1862 July 4 Lynchburg, Va.

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

Friday 4.   American Independence!  How
strange that in 86 years we should
have separated.  The Yankees of course
will continue to celebrate the day
I hope we shall also.  We are now sus-
taining the very principles which
the Declaration of Independence annou
-ced and they are violating the spirit
of that instrument daily.  There
was no public manifestation--here
nearly all the stores & places of busi-
-ness, including the Bank, were closed.
I went at 11 to the 1t Presbyterian church
where was held a prayer meeting.
Mr. Ramsey & Dr. Thompson led the
exercises. The latter made a good
address but that it was too long
Mosby & Goggin= were called on
[?]---I wanted rest--but
had to do a good deal of writing
--in the evening went to Mr K's lec
-ture which was quite appropriate
nothing very decided from the
army--Dispatch from Lanty
Amelia C H. "saying no Lynch
burger was hurt"  the meaning
of which we understood when we
heard that there had been a collision
of the trains by which 5 persons were
killed.

MSS 4763