1862 October 12 Chapel Hill, N.C.

[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]

Sunday morning 12th--a dark cloudy drizzlling morning--the
ground very damp from last nights rain--So I concluded to
remain at home & read my bible--& have done so--Mrs Walters
r& Sarah have gone--they never remain away in any kind of
weather--The latter has received letters from home to day--all
melancholy unpleasant news contained in them--First they
tell of an increase of victims to the Yellow feer- & amongst
them, Lucy Jewetts two children & two servants are down
with it.  Also Jas [or Joe?] Lippitt -- all on the Sound--Then Mrs Cowan
mentions a gang of negroes haveing stolen Richd Brady's bark
called the Hiawatha & gone of with it freighted with darkies to
the Yankees blockading fleet--& amongst them Lucy Jewett's boy
Richds man--one of Mr Giles--One of Mr Savages & one of Mrs
Walter's--2 other goats have attempted to reach the fleet also.
No letter yet from Fred--I hope we will hear to morrow
No paper from Wilmington to day--last accounts Wilmington
was said to be one vast Hospital--3 or 4 hundred down sick
-& from 40 to 64 new cases a day--But there were fewer deaths.
Poor Mr.James Miller he is no more--& will be greatly mis-
-sed in the Community.

MSS 6960