1862 February 2 [Lynchburg, Va.]

[from the diary of William Matthews Blackford, former diplomat and then an editor and postmaster in Lynchburg, Va., who has five sons in the Confederate service]

[Blackford resumes his diary after returning from Fredericksburg and the funeral of a relative, John Minor]

I found a large arrearage of business
which with a half a dozen or more long
letters I had to write, and other distacting
matters, prevented mydoing any thing at
my diary for the past week--Recd one day
Friday letters from all the boys, except Charles
who is here, Lanty had returned to Winchester
and was quite well after a dreadful campaign
of 25 days.
We had one of Mr Henckles No 1. sermons
and then the communion Charles partook
of it for the first time in this church. In
the afternoon his little girl, Lucy Landon
was pap baptised. How the name and ceremony
and all carried my mind back to the font
nearly 36 years ago--We all went over to
Charles to take leave of him, as he sets out in
the morning to join his company at Leesburg
He takes Sue & children as far as Richmond
expecting to take them to Leesburg when it is prqc
ticable--Mary & Fanny staid at Charles

MSS 4763