1862 May 31 Lynchburg, Va.

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

Saturday 31--Wee organized the new Board
of Directors  this morning. the only
change is the substitution of Ferguson
for Johns, who has been in contin
uously since the establishment of the
Bank--and who never was worth
any thing as a director -- As the day
wore on rumors began to come in
of a fight near Richmond which
assumed [?] towards evening
-The telegrams said we had driven
the enemy back & were victorious.  I
know certainly that Eugene was enga
ged & thought it more than probable

Wm & Lewis also.  My anxiety
was very great.  I went to the
Telegraph office about 10- The cas
ualties of the Home Guard were
known and [?] list it was
Lawrence Meem A.A. Gen killed--
Charles Terry, do. Don Halsey and
Toot were reported killed--but sub
sequent intelligence showed they were
only wounded. sixteen or seventeen
of the Home Guard were wounded
-none dangerously, except Stuart
Cabell, who will not recover--Gen
Garland, Gen Rodes, Col Fanston-&
Lt. Col. Langhorne of the 11th wounded
G[?] Latham, who seems to have been
fighting "on his own hook", was [?]
also wounded--No returns from the other
companies from the town
Got to bed at 12 much exhausted
from fatigue & excitement

MSS 4763