1862 March 18 Staunton, Va.

[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, former owner of the Staunton Spectator]

Tuesday night, March 18, 1862.



The cars just came in — half past ten o'clock. There
were reports this evening by telegraph and the freight train
that the result of the recent battle in Arkansas was favor
able to us — that we lost 2000 men, killed 3000 of the ene-
my and captured 2000, with quantities of arms &c. All
this may be contradicted to- morrow. Jas. L. Ranson, of
Jefferson, whose home and family are in possession
of the enemy, told me this evening that the Federalists
had not yet come this side of Winchester, except their
pickets; that they would not, probably, at least for some
time; that our generals were only anxious for them to
come, as our army is so located as to catch them if they do.
The Appomattox company of the 44th Va. Reg. came in
from Highland to-day, on their way to Richmond. The
men look remarkably hearty. A number of them
were patients in the hospital last summer, among
them Cralle, whom I scarcely recognized. I called to see
Judge Thompson to-night — found him very hopeless
as to the prospect before us. Tried to to comfort him— told
him about the sufferings and defeats of our people in
the Revolution of '76. He would admit no analogy, but
I think I got the better of him.

About one o'clock to-day I was aroused from my table
by a noise in the street, and upon going to the door
discovered a man bending over the gutter on the oppo-
site side, and another on the pavement with several
persons struggling over him. A voice said "He killed him" —
Some cried, "Take the knife from him!" The prostrate
man was "Alf Shiflet," of a notorious family, and the
other man, said to have been killed, was named Patter-
son. Fisher, Provost Marshal, secured Shiflet and led
him off — Patterson was struck by a stone thrown by
Shiflet. Presently the cry arose that Shiflet had broken
loose and was escaping. He ran down the Railroad - - I
joined in the hue-and-cry, but soon gave it up. Taking
refuge under Art's slaughter-house, he was soon cap-
tured and brought up to town. It turned out that Pat-
terson was only stunned.

[transcription by the Valley of the Shadow project]

MSS 38-258