1862 March 16 Lynchburg, Va.

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

Sunday 16 It cleared off in the night and the
morning opens bright and auspicious. [?]
and drowsy--Mr. Kinckle preached an
admirable sermon on Acts 8 v 2 "And devout
men carried Stephen to his burial, and made
great lamentation over him."--This being St Ste-
-phens day in the calendar. He made applica
tion of it to Bishop Meade, of whose character
and services he gave a brief but discrimina
ting sketch--Fine sermon, also in the after-
noon. No letter from any of the boys--I cannot
divine the necessity of suppressing all letters
from the army--It tends only to create a panic
much disturbed about Launcelot, who went
to Gordonsville to seek there a route to the
valley to join his company, in Jacksons little
army. The only route, to that thro Staunton, is
blocked up by an enormous number of cars
from the Manassas Road, which are in the
track between Gordonsville & Charlottesville.
We have had no mail from the latter place for
a week. It is abominable to have the great
central communication with the valley thus
blocked up. After night, recd an answer
to my dispatch to Jno Minor, which ought
to have come yesterday. Sue & Nannie quite
well. Nothing from Charles yet

MSS 4763