1862 July 10 Lynchburg, Va.

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

Thursday 10  Had to borrow Mr Power of
the Orange & Alex R R Co to help in
 [?] [work?]  weather still very
hot--Letter at night from Eugene.
The shocking sights he has witnessed
after the late battles and the heavy
loss of his company to which he was so
much attached have affected his
spirits.  He says all the romance of
war has been knocked out of him &
that he longs for peace.  He has seen
very hard service and been in three
of the bloodiest battles of the war
and in the midst of great danger He
escaped by the blessing of god, unhurt.
He was ordered on special duty in pick
ing up abandoned arms & found him
-self at Shirley, when on introducing
himself he was most kindly recd by
Mrs. Carter, a relative of his in [?] It
was quite an incident.

MSS 4763