1862 March 27 Staunton, Va.

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

Thursday night, March 27, 1862.



To-day I set out a damson tree on the east side
of the wood-house. After dinner I planted, a rose
bush, jasmine and honeysuckle at and stuck two
grape cuttings at my office, back of the stone house.
Late in the afternoon I walked with Va, to the Insti-
tution (Military Hospital) to see the wounded soldiers.
Young Sherrer, of Appomattox, and another one to come
here to stay, to- morrow. Returning, I called at Davis
Kayser's to see Col. Echols, who had just arrived, bad-
ly wounded in the arm. An Asst. Surgeon, just from
the Army, came to the Hospital while I was there. He
said that another battle was about to take place,
Jackson having collected about some 4000 men. In reply
to a question, he said the lowest estimate of the Feder-
al force was 20,000. Jackson was certainly
moving down the Valley again at last accounts.
Many reports are current — One, that Jackson had
received orders to fight the enemy as often as possible,
to detain him in the Valley; Another, that
Johnson was to have been at Winchester with an
Army on Sunday, but was preventedunable to cross
the Shenandoah river. It is said to-day that
Stafford was not killed. What a change has come
over the feelings of the people since the early months
of this war! We hear of the wounded and slain, al-
most without emotion.

[transcription by the Valley of the Shadow project]

MSS 6960