1862 Lynchburg, Va.

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

Sunday 21  Contrary to the appearance
of yesterday we had a fine day.  I
felt anxious it should be of a charac
-ter to give me excuse for staying from
church. Mr Kinckle preached on
the giving of alms, and showed that
even on suspect grounds it was good
policy. The sermon was a very fine
one. As an addendum he gave
the outline of his plan of the asy
-lum and made a strong appeal.
He read the letter enclosing $100
which I gave him last night
also a note requesting his accep
tance of 15$ all the money from
on the body of Gen. Garland when
he fell.  He then took up the
collection, which was found to
amount to near one thousand
dollars! - which sum will doubtless
be largely increased during the
week.  this is really wonderful.
I learned with great pleasure
that Sam. Garland had left
to Mr. Kinckle for his own use
one thousand dollars and a
like sum for his parish School.
This is very gratifying--Sam has
left half of his estate to his
mother, and divided the rest
among his cousin His uncle
Hughs children  got the largest
share--A dispatch from Rich
mond says there was a general &
terrific battle in Maryland Wed
-nesday that the combat was re-
sumed Thursday & the enemy rou
-ted and driven 9 miles.  This latter
is not stated so positively  and I
fear is not true.  I have forebo
-dings of the result of this invasion
of Maryland as I have had from
the first, though I do not see
what else could have been done-
Service at night-sermon not
remarkable


MSS 4763