1862 April 3 Lynchburg, Va.

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

Saturday 3  fine genial day, quite seas
-onable in its warmth-- vegetation will
feel its influence--Discounted but little
because little was offered--Recd telegram
from Mr. Robertson saying William
& his f  Miss R. & family had started.  In
gaged wooms for the latter at the Nor
-ville House--and at 3 1/2 went to the Depot
to receive them--Many officers who had
lost their elections were on the cars. Let
ter from Eugene 30 ult.  He is still only
a captain owning to his modesty or
bad management--Rodes sent for
him--& wished  him to run for the
colonelcy assuring him there would
be scarcely a show of opposition--but
as he had not aspired to that office
he had in some way compromised
himself by pledges to a brother captain
to support him but he announced
himself as a candidate for the L Col
onely  but would not electioneer
or make any pledges or promises as
Capt  Hall did and beat him by a
few votes only--and could not have done
so but for a companyy of 6 Alaba
ma which was that any attached
to the Regt and of which E knew
nothing but which Hall had caused[?]
He is now the oldest captain in
the Regt and will fill the first
vacancy. The Col. & L.Col. are very
ignorant of their duties and will
have to depend on e.  I am mortified
at his failure--He has a very hard
time & says he is literally in rags
He made a very narrow escape lately
--a minnie ball grazing his knee
-the news seems to be certain that
the Enemy are falling back in the
valley, that Ewell has crossed
the mountains & that Jackson is pres
-sing on and will force a fight
The evacuation of the Valley is
stroke [?] of policy [?] nothing  [?] to  compehend [?]
--unless they want the men to march
with against Richmond.



MSS 4763