get him a commission
in the engineer corps--from Conway who reports
that in deference to the wishes of Lewis, he has
not offered the will for probate last Thursday
from Garlick & from Ben-wrote long letter
th Charles urging him to make his company reen
list at once & take his chance for a majority when
the election of field officers took place. He says all
the army will reenlist. I had to write after din
ner which never agrees with me. Opened two
boxes to day of effects from Fred[ricksbur]g--one large one
consisted mainly of papers & letters, which we must
examined & select such as desirable & burn the
rest for I have no room for any thing that is not
necessary. I have had shelves arranged in the
Library to accommodate the accession of books. Still
the room will be most crowded. The house stands
in need of a lumber room. Willey Blackford
came to spend the night with Lanty. I should not
think him fit to return to camp, though he intends
going Tuesday night. I have felt pretty well all
day.

MSS 4763