May 11th.—At early dawn the steamer went its way through a broad bay of snags bordered with driftwood, and with steam-trumpet and calliope announced its arrival at the quay of Mobile, which presented a fringe of tall warehouses, and shops alongside, over which were names indicating Scotch, Irish, English, many Spanish, German, Italian, and French [...]
Note: This particular diary entry–a document written in 1861–includes terms and topics that may be offensive to many today. No attempt will be made to censor or edit 19th-century material to today’s standards. May 10th.—The cabin of one of these steamers, in the month of May, is not favorable to sleep. The wooden beams [...]
Note: This particular diary entry—a document written in 1861—includes terms and topics that may be offensive to many today. No attempt will be made to censor or edit 19th-century material to today’s standards. May 9th.—My faithful Wigfall was good enough to come in early, in order to show me some comments on my letters [...]
May 8th.—I tried to write, as I have taken my place in the steamer to Mobile to-morrow, and I was obliged to do my best in a room full of people, constantly disturbed by visitors. Early this morning, as usual, my faithful Wigfall comes in and sits by my bedside, and passing his hands through [...]
May 9th. [7th1]—To-day the papers contain a proclamation by the President of the Confederate States of America, declaring a state of war between the Confederacy and the United States, and notifying the issue of letters of marque and reprisal. I went out with Mr. Wigfall in the forenoon to pay my respects to Mr. Jefferson [...]
Note: This particular diary entry–a document written in 1861–includes terms and topics that may be offensive to many today. No attempt will be made to censor or edit 19th-century material to today’s standards. May 6th.—I forgot to say that yesterday before dinner I drove out with some gentlemen and the ladies of the family [...]
May 5th.—Very warm, and no cold water, unless one went to the river. The hotel baths were not promising; This hotel is worse than Mill’s House or “Willard’s. The feeding and the flies are intolerable. One of our party comes in to say that he could scarce get down to the hall on account of [...]
May 4th.—In the morning I took a drive about the city, which is loosely built in detached houses over a very pretty undulating country covered with wood and fruit-trees. Many good houses of dazzling white, with bright green blinds, verandas, and doors, stand in their own grounds or gardens. In the course of the drive [...]
May 3rd.—I bade good-by to Mr. Green, who with several of his friends came down to see me off, at the terminus or “depót” of the Central Railway, on my way to Montgomery–and looked my last on Savannah, its squares and leafy streets, its churches, and institutes with a feeling of regret that I could [...]
May 2nd.—Breakfasted with Mr. Hodgson, where I met Mr. Locke, Mr. Ward, Mr. Green and Mrs. Hodgson and her sister. There were in attendance some good-looking little negro boys and men dressed in liveries, which smacked of our host’s Orientalism, and they must have heard our discussion, or rather allusion, to the question which would [...]
May Day.—Not unworthy of the best effort of English fine weather before the change in the calendar robbed the poets of twelve days, but still a little warm for choice. The young American artist Moses, who was to have called our party to meet the officers who were going to Fort Pulaski, for some reason [...]
April 30th.—At 1 ·30 P.M. a small party started from Mr. Green’s to visit the cemetery of Bonaventure, to which every visitor to Savannah must pay his pilgrimage; difficiles aditus primos habet—a deep sandy road which strains the horses and the carriages; but at last “the shell road” is reached—a highway-several miles long, consisting of [...]
April 29th.—This morning up at six A.M., bade farewell to our hostess and Barnwell Island, and proceeded with Trescot back to the Pocotaligo station, which we reached at 12 ·20. On our way Mr. Heyward and his son rode out of a field, looking very like a couple of English country squires in all but [...]
Note: This particular diary entry–a document written in 1861–includes terms and topics that may be offensive to many today. No attempt will be made to censor or edit 19th century material to today’s standards. April 28th.—The church is a long way off, only available by a boat and then a drive in a carriage. [...]
Note: This particular diary entry—a document written in 186—includes terms and topics that may be offensive to many today. No attempt will be made to censor or edit 19th century material to today’s standards. April 27th.—Mrs. Trescot, it seems, spent part of her night in attendance on a young gentleman of color, who was [...]
Note: This particular diary entry–a document written in 1861–includes a term that is offensive to many today. No attempt will be made to censor or edit 19th-century material to today’s standards. April 26th.—Bade good-by to Charleston at 9:45 A.M. this day, and proceeded by railway, in company with Mr. Ward, to visit Mr. Trescot’s [...]
April 25th.—Sent off my letters by an English gentleman, who was taking despatches from Mr. Bunch to Lord Lyons, as the post-office is becoming a dangerous institution. We hear of letters being tampered with on both sides. Adams’s Express Company, which acts as a sort of express post under certain conditions, is more trustworthy; but [...]
April 24th.—In the morning we found ourselves in chopping little sea-way for which the “Nina” was particularly unsuited, laden as she was with provisions and produce. Eyes and glasses anxiously straining seawards for any trace of the blockading vessels. Every sail scrutinized, but no ‘stars and stripes’ visible. Our captain–a good specimen of one of [...]
April 23rd.—A lovely morning grew into a hot day. After breakfast, I sat in the shade watching the vagaries of some little tortoises, or terrapins, in a vessel of water close at hand, or trying to follow the bee-like flight of the humming-birds. Ah me! one wee brownie, with a purple head and red facings, [...]
April 22nd.—To-day was fixed for the visit to Mr. Pringle’s plantation, which lies above Georgetown near the Peedee River. Our party, which consisted of Mr. Mitchell, an eminent lawyer of Charleston, Colonel Reed, a neighboring planter, Mr. Ward of New York, our host, and myself, were on board the Georgetown steamer at seven o’clock, A.M., [...]
April 21st.—In the afternoon I went with Mr. Porcher Miles to visit a small farm and plantation, some miles from the city, belonging to Mr. Crafts. Our arrival was unexpected, but the planter’s welcome was warm. Mrs. Crafts showed us round the place, of which the beauties were due to nature rather than to art, [...]
April 20th.—I visited the editors of the Charleston Mercury and the Charleston Courier to-day at their offices. The Rhett family have been active agitators for secession, and it is said they are not over well pleased with Jefferson Davis for neglecting their claims to office. The elder, a pompous, hard, ambitious man, possesses ability. He [...]
April 19th.–An exceeding hot day. The sun pours on the broad sandy street of Charleston with immense power, and when the wind blows down the thoroughfare it sends before it vast masses of hot dust. The houses are generally detached, surrounded by small gardens, well provided with verandas to protect the windows from the glare, [...]
April 18th.—It is as though we woke up in a barrack. No! There is the distinction, that in the passages slaves are moving up and down with cups of iced milk or water for their mistresses in the early morning, cleanly dressed, neatly clad, with the conceptions of Parisian millinery adumbrated to their condition, and [...]
Note: This particular diary entry–a document written in 1861–includes terms that are offensive to many today. No attempt will be made to censor or edit 19th century material to today’s standards. April 17th.—The streets of Charleston present some such aspect as those of Paris in the last revolution. Crowds of armed men singing and [...]