1862 August 9 Lynchburg, Va.

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

 Saturday 9  Another exceedingly hot day
-thermometer at 86 in the passage &
89 on the porch at 10 p.m. A bath
just before retiring made me sleep
all night.  Jackson has advanced & crossed
the Rapidan--four officers & some
20 men arrived as prisoners taken
in a skirmish--From all I can learn He
will whip them and drive them out
of the Piedmont region.  Called to see
Col. M. Langdon who is getting better

-called also on James Barbour, who
is no better, & whose life in danger
I think--from an occult disease of
the bowels--ulceration most probably
went to Dranes for tea & then to
Sue's who has been very sick--an
attack like that of last summer

MSS 4763