Tuesday, November 27, 2012

1862 November 28 Lynchburg, Va.



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

Friday 28  Disturbed at 5 oclock by Mrs
d. & Lucy going off to the cars.  This
is the heaviest tax on our hospitality
-but it cannot be avoided.  I am sure
we have during the summer around
once a week that we have furnished
breakfast to departing guests at
the unreasonable hour of qr from 5.
-Robert Saunders returned to break
-fast.   I never saw a man more im
-proved by spending a winter in
Richd.  His mind seems to have expan
-ded and I dont know any one who
now converses more strikingly.  I
hope he will continue in public
life. It is something to have pure minds
[?] [?] more in the public service
From information derived from him
the forlorn hope I had of r's innocence
is destroyed.  He sought an inter-
view with him-told him the ru-
-mors & heard a full confession.  He
 thinks if ever there was a truly sen-
-tient man he is one.
Since he misnamed the morning star.
Nor fiend nor man, hath fallen so far.
Much occupied indeed I never
was more so--my duties seem to
increase daily--then I have so much
to do at home: At night Charles
Trueheart read aloud in Albion
the battle of Dresden.  Napoleon
never showed more genius than
on this occasion--It was the last
grand battle he ever won.


Blackford slightly misquotes Lord Byron's Ode to Napoleon:

Since he miscalled the morning star.
Nor fiend nor man, hath fallen so far.


MSS 4763

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