January 2nd, 1866.—1 have slept well and I feel decidedly better. I am not going to fret because the negroes are gone, nor will I bother my brains as to their whereabouts. I am going to learn to do all these things that need doing and bye and bye I shall do them well. I [...]
January 1st, 1866.—A New Year but a Happy New Year? No, indeed. We got up this morning to find ourselves the only occupants of Pine Hill plantation. It was a clean sweep, all were gone. Nobody to get breakfast; nobody to clean up the house; no maids to look after the wants of “milady;” no [...]
December 27th, 1865.—Christmas has passed and gone. I shall not try to tell of it; there is too much of pain and sorrow; too much of loss and change to wish to place it on record. No matter how hard we try to be cheerful, the heavy heart is there just the same. We did [...]
December 19th, 1865.—The party was splendid in spite of the —, there now, I came near writing Yankees, and I promised myself I would never say that again, after General Foster’s kindness. General Foster sent his band to play for us to dance. I had so many of my old friends around, I had not [...]
December 18th, 1865.—I thought I would be lonely beyond description when Sister Mart got married. It happened five days ago and I have not had time even to think. Weddings, like funerals, call together kindred and friends. There was a big wedding; the bride was beautiful; friends flocked from far and near to Pine Hill; [...]
November 15th, 1865.—Of course, I have always known that it is the custom in the South for girls, when they put up their hair and put on long dresses, to be addressed by gentlemen, not related, by the title of “Miss.” I knew this but I never thought of this formality coming my way. This [...]
November 8th, 1865.—Well, the contents of the various boxes have been inspected and proven to be satisfactory. Sister Mart has a lovely dress of Marie Louise silk, beautifully made and the filmy laces look just like a bride. All my things are beautiful, I have congress gaiters to match every dress, laces of various kinds [...]
November 7th, 1865.—Boxes from Smallwood & Earle have arrived in Tallahassee. Uncle Arvah, too, has gotten back home and I am on the qui vive for a sight of my new belongings. The wagon went to town this morning to bring the boxes out. Sister Mart is more excited over this event than I am, [...]
October 31st, 1865.—All this time I have dressed as a school girl. In the time of war we did not make any effort to follow fashion, just so we had a dress, it really mattered very little to what age it properly belonged. If it was suitable and becoming, so much the better, but no [...]
August 5th, 1865.—I have very little time for writing these days; not that there is so much work to do, our hands seem almost empty now that the war is over. We must try to make up to our soldiers for the years of hardship and privation. We have company nearly all the time and [...]
July 10th, 1865.—We have always had a late breakfast; early this morning Adeline, who usually has a second nap before she comes to the kitchen to get breakfast, woke us all to tell us she had orders from “dem sojers” to have breakfast ready in ten minutes. There was some hurrying, you may be sure, [...]
July 9th, 1865.—Our troubles are over, hurrah for General Foster! Sister Mart and Uncle Arvah made General Foster an early visit. She went in much trepidation, for she had not been quite civil when she met him at Goodwood. He had offered her his hand in greeting and she had drawn back, putting her hands [...]
July 8th, 1865.—Things go from bad to worse. Father has been sick for several days; not very sick at first, but he grew worse and yesterday and today we have felt uneasy about him and our doctor brother has been with him until this morning. Mother’s room never looked cleaner or cooler, or daintier than [...]
July 6th, 1865.—Something disagreeable happened today. The Riding class was to meet at Hattie’s and we were going around Lake Iamonia, and as the distance was longer than our rides usually are, we had to make an earlier start. At four o’clock Cousin Lizzie and I were leaving the grove by the big front gate, [...]
July 5th, 1865.—We had a grand time at Greenwood last night. The Shakespeare Club is the most entertaining mode of amusement I ever tried. I had a sore throat and could not read so my part was given to one of the other girls, Nora Holland, it was. That being the case I had a [...]
July 4th, 1865. Never in all my life have I known a Fourth of July, which did not mean a frolic for both white and black. Today there is no barbecue. We are not going to listen to spread-eagle oratory of the Glorious Fourth. To be sure we have not observed this ceremonial during the [...]
June 24th, 1865.—Mid-summer day. I long to go to the woods, down to the “Fairy Dell,” where the wonderful spring is bubbling musically and little Mabel is filling her pitcher with the sparkling waters. I seem to hear my sweet sister’s voice again as she pressed me to her side and repeated, “ ‘Tis good [...]
June 21st, 1865.—We held our first meeting of the Shakespeare Club last night, the play selected is, “The Merchant of Venice.” The parts have been assigned and practice will begin immediately. The meeting was held here and we had a fine supper and, after much persuasion, Mother played for us to dance, the first time [...]
June 18th, 1865.—1 went to town today, arranged the business for which I went and also saw something that made my blood boil. As Sister Mart and I sat in the carriage in front of Uncle Arvah’s store, Church Croom came to speak to us. From his uniform every button had been cut and replaced [...]
June 17th, 1865.—We had our first riding lesson yesterday and we had quite a respectable company, fifteen young ladies and as many gentlemen. Best of all, they, the gentlemen, came dressed in our beloved gray. We are so proud of the Confederate Army and we love the gray uniform. We love and reverence our captive [...]
June 15th, 1865.—Once more the family are every one well and this is a truly delightful state of affairs. Ever “sence freedom drapped,” as the negroes say, we have not been permitted to ride horseback without a gentleman with us. Sometimes it was not convenient to find one and often we could not go but [...]
June 9th, 1865.—Nellie went away today and the parting between her and Sister Mag was pitiful. She has nursed Eddie all his life and for three weeks now, the three weeks Sister Mag has been so ill, she has been almost constantly at her side, while I took care of Eddie. He is sorely distressed [...]
May __, 1865.—Mother has been sick with fever for three days past and I have paid no attention to my diary. Last night such a mysterious stranger came to us. I, who have the reputation of having no curiosity, am fairly eaten up with it. Father knows but does not tell. He says I must [...]
May 21st, 1865.—We have found out about the gathering of negroes at Centreville yesterday. More than a week ago a notice was sent to all the negroes in this and adjoining counties to come and bring well-?lled picnic baskets. Lieutenant Zachendorf and the soldiers under his command had a message to them from the President [...]
May 20th, 1865.—It is late at night and this has been a perfectly horrible day. For three days Sister Mag has been very ill; last night death seemed very near and this morning her dead baby was laid in a little white casket and buried in God’s Acre. She does not know. She has known [...]