Chapter VIII

 

Oct, 1, 1863

 

In the last month, there was little done except the fight in Georgy [Georgia] there .is little said about it, but there is large reinforcements sent in that direction to day I heard a rumer that there had been a big fight with Mead on the line of the Potomac, but how true I know not, it was reported that the armies of boath sides had left the Potomac, so I think its all fudge, yet there is great talk of France recogonising the Sutherens Confedersey, but I cant tell how this will go, some say that Russia will not let France interfere with the South and it is said that the U. S. have pushed troops into Mexico, but I dont belive a word of it; if so France is quite under the Controle of boath Russia and the U. S. but I know a little more of the politics of Europe than all that; France did not spend all that time mondy, to loose by a mean threat of Russia:         The whole of the French Emperors works in Mexico will be the last to France, and perhaps given to the U. S., for its been my opinion for a long time, that the U. S, has had an Eye on Mexico, and was only leting the Mexicans ruin themselves, and.           then the U. S. would frame some pretex to go to war with Mexico, and the Indemnify themselves for the expences of the war etc. But it appears that France has Anticipated the U. S, in this grapling for Teritory. A Soldier told me the other day (and he appeared a very Shrewed man) that there was a Treaty in existance betwix England France & Spain, that none of them three powers should ever acquire any more Teritory on the North America Continent.

 

Oct 3 1863

 

This Treaty may all be so; but I can hardly think it; this would be controling there European powers more than they would like to be controled, and particularly that French Emperor; Now, as for England; I am confident that England is not craving for any more Territory than what they have. France may be wishing to have some forign Colonys, as she has not many at this time. But it is mere Nonnsence to think that Russia can Intimidate France with Treats not concearning Russia. As far as I can see into France Attacting Mexico is, to get what Mexico is owing to France; something like the U. S, did with Mexico in 1845; and even should there be Such a treaty in existence betwix the U. S. and them three powers; should such a treaty debar them any of them three powers, from demanding of Mexico what is  there Just and Lawful rights? Did any Europen Powers interfere with the U. S. in 1845? But I cant belive that Russia has, or will interfere in this Mexican afair. It is will known that Russia brought on the Crima war as fodishly as this may be; that Crimea war, was a dispute of some form of Religion in Turkey.

 

Oct 10 1863

 

Since I wrote the above; I have seen in the papers that a fleet of Russion war Ships are, or has been in N. York harbour, but for what they are there I cant tell, it is causing a good deal of Conjecturing among the Country politicans; and it is said the U. S. Have sent a number of Vessels to the mouth of the Rio Grand; perhaps there will be a something kicked up among them, it will be a Strange thing if the Russians and the U. S, should drive the French out of Mexico, all this may be possable, and it may be right, I dont see that England is taking any hand in the matter at all; but if France is in the right, I think England will not let Russia tantalize over France quietly, is is stated in the papers that the United States officers paid great Respects to the Russian Officers, and showed them all, the forts etc., from the City to Sandyhook. And there wee several English and French Vessels in N. York at the same time; and that there was quite a coolness with boath the U. S. and the Russian Officers, towards the English and French Officers, particularly with the latter, But all this may be conjecture on the part of the Gazers; some is expecting a Rupture betwix the

U. S. and some of the European powers, and it is stated that Russia is for backing the U. S. if France or England interferer with eather Mexico or the Rebelion, ageanst the U. S.            In these Russian Vessels coming to N. York does seem like there was something Brewing, but what it is I cant Guess, perhaps nothing at all. The war at home is still going on, but there is not much doing, but I am told that large reinforsments are going to ?Ros a man told me the other day that 70 car loads of cannon had gone up the

 

B & O Railroad this week past.  I have hear nothing from the potomac, Nat Kitsmiller has been wagoning to Petersburg, and that they had brought several Deserters from the South, and the last trip they brought 45 with them.  A. Warner Thomas has been skulking about here the other night^,, he says he has left the Rebels and does not know where to go. Jo Dixon, I. Kitzmillers, and others were trying to take him, but failed in doing it.

