1862 May 7, 8, 9 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]

Wednesday 7
Thursday 8
Friday 9
Various circumstances have
prevented my making daily
entries and on a retrospect
I cannot perceive any thing very
important, except the battle of Wil
-liamsburg which took place Monday
Evening, between the enemy and our
rear guard amtg in the whole to 9 or
10,000 men under command of Gen.
Longstreet.  There never was more gal
-lant fighting--Our men dispersed re
pulsed the attack, drove the enemy
back a mile or two, & took 80 pieces
of artillery.  Our loss was severe, some
1800. The enemy's still more. One
Regt the [8V?] suffered to the extent of
132 in killed and wounded--Our [home?]
companies suffered greatly--the Greys
had 7 killed & 7 wounded out of 40 on
the field--the Home Guard had 15 woun
-ded, mostly but slightly--Garland &
Meem, his adjutant were wounded
It was a better fight, and a bloodier
one, than that of Manassas--Gen. Early
was wounded severely.  There was a
painful anxiety about the fate
or our citizens.  It was relieved
by the list of casualties published by
the paper of Friday.--Then we had
next day the news of a victory gained
by Jackson over Milroy, west of
Staunton--the enemy were routed
and pursued--

MSS 4763