1862 July 29 Staunton, Va.

[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, civilian employee of the Quartermaster Dept.]

Tuesday, July 29.

Yesterday evening three wagon loads of Yankee pris-

oners were brought up from Harrisonburg, where they 

had been since the battles at Port Republic. They were 

left in the Hospital. One or two wore bandages and I 

observed a pair of crutches in one of the wagons. They 

were generally hale-looking fellows, and I experienced 

a stronger feeling of resentment towards them than usu-

al. They were guarded by three of our cavalrymen. 

 — a small guard for probably thirty or forty men. — 

We have no news from our armies. Enlistments seem 

to be going on briskly in the Federal States of the 

North, and the 300,000 men will no doubt be 

raised very soon. Towns and individuals are subscribing 

liberally to increase the pay of the soldiers, and en-

courage enlistments. It is evident that the feeling at 

the North is more vindictive than ever, and the war 

will be waged more ruthlessly. The Federal General 

Pope, commanding the army of Northern Virginia, has 

issued several savage orders recently, which indicate 

the present temper of the Yankee nation. Wherever 

the Federal troops penetrate the Southern country, 

the citizens are to be arrested and sent off who refuse 

to take the oath of allegiance, the army is to sub-

sist off the country, property is to be taken as far 

as necessary, the negroes employed for our subjuga-

tion (they do not say as soldiers), people living in their 

lines are to be held responsible for the acts of our 

guerillas, +c. +c. Wherever the Yankees go, therefore, the 

men will fly from their homes, thousands will 

take arms who otherwise would have remained qui-

et, and Gen. Pope will find the number of his 

enemies increased at every step.

Va had a visit yesterday, from one of the poor serv-

                                                                        the sufferings of

ing women of town. She gave a lively description of ^ that class 

of the community, occasioned by the war. Her dresses, she 

said, usually cost her $1.25 each, being made of cal-

ico. Owing to the high prices of goods at this time, she 

would have to work several weeks to make enough money to pur-

chase one dress. But the serving cannot be obtained, as 

people even in good circumstances cannot get the materials 

to work up. The woman wished to know if she could get 

an old dress and pay for it in work. She said the 

women of her class generally were suffering greatly, both 

on account of for want of the means of living and on 

from mental anxiety in regard to the war. — They read 

no papers and are without correct information, and 

are therefore exposed to all the thousand reports which 

fly through the community. Next winter is dreaded 

by many besides the very poor.  

 [transcript by the Valley of the Shadow project]

MSS 38-258