1862 March 21 Staunton, Va.

[from the diary of Joseph A. Waddell, former editor and owner of the Staunton Spectator]

Friday night, March 21, 1862.



The first news I heard this morning was, that the Feder-
alists were in force at Woodstock! I did not believe it,
but still the report was repeated. Finally Peyton told
me that it was actually so, official information hav-
ing come. Afterwards Alick told came by the office &
informed me that an army surgeon, just from Jack-
son's camp told him the Federalists were really at Wood-
stock and that a battle would certainly soon come off.
Jackson had 7000 men. The sick, commissary sup-
plies &c, were on the way to Staunton. When I came home
with the news, there was a general consultation as to
where Va., Kate &c should go, if the Federal army came
to Staunton. Va.decided at once that she would stay at
home. Kate was at a loss to know what to do. The children
appeared very hilarious. After dinner I rode up to Legh's, to
communicate what I had heard, to save them from fright
should they hear the report. Bell and her mother were very
calm and contented apparently. They are to come to our
house upon the first alarm. Legh to wrote to Bell from
New Market, in good-spirits. He said the Augusta militia num-
bered six hundred. It is said the number will be in-
creased to 800 to 1000. Some 8 or 10 stage loads of sick sol-
diers arrived this evening. A large number of wagons with
supplies from the army, also arrived to-day. The wagon
on which a large cannon was drawn, broke down oppo-
site the Valley Hotel, and the piece was lying there at
3 o'clock this afternoon. A train of wagons went down
the Valley this morning to aid in bringing up the stores, &
a large party of volunteers from Roanoke went along.
The ten stages take down others in the morning. For the
last week or more, two or three stages full of recruits have
left here every day. Frank Preston took supper with us
to-night, and will probably come back to sleep.

[transcript by the Valley of the Shadow project]

MSS 38-258