Yesterday went to see a girl of Samp. Oates very poorly with Diptheria, and another case was taken before I left.  Eliza Harvey died yesterday, this sore throat is for making bad work I am afraid,----The News from the Wars is quite of a Secret kind; There must be some Disastroug news from the Yankees, or it would be afloat; It is reported that there had been a Conflict on the Potomac betwix Lee and Mead, and that there had been a .?Cavenly? [cavalry] fight, and that the Rebels had taken 700 horses and a Number of prisnors, the Yankee papers dont say how many prisoners: The Rebels state they took 10,000, but boath partys will lie so there is no beliving a word they say. And I see in the Baltimore papers that they Government was for Displacing Rosscrans; if so there is no Doubt but the Yankees but Rosscrans has been worsted by the Rebels. The Union people of the North are much excited [by] Roscrans removal. In my opinion this removal of the Yankee Generals is a bad policy in moast of the cases, for according to there former Reports he Rosscrans had combated the Rebels better and more Successfuly than any other General in the Yankees armys. It is very possable for the Best of Generals to be beat sometimes; and when there has been no Neglect (that is well put) it is the height of Folly to displace a General for one Disaster. When two men engages in a fight, hey boath intend to beat, but only one can beat.

I am drawing my Chapter to a close, but I will give some little account of myself which perhaps my famaly has never known; it may be a little amusing to my Boys when I gone. I will give it in a Short historical form and as short as I well can. cant give this Sketch of my life in one my Chapters, so I will continue it from one chapter to other,

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I was born Nov. 13th 1799 or 1800[birth records in England show November 13, 1798].  I am not ceartin which, in the Township of Great Bolton le Moores in the County of Lancaster England. My fathers name was Richard Greenhalgh mothers name was Ruth the oldest daughter of John Ridings [married August 01, 1796] Shuttlemaker of Bolton. I was the only child, consequently a great pet of my mothers. My father paid little attention to bringing up and if it had not been for my Mother

 

AWhen I came to Virginia no one or very few could pronounce name so my friends agreed to curtail my name, and cut of the--halgh. Some pronounced it Greenall, Greenwhich and the Dutch Greeneck as the word forNeck in German is very much like this halgh.

 

she[Ruth] could make out to Read the Bible etc., and from a Child I was very fond of Books, therefore my Mother had little trouble to learn to read better than herself, my father all this time did not know that I hardly knew my letter or the Alphabet; my father being a Gardener and never or seldom at home; my mother was a Weaver, and a very good hand at her traid. At 10 or 11 years old she taught me to weave, and I soon made a tolarable good weaver. About 1812 my father took me into the imploy of a Mr. Wm. Crompton our landlord; my business was to go to town twice a day a mile and a half, with 40 quarts of milk, night and morning.  8o'clock found me in town with my Jackass and a light cart, every night and morning for two years. 'I was very fond of my master for he was a good and an upright man in every thing, and had it not been for him I should never have known anything at all, when I was not imployed about the milcking etc., I had to work in the garden with Old Dick my father. About this time Tom Norris a Neighboor of mine a year Older than myself, was very fond of learning, but like myself had no means, his father would have `been very Glad to give his children Education but he had a large famaly of 12 children and Tom next youngest to the oldest but about this time 1812, he got acquainted with an Irish man and his Son Wm.. Hutton and the sons name was William. This Hutton had spend all his days at his Loom, and for pastime Studing Mathematics, and instructing his son Bill as we called him, and on Sundays instructing poor lads to ?Cast? as we called it, here it is called Cyphring. I and Tom Norris went every Sunday to this Mr. Hutton for a whole winter, and before Spring I was master of the foure first rules, and could work An Reduction and compound Addition etc. I became quite a favourite with this Mr. Hutton, at all my spare time I was at my Slate, and as I had bought me an Arithmetic a Lock and Key, I keeped it in a Summer harbour in the Garden, hid under the Thatch, and at noons, after eating my dinner I would have half or 3/4 of an hour to cypher in. At one of these times Mr. Crompton came on me, quite unexpected; he appeared to be angrey when he came into the harbour; he asked me what I was doing, I told I was casting, Cast the Devil says he, what the Devil can you cast, and Snatched the Book out of my hand, where did you get this Book, I said I had bought it and give 3.6 for it, and what the devil can you do with it, I told him I could Cast a little, well how far can your cast I told him; he set me a little Sum in Addition, one in Substraction, Division and Miltiplication. Why the Devil I did not know that you could Say your a-b-c's the Devil, the Devil he would keep saying. Mr. Crompton came to, my father, Says he"why Dick I never knew that your Jack had any learning at all,who, nor me nether, why says Mr. Crompton, he is a right prity hand at casting, and can read very prityly, the Devil says old Dick; Aw nothin about him. In a day or two after he call

