1862 June 17 Chapel Hill, N.C.

[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]

Tuesday 17th  Still very cold--But bright & clear--We have just
heard of Stuarts great victory on the Chickahominy
I received two letters this morning one from Liz, the other from Tom
The former was well and getting on pleasantly--The latter has just
been relieved from picket duty--& seemed grateful for one
nights good rest--He speaks of the destruction of property by the
Yankees--He staid in a handsome house a few days before he wrote
that had been occupied by the yankees & from which the Confederates
had driven them.  The inhabitants or owners had left everything
in their flight from the Yankees--He says their parlour was
handsomely furnished costly chairs & sofas--fine piano (new)
with the young lady's music--The floor had white matting on it--But
was wet with yankee blood--From so shocking a sight he went into
the Library & dining room. There the books were scattered about
in the former--But the tables, waiters, & even mats in the dining
room were in their places--& nothing seemed disturbed in the
pantry Except where the yankees had been ransacking--
A fine Wardrobe bedstead & Bureau was in the bedroom the
The[sic] growing wheat which in a month or two would be ready
for the sickle was all trodden down by the two Armies---
Such ruin & destruction to innocent people thro out the coun
-try--He thinks should serve to fire the coldest heart that beats
in Southern men- & any man who would counsel submis
sion to such a people deserves worse than a cowards death-
He says the bullets of the enemy is pleasant to such a thought
& he for one will say "give me liberty or give me death."

Tom: her son in the Confederate army
Liz: her daughter in law Elizabeth Branch Hill, a daughter of Governor John Branch of North Carolina


MSS 6960