1862 October 10 Lynchburg, Va.

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

Friday 10.  It is now clear that
the attack on the enemies lines at Corinth
was a disastrous one --our troops were
repulsed with great loss. it seems to
have been a fool hardy [experience?]
to storm entrenchments manned by
the best troops in the Federal ser-
vice. Dabney Maury, command-
-ing a Division had a hard time
His troops were cut to pieces.  Van
Dorn, I suspect, is impetuous &
not fit to command an army
however gallantly he may
lead a charge. He was promoted
too rapidly--a very hard days
work--At In the evening a
young man came to ask lodgings
for the night for his mother
who had come from S. Carolina to
see her son who had been wounded
on the Rappahannock and who
has  since had typhoid fever. of
course we could not refuse.  Her
name is Goodchild.  The Orange
train brought Mrs Carter- a widowed
daughter of our old friend Revd
Charles B. Taliaferro.  He married a
Miss Armistead, whose mother was a
Carter--His brother married a Carter
and she having no children adopted
Charles' orphans.  This young lady
married a Carter and was in a few
months left a widow. She is very
young, very pretty & agreeable.  She
is on her way to Careyswood where
she is to act as teacher o the children
We are all much pleased with her
Lanty met her at the cars.


MSS 4763