ed me into his Library, and talked with me a good while; Showed me all his Books,(and he had a very good collection) and he told me to came and take any book I wished for, and to show it to him when I took it out, then he Sliped a half Lovenin into my hand and bid me be a good lad. Having access to his Library was a great help to me and Tom Norris, for Mr. Crompton paid as much attention to Tom as he did to me, but Tom was rather dull at learning.   I must quit on this Chapter.

 

 

 

CHAPTER IX

 

This month not being quite out and having a little Leasure time I will go on with my history.  Tom as I said before was very dull in somethings, yet he got so as to understand Algibra tolarable will. I was content with geting as far as Rule of three, this I thought would be all that I should perhaps need through life, I had while with Mr. Crompton got so as to write a tolarable hand, and I could Cypher a little etc., in 1814 a Dr. Robert Boardman Located himself as a Dr. and Surgon in Bolton and as he had been Born and raised in the Neighbrood, and his Father and famaly well known, he was soon patronised by the people of Bolton and its visinity; Bob had no wife, and he had hardly time to look out for one for he was a Doctor in heart not at all by fashon, for I belive he Studed his calling, not to make a living only, but it was his delight to be at his Studeys, and he soon got a fine Run of practice, he fell in with me, and he took quite a fancy to me; he prevailed on my mother to let me come and live with him and attend to his Shop (Office they term it here) I was quite anxious to go and he give my mother 3.6 a week and my Board; here I had nothing to do but keep a fire in the  Shop, keep it clean etc., he set me to pulveresing difrent Gums etc., and he soon learned me to make such and such Tinctures pills and other compounds. Having no wife, he hired a right prity Girl, her name was Margret Broughton a poor Girl, but a very discreet honest Girl, two years older than me.  The Dr. Bob was a very large man, Raw-boned, and very must have been 2001b and very course in his features, but yet a very pleasant good humered man; like his father full of fun, yet as humane a man as ever I knew; many a young woman Set there Cap for him, and there was a Miss Wilkson just across the Street; her, and her Brother lived togeather, and keeped a Bagers Shop, and was doing well, she was a very fine Sensible young woman and I thought that Dr. Bob and her would have made a match; but as the Saying is "Money makes the Mare to go" but in this case, the mare went very Roughly. It so happened, that the house Dr. Bob lived in was a Tenement of an Old Mr. Entwestle, very rich, with only three Children two Sons and one Daughter.  Now this Daughter was somewhat prity, but for more a Coquet and fool, a compleat Spoiled Child; Spent moast of her last few years at the play house Oprey and Balls.  In Dr. Bobs Choice of a wife, this seemed to be the moast foolish act I ever saw of Dr. Bob, but as I have just said, this money I know Dazeled Bobs Eye; and as this Entwistle famaly was quite a Notable few men can resist such Grand temptation, but Miss Entwistle was anot a fiting one for a young Dr. with hardly money enough to fit him out with propper Drugs and instruments, if he had taken Miss Wilkinson with nothing but the Clothes on her back I am quite ceartin Bob would have been a Great man; it is said that man Dreams in Courtship, and wakes in Matrimony, for so it was with Bob.

