Washington County Historical Society version (1965)1
Nov. 23—Last night I took the children over to Nani’s and stayed with her. Tonight she is with me. A group of Northern soldiers stopped and I gave them a letter to my husband. Three hours later General Marmaduke came with several thousand men. I let the rebels look into my empty flour bin and told them I had been cooking and baking for their men all week and would have to keep my little remaining food for my children. So they didn’t get my hidden meal, but did take pigs and chickens. At night I took faithful Nero in the room with us.
The Arkansas Historical Quarterly version (1947)2
Nov. 23
Last evening the children and I went to Nani’s; tonight she is with us. In the evening Northern soldiers came up, and God be praised, our men had got back safely into the Northern camp. Nani entrusted a letter to the soldiers; yet they were hardly away before it was reported that they were disguised Southern soldiers. We went to a neighbor’s house and there were assured that the men were really Northern soldiers. Hardly three hours later General Marmaduke with several thousand men came up. I let the Rebels look into a nearly empty flour barrel and told them that I had been giving away flour all the week through and the little amount remaining I must keep for my children. They did not see the flour I had hidden. They took some hogs and chickens. That night I let my faithful dog, Nero, come into the house.
- Lemke, W. J. The Hermanns of Old Hermannsburg: Washington County, Arkansas. Fayetteville, AR: Washington County Historical Society, 1965.
- Memoirs, Letters, and Diary Entries of German Settlers in Northwest Arkansas, 1853-1863. Selected and Translated By Clarence Evans, Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The Arkansas Historical Quarterly. Vol. VI Fall, 1947 No. 3