Sep 3        Received letters from Lewis near Atlanta in the trenches. He was overwhelmed with distress at the death of his brother & says he has been confirmed & joined the Church. Bishop Ley is with the Army, Lewis has for some time been seriously impressed & then wavered before he joined the Church. This [...]

Sep 2d        My mind is constantly dwelling on William’s life, his earnest, serious manner when a very little child, we were all riding together & the other boys made so much noise that W. knelt down and said his prayers, which surprised them so much they became quiet.—One day he said to me “Ma don’t [...]

27 August        It is just a month since my dear William was taken from us & each day seems but to add to the sense of the berevement. God’s will be done, and may he sanctify to us this dispensation. It will certainly wean our hearts from the world, for by him, & through him [...]

July 30        Mr Grimball received a letter from William written from the 3d N.C. Hospital, Charlotte Street, Charleston, telling him he was there ill, & at the end of the letter said there was such a buzzing in his head from Quinine he could hardly write, he had received the stockings sent down, & had [...]

22 [May]        The Battles in Virginia are so far successful for us and Johnston in Georgia appears to be acting on the defence with skill, at least we hope so. He has given up some places, the Yankees file their papers with his, and we hope this Summer through the blessing of God, to arrive [...]

May 15        Mr Grimball sent Adam to Columbia to bring the box to us. We have now opened it and find 2 pieces of beautiful long cloth, 18 yds white cambric, 2 doz spools of white cotton, 1 do black, 6 papers pins, a large supply of needles put up in a glass bottle, 1 [...]

April 25th        Mr Grimball went down after his business and took a severe cold, returned & was ill, Dr Kenedy attending, he recovered very slowly. Berkley came up on sick furlough, boils on his leg, was with us 15 days, the Dr ordered generous diet, we did our best & he returned & is now [...]

6th March 1865        I have no heart to write a journal now. The war goes on but so much distress and suffering. Charleston evacuated, Columbia sacked & burned, Cheraw[?], Winnsborough, Camden, Society Hill & other places visited by the Army of Sherman & sacked and burned. Our Army now under Johnston following Sherman and all [...]

1 January 1864        Mr Grimball was prevented from going to Town by the weather & I am glad he remained for we have always been together on New Year’s day. We are expecting a visit from Lewis on his way to the Western Army.—I thank God for all his mercies and pray to increase in [...]

Oct 21        William is now in Charleston at Battery Ramsy. He thinks we had better move the furniture in Charleston to the upper part of the City.–

4th October        I received this morning from Charlotte the painful account of Papa’s death, he suffered at last very much, and passed away on the morning of the 30th September 1863, between 5, & 6 in the morning, he was very much swollen had parozisms of difficulty of breathing which were terrible, had been twelve [...]

Sep 29        Our success in the West is very gratifying, & much needed to keep up the drooping spirits. Every paper contains accounts of the donations to the Hospitals, & it is wonderful & affecting to see whar little things are sent, combs, tooth brushes, a banjo, a bunch of herbs, a roll of rag, [...]

September 20        There has been a very brave & successful repulse of an attack on Fort Sumter. The Artillery have been moved from the Fort & an Infantry Company, the Charleston Batallion put there & Major Stephen Elliott placed in command it is said they took the flag that used to be on the Fort, [...]

9 Sep        Mr Grimball took his nieces to Camden and placed them comfortably in their lodgings he arrived here on Saturday and looked sad and worne by all the anxiety he has gone through. He feels the death of his sister very much she was a most gentle and Christian woman.—        There was a Confirmation [...]

August 4th        Vicksburg has fallen, Port Hudson followed of course, the Mississippi is in possession of our foe, Charleston is beseiged with a large force, Naval and land. Lees advance was not a success, he has returned after a direful battle at Gettysburg Pennsylvania, in which we lost 15 thousand & retreated. There have been [...]

28th June        Received a letter from Papa in which he says Mr G. Lowndes & Mr Heyward have sold their Combahee places very well & advises Mr Grimball to sell his plantations he goes down on Friday the 3d to arrange matters if possible.—        The prices of articles of food are very high. Bacon $1.25 [...]

21st [June]        Arthur came up on the 10 & remained 10 days he had his clothes washed & mended & several little things done for him, we found him improved. Mr Grimball gave him 100 dollars to assist in paying his mess bill &c. It was a pleasant visit, we were glad to see him.

June.        Berkley came up 10 days since for his furlough he looks well and is quiet and as he always has been. He leaves us on Tuesday 9th to return to his Artillery. I am not satisfied that he is in a healthy position but they give the men quinine. We have been very glad [...]

May 1        I have not written for some time. The war goes on with the same success on our side & the same pertinacity on the part of the Yankees. The last victory at Fredricksburg has been dearly bought by the loss of our hero Jackson, accidentally shot by his own men who would have [...]

March 22        The successful running the blocade has given a great deal of wealth to some people and there is considerable activity in the selling negroes & City property. Mr Grimball has sold his negroes 48 to Mr G. Trenholm for eight hundred & twenty round some were old & some inferior & some very [...]

10th March        This is my wedding day and the first time we have not passed it together. Mr Grimball is now in Charleston to try and arrange his business he thinks he will be obliged to sell his negroes. The interest of his debt for the Plantations goes on & we are living on what [...]

Feby 20        Went over to see Mrs Irwin her husband used to keep the Mansion house in Greenville we met there. Mrs Lockwood the Miliner of the Village & Mrs Irwin sees every one in her bed chamber. Mrs Lockwood is a good looking woman and talked very sensibly of her business which just now [...]

February 13        Mr Toomer Porter had a sale of his furniture & moved his family to Charleston. Mr Irwin the proprietor now lives in the other wing and keeps his school, to which Harry goes.—        Miss Toomer & Miss Charlotte, her niece, are boarding at Mrs Thomsons. Her health is better, we visited her the [...]

1 January        This is New Years Day. I feel most thankful for all the unmerited mercies, we have had troubles, & losses, but how much worse they might have been. Through all this dreadful war we have as yet been spared, how long that may be, O! Lord thou knowest.        We have had a most [...]