CHAPTER XV
Since I wrote last,
there has been some very hard fighting towards Richmond and Gen Grant is within
20 miles of Richmond, the last I heard from him and by 4th of July next Grant
intends to eat in Richmond, time will tell how the Cat will jump; this will be.
the 4th or 5th time they have tried to get there; it has cost a Great deal of
money and lives so far, the Yankees admit of loosing 45,000 men; what a
Sacrifise of human lives, if the Yankees have lost such an Amount of men, the
Rebs must have lost equaly as many thus 90,000 gone to there "Reknong?,
[reckoning] with all there imperfections and beauty spots on there heads??: It
has always been my Opinion that a vast amount of Coruption of various kinds,
lays on the head of this nation; if God ever did punish a Nation for Wickedness
commited this country cant expect to go unpunished; and whether the North or
the South is the moast Guilty, its out of my power to say or Guess but the
affliction seems as heavy one One as the other; I have not been much acquainted
with the South, further than Virginia: Some think that this Slavery question is
a Curse on the South., not only in keeping the Negro as a Slave, but Various
other forms, in which there is little doubt for instance, such as Young Masters
dealing with there She Negros, and thus
manufacturing Molatoes, I am well convinced there has been too many instances
of that kind; such Sins as these, are Strong enough: I am no Abolitionst, far
from it, I have often thought and think so yet, that Slavery is the moast
fiting situation for the Negro; yet if there is a Sir, in this world, I would
think a sin to make Yellow negros, and then Sell them as Cattle, but I have
said enough on this Subject---We have had some horse Stealing in this
Neighbrood; John Ward, and John Bosely each had a horse stole; but George
Liller and J.W. Fout got on there trail, and followed them on to Piedmont,
there they had Sold Wards horse, Boselys horse made his Escape; the thieves was
a Simon Brown and another man I dont know his name, and I have just heard that
Charley Grim is concearned in this case; this Brown is a Bad man, and I am
afraid the whole breed of the Browns are bad; I am truly sorry if this, C. Grim
is in the Gang, but I am afraid its too true; for it was the Brown that
?coakest? him from J. Lillers: Dick has just returned from the Creek, and he
heard nothing about Charley Grim, and he was a J. Wards, This practice of
saying a Something that is not so, in plain English, Lieing is become so common
since this Bloody war commenced, that there is never a Circumstances takes
place, but it is ?to turn? into a hundred Shapes, this George Dulls case is I
believe at last a full Blooded Yankee case; and there is little doubt but he
was a Yankee in some share or other; and there is little doubt but what is
called ?Official? Springing
from
I have
not been from home since the 1st and I have heard no news for some time; but
they are Blockaiding all our mountain Roads, and for what? are
they afraid of the Rebels coming agean? what little
good this Blocking the roads will do to the Yankees, or harm to the Rebs will
be but little; but it is a Great trouble to us. We have not heard from
I have been down about Ridgvill, I
went down on Tuesday 7th to see old Mrs. Ra?u?brick; found her more troubled in
her mind about her Children than anything else, I could do but little in her
case while I was down, I heard there had been some ?Skinnyin or Bushwhaking the
Yankees term everything Bushwhacking, particularly if they are defeated or
Surprised; they say there was 6 of Reyolds Caverly killed, and 9 wounded how
true all this is I cant tell; the Yankees are very troublesom as
they pass along; stealing Chickings, plundring there Gardins etc. They are
still fighting all about Richmond; killing one another as fast as they
can-----June 11 I have just heard that one of our Creek Neighbours Mr.
Nighhiser, swore or was willing to sware, that John Thomas went with the Rebels
when they made there last Raid to Piedmount, that he J. Thomas conducted the
Rebs to and from Piedmont; I am sure his coming with them from Piedmount is
false; and there are others can proove he was at Benj. Hulls all that night,
and I am almoast positive that the whole of this report is false; but I cant
belive one word of it; If this of- Nighhiser be a fact, and that if he did
Sware ,.or offer to sware such a falsehood, I can ever think of Beliving
any man in the future, and particularly, those profesing Abolition princables.
A man seting him as Minister of the Gospel of Christ; one that should be a
Guide and an Example for those going Astray; Such men must be the worst of men;
and the Garb the ware, is only a Cloak, "A Robe of seeming truth and
trust; hid Crafty observation,
And
secret hung the poisened Crest, The Dirk of defamation
The
Mask that like the ?Gorget? shone;
Dye Vareing on the Pigeon
And
for a Mantle large and broad, He wraped him in Regigon,
Hypocrisy. A. Lea.
