Among my papers I find next a letter written by my mother after an illness, during that awful time known as “The Seven Days Battle around Richmond.” RICHMOND, June 25th, 1862.         ” . . . I am getting a great deal better, and went out this afternoon to take a drive with your father. We [...]

(excerpt)         29th. “I send you the ‘Examiner’ of to-day, which has full extracts from the Northern papers—about the battle. Some of the handcuffs were shown at the Hotel, yesterday, but I did not happen to see them. ‘Tis however a fact—how many exactly I don’t know—but there are certainly a great many taken.”

Finally the arrangements being all made we started off on our adventures—being placed by my Uncle in charge of a responsible gentleman, who was to take us to Baltimore, and deliver us into the care of Mr. Walters. We were cautioned to be very quiet, to express nothing at what we heard or saw, and [...]

(excerpts) 23rd. “We have been in the greatest  I am curious to know what the effect will be at the North—whether they will be panic stricken or exasperated to frenzy at such a defeat. Poor old Scott! If he had only died after the Mexican War, how much better it would have been for his [...]

(excerpts) From Richmond, July 21st my mother writes: “No news except that Gen. Johnston has joined Beauregard with a large force. A part of his troops are left still at Winchester, but the greater part are with him. The President went down to-day, but I don’t know exactly in what capacity, whether he will command [...]

(excerpts) “July 15th, Longwood, near Boston. “. . . I received your last letter several days ago, and I had a letter from Mama about the same time, telling Grandmama to send us on by the first good opportunity, but the way Mr. Walters said was the only way we could go would not have [...]

Balto., 9th July, 1861. Mrs. Frances M. Cross.1 “Dear Madam: “I have this moment received your letter dated yesterday and have just telegraphed Mr. Bucklin. Since I had the pleasure of writing you last it has become vastly more difficult to get to Virginia, and this very day the Federal Government has taken possession of [...]

MANASSAS JUNCTION, Va., July 8th, 1861. “My dear Col., “I believe we are about to be attacked by the enemy, who has been increasing his forces rapidly in the last few days. He no doubt has at present on this side of the Potomac at least 30,000 men—and probably as many in or about Washington; [...]

I give below some extracts from letters written by myself, a child of fourteen—dated: “LONGWOOD, near Boston, “April and May and June, 1861. ” . . . Isn’t the news from Sumter delightful. When I read the account in a paper, I felt like crying for joy. No one sympathizes with me here, except Grandmama, [...]

(excerpts) “June 11th and 14th.         “We are still at the Spotswood Hotel but I don’t know whether we shall continue very long. The President and his family will move next week to the place selected for them. I hear it is very handsome and the City Council has bought and put it at the disposal [...]

(excerpts) RICHMOND, May 30th. “After a terribly fatiguing journey we arrived here safely yesterday morning. We left Montgomery on Sunday night, at 8 o’clock, and travelled night and day, until yesterday morning. “The President was everywhere most rapturously received. . . . I was all packed to start for Texas, when your father found that [...]

(excerpt) “May 23rd, 1861.         ” . . . Congress has adjourned to meet in Richmond on the 20th July. The President has begged your father to act on his staff. . . . “

A Northern woman who was a native of Rhode Island, but who had lived all her married life in the South, returned after her widowhood to Providence to be among her people. The following letter was written by her to my mother: May 13th 1861.         ” . . . We are always delighted to hear [...]

(excerpts)   “29th: I have been this morning to witness the opening of Congress, and hear the President’s message. It was an admirable one, worthy of his reputation. It gives such a fair and lucid statement of matters, as they now stand, that I am sure it will do good abroad, if not at home. . [...]

(excerpts) “MONTGOMERY, April 26.         “The people here are all in fine spirits, and the streets are so lively and every one looks so happy, that you can scarcely realize the cause of the excitement. No one doubts our success. . . . I suppose the chief fighting will be in Maryland and Virginia. . . [...]

The following letter, written from Charleston to the New York Times, gives a very fair account of the surrender of Fort Sumter and my father’s connection with the affair. A Southern newspaper says: HON. LOUIS T. WIGFALL. “The gallantry, chivalry, and heroism of this distinguished son of the South is even applauded by those from [...]

“Saturday, April 13.         “The news is glorious for us. No one hurt on our side, and no damage of any consequence to our batteries. Your father has been at Morris’s Island all yesterday, and all night. He however wrote me not to expect him and I did not feel uneasy, as Captain Hartstein told me [...]

“My dear Colonel: “Will you do me the favor to prepare for the files of my office a clear and concise statement of the main facts of yesterday’s proceedings, so far as they related to yourself, and to Sumter, for use hereafter if required. “Yours truly, G. T. BEAUREGARD.” __________________ “Head Quarters, Confederate States Army, [...]

“HEAD QUARTERS, “Morris Island, “April 12th.”         ” . . . I take a moment to write you a line to say that I am well and that all is well. I cannot return till General Beauregard comes. I am very busy examining the position of the different batteries and arranging Infantry to support them in [...]

(excerpts from letter) “CHARLESTON, April 11th, 1861 . . . Your father was gone all night with Captain Hartstein, seeing to placing light boats, with fires of pine wood, in the harbor, for the purpose of detecting the approach of the enemy’s boats. He has gone again to-day and will not return until evening. . [...]

“MONTGOMERY, Alabama, “April 12th, 1861. “My dear friend, “Your despatch reached me after I had directed one to be sent, which anticipated your wish so fully that you might have imagined it to be an answer if the dates had been reversed. I shall attend to your request about the pistols. The Secretary of War, [...]

(excerpt from letter by Louise Wigfall’s mother, Charlotte) “CHARLESTON, April 10, 1861. “You see we are still here and it is quite impossible to say for how long a time. Your father has been with General Beauregard almost constantly since we came, until yesterday, when General Beauregard requested him to go on his staff, and [...]

“CHARLESTON, 10 April, 1861. “No one now doubts that Lincoln intends War. The delay on his part is only to complete his preparations. All here is ready on our side. Our delay therefore is to his advantage, and our disadvantage. Let us take Fort Sumter, before we have to fight the fleet and the Fort. [...]

(excerpt from letter by Louise Wigfall’s mother, Charlotte) “CHARLESTON, April 2nd, 1861. “ We arrived here yesterday morning and I find very little change in the appearance of things since we were here eighteen months ago. You meet a good many soldiers, but that is about the only difference. The people are all strongly in [...]