1862 October 14 Lynchburg, Va.

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


Tuesday 14.  Rain nearly all day.  No-
thing decisive from Kentucky--I
begin to fear however a reverse to our
arms.  In the evening came dispatch
announcing another Raid of Stuart
at the head of 300 cavalry--He
crossed at Hancock--Struck for
Mercersburg--then by the turnpike
to Chambersburg.  He destroyed a
vast amount of stores, captured
many prisoners & horses & returned
without losing a man.  The conster
nation in Penna was awful.  He might
have had difficulty in getting back,
but he could have gone to Harrisburg
and perhaps Phila.  His name in-
spires great dread in the north.
This exploit is not less brilliant
than that of taking the grand round
in  June--and it was in the enemys
country.  Read in Allen on the
[?] of the battles of Lutzen
and Bautzen in 1813.


MSS 4763