1862 June 12 Fredericksburg, Va.

[from the diary of Dr. Brodie Strachan Herndon]

                                              & Mrs. Loring's
12th Luc & I ride to Mr Dornmans [?] ^   Luc
repeats Cowper's lines on his mother's picture, and
sings "Brother won't you meet me" greatly to
my pleasure & delight.  We do have such
sweet rides into the Country!  At dinner
we have soup & green pease--our first dish
After dinner I read a Chapter in Allison's
History to Mother & girls, and just then a
ring at the bell and a lot of Yankees
come.  Mother & girls startled like
partridges  They came for chairs &
mirrors left by Capt Lewis belonging to
the C S Steamer S. Nicholas.  The Captn
& I have a brief talk about the War
in which I tell him his People are
mistaken in supposing that it will all
be over when Richmond falls: that
we are contending for the same rights
our fathers fought for in the Revolution
and that our Policy will be like that
of Gen Washington--retiring into
the hill country and striking when
we can.  The idea of a protracted war
was any thing but pleasant to him.

MSS 2563-b