30th September There has not been a rising in Maryland as was expected and as far as rumor gives us information we have not gone on so gloriously as was expected, but only by hard-fought battles kept our ground against our treacherous foe. Miss Juliet Elliott invited Elizabeth to pass a day with her and [...]
19 [September] Yesterday was set apart by the Government as a day of Thanksgiving for our Victories. We went to the Methodist Church and heard a fair sermon by Mr Stacy and a very fine prayer from Whiteford Smith there was a collection taken up for the wounded soldiers I put in $4.— Gov Wilkins [...]
17 [September] Martin came up and paid a short visit to his Mother looks as usual. Berkley writes to me the company has been so much reduced by detatchments that they have quite hard duty. A few evenings before he wrote, 3 negroes Henry Lowndes servant Lucas’s servant and one of the teamsters had gone [...]
September 7th News was brought yesterday that we had again gained a great Victory, at the old battle ground Manassas, and among those slain were Dr Smith’s only son, and several other young men graduates of this College, excellent moral characters. What a loss to their families, and how these parents are bowed with trouble. [...]
September 5 There are great successes to our arms in Virginia and I fear great losses. Mrs Irwin our landlady came in after tea to tell us of it a very kind hospitable woman quite a register of family events in the society which surrounds her, but although she narrates well and accurately and takes [...]
September 2 Elizabeth devotes all her mornings to teaching Lotty & Harry and in so doing tires herself very much and in the case of Harry is conferring a benefit most thankfully received. I know no one so cultivated and elegant in her manners as Elizabeth, or accomplished, she has a disciplined, and highly improved [...]
23 August On Tuesday 19 August after Tea, John came to us, having a furlough, to get his clothes. He traveled a long way, and it was a great comfort to see him, but he only remained with us 2 days, he has gone through many perils, and is unhurt, but he returns to the [...]
19 August We have received a long letter from John giving an account of the 3 engagements in which he was in the Arkansas they were most brilliant and the vessel did wonderfully for the Machinery evidently was not of sufficient force to make the vessel effective. The Majestic way in which she moved was [...]
5 August Mrs. Stevens wrote me a note yesterday morning to say that she had permission from her husband to join him at Vicksburg and she would be glad to take letters or a parcel for John so we all wrote letters made them in a packet and gave them to her for she came [...]
30th [July] This morning a letter was received from Baltamore to Mrs. Butler announcing her daughter’s death on the 30th of June at New Port very suddenly. Mrs. Butler was then in Richmond. I am glad she went on for she will be better satisfied. We suppose she was at her own house at Norwood [...]
23 July We have heard from John, he has been through a severe fight in the Arkansas and was unhurt. There is a Mrs Stevens up here who is the wife of the 1 Lieutenant on board the Arkansas & we have seen her. She sent me word she had just lost her Mother and [...]
June 25 Mr Grimball still in Town but expected to day, he sent me a letter from Mary Wilcocks about Mrs McAllister, Mrs Butler’s daughter. Her health is in such a critical state that it was thought proper to inform her Mother. She was dreadfully distressed, and at once said she would be glad to [...]
16th [May] Spartanburg St John’s College left wing. Mr Grimball moved us up here last week we hired a car for $75 and brought some furniture and all our clothes and some bedding and have established ourselves here, we hope only for the summer but it may be longer. The Journey was performed comfortably and [...]
May 12 We are now in a great state of excitement, all the low country getting into the upper country. Flying from our Ruthless foes, we expect an attack and people are leaving their houses and families[,] servants and furniture, crowding up to the Rail Road. The upper districts are crowded with this unusual population [...]
1 April Mr G. has been wonderfully relieved by the placing the negroes with Mr Porcher and is now in the country selling his rice. The Dr has left Nat and I hope they will soon be well enough to go to the country. I feel dull and anxious. There was a stampede 66[?] negroes [...]
25 March John wrote to his father & to me offering the use of his Confederate Bonds and 9 hundred dollars of his pay which is very kind.—I hope Mr Grimball may not be obliged to use it. Berkley made a visit to Pickings & Anderson and found it impossible to procure a suitable place. [...]
8th [March] Mr Grimball & W came down yesterday with the people remaining, they are lodged in the Jail or work house. My poor husband finds himself terribly tired by his situation & I really think without God’s mercy he would sink entirely under it. Mr James Rose the President of the Rail Road Bank [...]
6th March We are now in the midst of a great calamity 84 of Mr Grimball’s negroes went off all together to Edisto we think of course they are the best. Mr Grimball is quite unstrung by it. Fortunately Berkley can come to him and William is still out of Military position and they both [...]
27th Feb. All the boys except W. are now out again, B & A joined the Marion Artillery and Lewis the 1[?] Regiment Infantry as Assist Surgeon quite distinguished with his uniform &c. William still unfixed. Lotty and Ella & Harry have had the Measles are now better. Things are very dark just now & [...]
February 1862. Lewis has recovered after an illness of 3 weeks. We nursed him faithfully and people were very kind in asking about him, he has now passed his examination before the board here & is waiting for orders, in the meantime has gone in the country to pay a visit to his friend Sinclair, [...]
27 [December] Xmas has passed we had a quiet time and enjoyed a Turkey a ham and a plum pudding with the Girls Harry & John. The Wilkinses declined dining with us and I felt rather provoked at it. Lewis came from the country quite sick and has since been under treatment Dr Giddings attending. [...]
19 Dec. There has been a terrible fire in Town and a destruction of 4 Churches, the Circular, the Catholic Cathedral, and St Peter’s & a Methodist Church & the Quaker Meeting. Many fine houses destroyed and great distress. The fire broke out in a sash & blind factory and the difficulty of getting water [...]
Dec. 5 The war goes on and the panic which took possession of the Town and caused people to rush off in great haste to the interior, Columbia, Edgefield, &c, has rather subsided. Old Mr Matthews finding that the Yankees landed 7 miles from him burned down his Mill, his negro houses, his crop, his [...]
October 19 Mrs Butler was written to by her Lawyer and came from the North by the way of Washington where she got a permit from Gen. Scott, was forwarded to Fortress Monroe and from thence to Norfolk where she arrived with a Flag of Truce. She left Cornelia at School at the North. She [...]
Oct 2 Lewis had a flare up with the Cap of his new position, North Edisto, and like a foolish boy gave up his Commission. This distressed Mr Grimball very much and he persuaded himself that if Lewis had time to reconsider this step he would repent. So he got the Department to allow it [...]