Thursday 22nd [May 1862] Received a long letter from my dear husband yesterday, of the 14th, telling me of Tom’s safe arrival in Richmond, and of his adventures while in the enemy’s lines. After the battle at Williamsburg Tom went, with sev…

Tuesday May 20th [1862] Received three budgets of letters yesterday from the dear ones in Richmond. The latest date was a week ago. They give glowing accounts of Dick’s gallantry. He distinguished himself in that brave charge in the bat…

Sunday 18th [May 1862] The soldiers are working the foundry as usual to day. All have gone to church but me. We think it right that some one of us should always be at home now as a sort of protection to the house. My…

Saturday 17th [May 1862]Saw an old Richmond paper this morning giving an account of the battle near Williamsburg. Part of Gen’ Early’s Brigade made a charge which is said to be the most gallant known in history. Eleven hundred men made the charge, …

Friday 16th [May 1862] Fast day. General Patrick will not allow the church to be opened to day. The ladies are to meet at the charity school this afternoon. Matters are getting worse and worse here every day with regard to the …

Tuesday 13th [May 1862] We have evacuated Norfolk and Portsmouth and destroyed the Navy Yard. The enemy have possession there. That is what the troops here were cheering for last Sunday. I am much struck with the superior disci…

Sunday May 11th [1862] We claim the victory in both battles at Williamsburg on the 5th and at West Point on the 7th. We fought under great disadvantages, our army being on the retreat. I think it shows very poor Generalship for us always t…

Saturday May 10th [1862] Saw the enemy’s signal lights last night on the court house tower and the answering ones from the hills across the river. They are not stationary but constantly moving in different figures and shapes. They looked …

Friday May 9th [1862] We hear to day that there has been a battle at Williamsburg. Both sides claim the victory. Gen’ Early’s Brigade was in the fight. He was wounded. My brother, my dear brother where is he? The whole of our army i…

Wednesday May 7th [1862] This morning three officers rode up to the house and one of them sent in his name as Mr. Gregory. Said he was going to Washington next week, had I anything to send. I sent word ‘No’. It was not Alice’s husba…