1862 August 19 "Clifton," Fauquier County, Va.

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Tuesday, august 19, 1862

I arose early and rode Jacque in his
little wagon an hour before breakfast-
-When I was in the yard Mr. Wm Smith
came in & asked Pa to go to the Depot
with him to ask the Captain's permit to
to[sic] go to the Ferry to recover the three stolen
horses.  Pa went before breakfast & returned
--We expected Mr. Smith to dinner but
he did not come till late - staid till after
ten- Willie Ryland came to spend
the week & we determined first thing
to avail ourselves of his horse & pay some
visits--  Mr. Cockrell spent the night-
     Our chief subject of discourse these days
is of  Yankee proceedings.  Oh, it is sickening
to hear of their impudence to our friends--
Willie told us of their shooting a young boy
just as he surrendered himself & then
braged of it,- poor fellow he died a few days
after it.  (Dr. Kerfoot's son of Clarke.)
    The Colonel in Charlestown was seen
riding on Mr. Smith's horse & pretended
not to know any thing of its being stolen.
when Mr. S. appealed to him for it.
Mr. Rouss was in the house when it was
surrounded by Yankees who said they came
to look for four Confederate soldiers who
had dined there the day before but were satisfied
when Mr. S acknowledged they had dined
there & left after dinner -- so the Yankees left, much to Mrs. Rouss's
relief, without searching for her husband.

MSS 15406