Moad"
But, I am still in hopes, there is some miss
understanding: For I have had such a good regard for him and his famaly; that I
cant yet belive that Mr. Nighhiser would be guilty of
such an act. If this should be the fact; Religon will have hard work, to hide
any thing from me. I shall be like John Vandiver used to say "He will bare
the better, and more watching."
Saml. Henline came home on Thursday last; he says that J. W. Thomas is in
Cumberland where he left him and M. D.Nevil he, Henline thing that boath of
them will have hard work to get out; but what astonishes me the moast is, why
or what is the reason that they cant bring John to a propper trial, and eather
discharge or Commit him; and another thing that puzels me why, John cant or do
not write home, or send some message to his mother; I understand Nevil -wishes
his Friends to get up a petition and get it Signed by his Union neighbours; and
so did Mrs. Thomas wish for a petition for John, but there is no geting the
Union -men to Sign such an instrument, eather for Spite or Fear; I
only asked one man if he would Signe one for John and he refused to do it; in
short we have very troublesom and dangerous times, and no one is safe, even sit
by his owen f ire side; There was a
young man a Son of W. Dirnit killed while moleing ?nails? on New Creek, and no one can conjecture, who
Shot him or for what cause; I hardly think it was a political case, but a
Something of a Neighbrood Spite; for at this time, every man thinks he can do
as he pleases; and the Shooting of a man is no more regarded than Shooting a
Dog 5 years ago. We have no war news of any
account, except some what the Yankees term Bushwhaking. I guess the two General Grant and Lee are
making preparations for a Grand, and, perhaps a final Strugle. Gold is now 200,
and what will gold be if Grant should get a bad repulse? the
Rebels are fighting for there lives and liberty, they know if they are Routed,
thousands will become Byers
The young ?Dirnit or Dimit? that was shot last week, is supposed
to be Shot by a Philip Barnhouse a Son of Andrew Barnhouse;[this
Elizabeth Barnhouse Green’s nephew – he is buried in the Green Family Cemetery
and is the husband of Thirsa Kidwell Barhouse] but I guess he come off, even if
he be Guilty for I guess no one saw him Shoot him and this Substantial evidence
will clear him; all the Evidence ageanst him is Bowbo says it was P. Barnhouse
gun. The folks now a day are very nice to know the report of a Neighbours gun;
I have seen folks that could know the ring of there owen Cow bell; this might
be, for all Bells have there owen Note according to the Science of music; Such
as B flat, C Sharp, G flat etc., but I never knew that Guns had difrent Notes,
I guess diffrent guns, may have reports; but I would think the diffrent kind of
Loads, such as less or more powder, would make diffrent reports, in Short I
think the pecular report of such and such a Gun, would be a Lame kind of
evidence before a Jury; it would require a Jury of Rifle Shooters. It would
make no doubt of Philips guilt if it could be proven, but the question is to
prove it; he Philip is mean enough to do the like; I have often been afraid
he would do his Old Grandmother some privet injury [possibly Rachel Baker
Barnhouse, Elizabeth Barnhouse Green’s mother] he has quite a bad countenance, and his home Education for this
last three years, has taught him nothing much better----Mrs. Thomas has got a
Petition out to try to get John out of the hands of the Yankees; it is reported
he is now at Camp ?Chau? and so is M. D. Nevil
"And what a
Change," Yest what a change; since I have been in this fine Country, I
have seen this day spent quite in a difrant Tune to what they good folks are
spending it to day; Yesterday was Sunday, and the Religious services was cut
short with the report of Guns fireing up and down the Creek; and this morning
news has come from Bloomington that the Rebs are very thick in the Neighbrood
of N. Creek; This is or was brought to the mountain by B. M. Junkins, he had
come to see to some horses he had in pasture, if all this be true it is keeped
very quiet, for I have heard nothing till noon to day, but I think it all a
Fudge; but I have been very sick all day, and yesterday too. I should go to
mount Storm tomorrow to see Mrs. Jacob Shillingburg, but I dont like to be out
these Squaly times; this day Gen. Grant promised to Dine with the good folks in
Richmond: but from the Fincinal state of this country; the folks in Wall and
William Sts. N. Y. (and this Financal transactions has been the best
Thermometer I.have seen since this war has been) the last statements I had seen
was about the 18th June when Gold was quoted at 195; till Friday last when I
saw a Baltimore paper which quoted gold at 242, that is 142 ?Premum?, 0 Lord! and what a Change" and to day I am told it is 280, this
dos not indicate of Gen. Grant Dining in
CHAPTER XVI July 4th
I am
afraid this new Chapter will be Fraught with many a Bloody deed these two last
months has seen, from accounts some 90,000 or 100,000 boyds layed low, never to
see the Sun Shine agean; Some went to there "Long Home" with Bullets
others with Sickness; if there has been this Sad Mortalaty with the Northern
troops there must be a something like number with the South: Thus, what a Strange infatuation has got into
this people, to kill off 200,000 of there fellow beings and even kindred; never
was such a Mad people; and what for? I can see nothing but Negro Equalaty. 'They are Drafting across the River; John A.
