1862 May 24

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

Saturday 24  To  my great surprise found
it raining hard on wakening--In such weat

ther my mind constantly reverts to the
miserable plight of our soldiers in bivouac
--and of course, Lanty & Eugene rise pro-
minently before me--Eugenes last let
ter gives a inside narrative of the suf-
ferings of the men when retreating for
want of [?] care on the art of
the generals.  Our commanders are too chary
of the lives of their men, so far as fight
ing &c concerned, but utterly reckless
of their fate when hardship and expos
sure are involved.  Oh that the man
would arise who is to retrieve our
fortunes! West Point and f[?]
have and one [?] us--It is perfectly amaz
ing when I reflect how little energy
and enterprize have been shown during
this war  President [?] and has
shown himself so far the only man
fit for the crisis--Morgan has displayed
the quantities of a skilful and daring
partizan--and I cannot complete this
trio. Was there ever such want of
enterpirze as in permitting at several
periods such fleets of transports to lie in
Hampton Roads without a fire ship
being dispatched among them.  I am
impatient for a popular, revolutionary
spasmodic upheaving of the people-It
is all that can save us from subjugation
If the constituted authorities continue
to  [?] our destinies the cause is lost
Jo Johnson is the modern  [?] but
the reputation of being great in "falling
back" is equivocal--Great generals
have recoiled to get space to ounce upon
the foe--but Johnson is always retreat
-ing--it is his pet strategy.  He has despirit
ted & demoralised the army by it--Now
when buttoned up against Richd he does
not seem disposed to attack, but to
[?] until the enemy invests the
city--[?] reports there was an
artillery skirmish 8 miles from
Richd this morning early --and a cavalry
skirmish last eveng.  The enemy are
evidently pushing for Hanover junction
which if they gain they have command
of both the  Frdg & central road
Sam Garland has been made Brigadier
--an excellent appointment--So has
Ashby, who is a recklessly brave
man--but has not the sense for any
thing beyond the command of a company
He has literally done nothing in the
Valley with a force of 12oo cavalry
He maintains no discipline and his
men do as much damage to the int
neighborhood through which they pas[sic]
as the enemy and are as much dread
-ed. Rained nearly all day.   Tried
to organize the new board but could
not get them together.  The enemy's ac
count of the attack on Drewrys Bluff
makes the damage done to their vessels
and the loss of ships greater than we  had
estimated them.  the news had a depres
-sing effect in Phila & N York--


MSS 4763