1862 December 14 Lynchburg, Va.

[from the diary of William M. Blackford, former diplomat of Lynchburg, Va., with five sons in the Confederate Army]

Sunday 14  More like a May morning
than one in the middle of Dec.
went to the office at qr past 8
and recd a letter [from] Ann Maury.  She
is at Bowling Green and wishes
to come here to board six in her fam
ily- I immediately went to Sues
showed the letter and made an
appeal to her. she agreed to take
four & we can accommodate two
It will be a great burden to Mary

but it is necessary-  I wrote to her
stating the arrangement-and to Rob
Maury recapitulating my letter
in the hopes he might have an
opportunity of letting her know
by private [office?]     Much excited
at reading how part of Fredg had
been shelled & burned.  Large con
gregation--Heard coming out of
church that Gen Stuart had tele
graphed his wife that the enemy
had attacked our lines furiously
yesterday and were repulsed at
all points with great slaughter
-that Gen Cooke, his brother, was
shot in the leg 'and that his own
clothes had been pierced--gen
Chilton also telegraphs that we
stopped them gloriously--I have
three sons in the army round
the town--all likely to be in the
hottest of the fray.  If it should
be the will of God they are to fall
they could not fall in a better
place -defending their native
town, or rather avenging its
destruction- I feel the deepest
interest in the issue and have

at the same time the highest hopes
and  [?] that the enemy are
to be utterly foiled-- attended
sermon at qr past 3- large congre
gation for the evening
Went down to the telegraph office
having recd a telegram from Charles
at Frederick House, enquiring how Sue
was- found it was recd last night
though only now delivered-& made
a row about it-The superintendent
promised to dismiss the carrier-but
he is to blame also.  I have suffer-
-ed much form the neglect of the
employees of this office-Some
men who where wounded in the
fight yesterday-about 120 of the
more slightly wounded came up.
Their accounts are meagre & unsatis
-factory.   From passengers we learn
the enemy brought out 50,000 men
& that they were entirely defeated.
The battle occurred 4 miles from Fredg
on the Richd road, near the Rail Road
-on Bassetts old farm  I am inclined
to think -Gens. Greegg & Thos Cobb
are said to have fallen on our side
also Col. Atkinson of Gen. Jacksons
corps fought the battle. Eugene was in [therefore?]


MSS 4763