Junkins has caught the Draft and many others; the poor writches begin to think
it looks like going to the Slaughter house, Frederick Nethkins saw them taking
the Conscrips of by droves from Ohio and in Chains at that;.was there
ever such doings in any Country? how long will or can the -people be Blind? was there ever in anchent or modren times, Emperors or kings
that could do the like? but the Financal Thermometer is lowering fast, in two
short months (at this rate) it will be 390 below Zero, and then
Mercury will Stand still; mercury will be Solid about the last of August, "Oh, and what a Change," and mens
blood at 960 above Zero, at this time burse cotton at $10.00 per
51b. Shirting cotton at one Dollar per yard; we Laughed
at
Since
the 4th I have been to Mount Storm, to see Mrs. Jacob Shillingburg; she is
sadly aflicted, been subject to a Rhumatic affection for some time and of a disordered
liver, I have been twice to see her; and a young Miss S. Rumor at H. Nevils
with something like an Intermitant, had a chill every day at 11 o'clock and
then a high feaver; been to live at the Station for sometime. Yesterday went to
see Mrs. H. Ricd.
.
There is no news from
the fighters for some 10 or 12 days, one of the causes is, the Rail road is
tore up in difrent parts of the line, but the Yankees have repeared it agean to
Martinsburg one now runing so far, but cant get farther; it has been reported that the Rebs are
at a place called Clear Springs, some 10 or 20 miles from Baltimore, and some
say close to Washington one half of all this is false, if not the whole of
it. It would be a Divel of a go,. the Rebs to take Washington in 10 or 20 days, while the
Yankees have been hard working at Richmond this 3 years, and not taken yet that
I have heard of; This Richmond I always
thought was on a level plain, and how it can be so Strong, is a
mistrey to me; yet Gen. Scot decleared the Tuesday before Battle of Bull run,
"That he knew Richmond, and how it was Situated for Self defence, and that
the Yankees could never take it," so this convinces me that Richmond must
have some natural streangth about it; I have often asked Thomas Sloan &
John Ward, but they could never tell me anything about its Streangth, but they
could never See or of anything but the killing of the Whigs
Yesterday I returned from Mt. Storm; been to see Mrs.
Jacob Shillinburg, She
is very much afflicted, Rhumutism I thought was her chief compliant, and I
treated her as such, but in a few days I found there was a Something more, and
on Examanation I found her Liver was very much inflamed, I now am
giving her Mass and ?Colycinth? just enough to keep a Slight action on the Bowels, and
her pills are composed as above excep
about 1/2 gr. of Cal. to
each pill, I am afraid she will be, a Slow job. M. D. Nevil is released, he gives a Sad picture of our John W. Thomas. Thomas
cant acomodate himself in such places, and will not comply to
prison rules etc., and Mr, Nevil says he had not one that would take his part,
and he was quite Raged and Lousy, and would not keep himself clean. Nevil found
his Boy very Sick of the flux, I have been twice to see him, Nevil is very much
disstresed about his boy, but I think he may come about with care. Very little
news to be had, no Communacation with these Darts and Richmond, I heard a
report that the Rebels say, they have got Gen. Grant just as they wished to
have him, and that Grant had made some attempt to recross the James river; how
true all this is I cant say; One thing looks Strange, how the Rebs could Spare
30 or 40,000 men to make a Rade into Maryland, and a Horrah upon Washington,
and I am told that Mr. Lincoln had to call a Corp from N. Oreleens to defend
Washington. The Rebs have left the
Yesterday came from
To day I am told, that Rebeca Dixon takes Alexander Junkins for better
and worse