My Diary North and South – William Howard Russell

I found that their master knew nothing about them.—Regret for the Rebellion of 1776.—William Howard Russell

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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, [...]

My Diary North and South – William Howard Russell

There was a good deal of joking about “old Abe Lincoln’s paper blockade”—William Howard Russell

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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., [...]

My Diary North and South – William Howard Russell

We wandered through tangled brakes and thick Indian-like jungle, filled with disagreeable insects, down to the edge of a small lagoon.—William Howard Russell

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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, [...]

My Diary North and South – William Howard Russell

“The Secessionists are in great delight with Governor Letcher’s proclamation, calling out troops and volunteers…”—William Howard Russell

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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 [...]

My Diary North and South – William Howard Russell

Mills House, Charleston—Old Abe’s Proclamation—A Ridiculous-Looking Craft—Indignation Against the City of New York—General Beauregard—William Howard Russell

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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 [...]

My Diary North and South – William Howard Russell

Russell makes it to Charleston

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(April 16) Early next morning, soon after dawn, I crossed the Cape Fear River, on which Wilmington is situated, by a steam ferry-boat. On the quay lay quantities of shot and shell. “How came these here?” I inquired. “They’re anti-abolition pills,” said my neighbor; “they’ve been waiting here for two months back, but now that [...]

My Diary North and South – William Howard Russell

Arriving at Norfolk.

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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. Sunday, April 14.–A night of disturbed sleep, owing to the ponderous thumping of the walking beam close to my head, the whizzing of steam, [...]

My Diary North and South – William Howard Russell

I resolved therefore to start for the Southern States to-day—William Howard Russell

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April 12th.—This morning I received an intimation that the Government had resolved on taking decisive steps which would lead to a development of events in the South and test the sincerity of Secession. The Confederate general at Charleston, Beauregard, has sent to the Federal officer in command at Sumter, Major Anderson, to say, that all [...]

My Diary North and South – William Howard Russell

General Scott.

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April 10th.–To-day I devoted to packing up such things as I did not require, and sending them to New York. I received a characteristic note from General Scott, asking me to dine with him to-morrow, and apologizing for the shortness of his invitation, which arose from his only having just heard that I was about [...]

My Diary North and South – William Howard Russell

How can the United States Government be guilty of “treachery” towards subjects of States which are preparing to assert their independence?

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April 8th.–How it does rain! Last night there were torrents of water in the streets literally a foot deep. It still runs in muddy whirling streams through the channels, and the rain is falling incessantly from a dull leaden sky. The air is warm and clammy. There are all kind of rumors abroad, and the [...]

My Diary North and South – William Howard Russell

“As matters look very threatening, I must go South and see with my own eyes how affairs stand there…”—William Howard Russell

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April 6th.—To-day I paid a second visit to General Scott, who received me very kindly, and made many inquiries respecting the events in the Crimea and the Indian mutiny and rebellion. He professed to have no apprehension for the safety of the capital; but in reality there are only some 700 or 800 regulars to [...]

My Diary North and South – William Howard Russell

A visit with Senator Douglas

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April 1st.–On Easter Monday, after breakfast with Mr. Olmsted, I drove over to visit Senator Douglas. Originally engaged in some mechanical avocation, by his ability and eloquence he has raised himself to the highest position in the State short of the Presidency, which might have been his but for the extraordinary success of his opponent [...]

My Diary North and South – William Howard Russell

In fact, the Federal system is radically defective against internal convulsion…,–William Howard Russell

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March 31st, Easter Sunday.–I dined with Lord Lyons and the members of the Legation; the only stranger present being Senator Sumner. Politics were of course eschewed, for Mr. Sumner is Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, and Lord Lyons is a very discreet Minister; but still there crept in a word [...]

My Diary North and South – William Howard Russell

“An Englishman had nothing to do with a Virginian and New Yorkist, or a South Carolinian—he scarcely knew anything of a Texan, or of an Arkansian; we only were conversant with the United States as an entity; and all our dealings were with citizens of the United States of North America.”—William Howard Russell

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Note: This particular diary entry–a document written in 1861–includes a term that is very offensive to many today.   No attempt will be made to censor or edit 19th century material to today’s standards.March 29th, Good Friday.–The religious observance of the day was not quite as strict as it would be in England. The Puritan [...]

My Diary North and South – William Howard Russell