1862 December 23 Chapel Hill, N.C.

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

Tuesday--Good & bad news have both reached me today--tom
is safe again--Eliza & I have both received a letter from him.
He is well-& says they have thrashed the Yankees well driving
them way across the river--That his Brigade kept them from
crossing one whole day==& fought valiantly--It is Barksdale's
composed of the 18th, 17th, & 13th Mississippi Regiments--He says
at night they make large fires & lay all around them on the
ground like Indians--& he begins to think that is the healthiest
way of sleeping--This is the good news--The bad is that I heard
to day from Mrs Campbell in Fayetteville that she had sent my large
trunk packed full of different articles-& my clothes basket also well
packed by Express to me a week or ten days ago--& I have heard
nothing of them.  I have written to Lewis DeRossett about them & am
told if they can be gotten, he will get them--Mrs Campbell went to
Fayetteville in company with Mrs Jewett who has lost half of her
furniture & other things by the sinking of the boat they were in--Hester
is with Mrs Campbell--Sarah spent the day at Dr Malletts--Mrs
Johnston at Mrs Ned Davis'- Professor Smith & his wife called to day. The
young people are dressing the Church for Christmas--Oh what a sad
Christmas it will be to many., Sad indeed to all--War at our very
doors--Extortioners thro' out the land-& the small pox spreading in every
direction-Dr Armand DeRossett & his wife arrived here just before din-
-ner on their way to Hillsboro' - They were in the Boat that sunk &
escaped narrowly being drowned-Hired a Hack to take them to Hills
-boro' - The family that are in the house they bought, have commenced
moving out-So they can soon move down to take possession-
Captain Mason urges an earlier day named for the wedding to
take place than the 13th of January-Mrs Person has sent down
sugar with a request that Eliza will make her some candy tomor
-row for Sammies Christmas-

MSS 6960