1862 February 16 [Lynchburg, Va.]

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

very bad walking, and consequently a small con-
gregation--Excellent sermon on the state of religion
and the danger to the morals of the country, growing out
of war. It is a pity so few heard it--In the afternoon
a carriage drove up to the dooryard, and I observed
child after child handed out before I recognized that
party was Wm & his wife and all their little flock
and two maids. It was an unexpected pleasure. He had
tried to obtain a furlough, but in vain, when he was order
ed to repair to Abingdon to recruit for his company. He
went to Richd., packed up his family and will go on to
morrow. He shows the traces of hardship and privation
incident to active service in the country. He has not been
well of late and altogether with his hard and many
tasks, he resembles very little the William Black
ford of 5 years ago, when I thought him the
handsomest man in Virginia. We spent the even
ing very pleasantly & heard from him, for the first
time, a narrative of his personal experiences on the
field of Manassas, where was fortunate to have an
opportunity of distinguishing himself. He was by
the side of Stuart in his famous charge, and was
the death of one poor fellow of the Fire Zouaves &
afterwards was very successful in taking prisoners
His description of Sudly church on Monday in the
rain, was harrowing. the scenes he has gone through
have impressed a gravity in his countenance not
usual with him. The children are all very sweet
but do not look as well as when they went to Richd.
Reports of hard fighting at Fort Donelson.


MSS 4763