1862 September 16 Staunton, Va.

[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, civilian employee of the Quartermaster Dept.]

Thursday evening, Oct. 16, 1862

A long row of ambulances, just in from the ar-
my, in the street before my office. No intelligence
yet from Gen Bragg's army and the late battle in
Kentucky, except through Northern newspapers. In
all probability the fight went against us. Some
indications of popular excitement at the North
on account of Lincoln's tyrannies +c. Jas. Brooks
of N. Y., has made a bold speech for these times.
Elections take place in a number of the States this
month. Civil liberty is crushed out at the North - -
not very much better here — but the case is diffe-
rent between the two sections — We are resisting invasion
and subjugation — it is life or death with us, and
therefore the military power necessarily predominates.
The North crushes out liberty at home as a
means of conquering the South.

[transcript by the Valley of the Shadow project]

MSS 38-258