 

Bob could scarsley go through the common forms of a Wedding or Marrage partys etc. for his practice flowed in thick and fast, and Bob was anxious to be seeing to his Business, this thing went on for a few months, yet Bobs wife would still attend to the Theatry Balls and Partys. One Evening just at dusk she came into the Shop. Bob and I was , fixing medicines etc., she asked Bob if he was for going to the Theatre to night, no says Bob he had his Buiness to attend to, going to the playhouse would not make a living. She turned her Back and went off Grumbling, but what she said I did not hear, but when we went in to Supper she was gone; Margaret said she had put on her Bonnet, swearing she could and would go by herself.  I dont know what time she came home, but she was not at the table at breakfast, but she was there at dinner, but Bob was not there, he was out attending to his Buisness, and for several weeks, there was Black looks and nothing said. At last, they got to be friendly, and Chat with each other; but yet I could see things was not "All right", About this time a young man that lived nearly opposit ^,to the Shop at the Sign of the Britiania Charles Motinac, often come into our Shop, and I noticed he often came to the house when Bob was not at home, and as the house faced Crook Street he could come into the house and we never see him, for it was a corner house, and the Shop faced Moore lain.  Thus things passed on for a few weeks; when one day Margret came into the Shop when I was alone; says she, I can tell you something if you would never tell agean;  I promised that I would never tell, well says she, and then would Laugh, then would start agean to tell, at last she came out with it, and it was something thus. That she was in the upper room over the parlor, and that there was a little hole in the floor, right over the Sofa, and that she saw Charles cliping (Huging) Mistres, and then she would Laught agean, and I thought from her acting and laughing that she had seen a little more than cliping though she never said so. The next time I got to speak to Margret, I charged her never to open her mouth agean, for I had thought a good deal of or on the case, and I had come to the conclusion that it could not and that Margret was telling a lie on her mistress, though I dont recolect her ever telling me a lie, but I knew that Margaret did not like her Mistress; but I guess it was all too true, as the Sequel will show. Some 8 or 10 days after this Bob and me was siting by the FShop fire one night; Bob had been looking very sad for some days, but I thought he was troubled in his mind about some very sick patient he had them on hand; says he Jack I Want to ask you a few questions, but I charge you never to make mention of these questions to any one, I promised to do as he wished me. Well says he, do you ever see Charles Molinax in our house when I am away, I answered that he was there often. and in what room does he be in, why he is some times in the house (the kitchen in many houses answers for Siting kitchen and dining room) and sometimes in the parlor; but I never told him what Margret had told me; for one reason, me and Margaret would take a clip ourselves now and then, and I belive the Girl had a little love for me; at all events I loved her, but I was young and we did no harm to each other, she afterward married well. But I am leaving my story.  This was on a Friday night that he asked me these questions. Well says Bob, I am going to Westhoughton tomorrow and I want you to take notice if Charles comes, and how long he stayed. In the morning at the Breakfast table, Bob spoke up, "I am going to Westhoughton to see that man that was hurt in the Factory, and it will be night before I return, this he spoke up so that we could all hear.  And says he to me, you can shut up at 3 O'clock as Usal. The days are very short in winter in England so he got his horse by it was day, and went off. I watched closely, and about 10 o'clock I saw Charles turn down Crook St, where he was at dinner time I dont know but Margret told me in the afternoon before I shut up that he and Mistress were in the parlor and she laughed, I never told Margret that I had been watching him all day. I shut up Shop at 3 o'clock and left Charles still in the parlor; I guess they had cool siting in the parlor for the had no fire in the palor. I went home on Saturdays. A little after Sun down we heard sombody call out for me, my Mother went to the door and it was Dr. Bob, he asked her if I Jack had got home, she told him was in the house, he told her he wished to see me; I went but to him.  Now says he how did you come on with watching of `Charles; I told him all the particulars,  except what Margret had communicated to me, I was always Shy in bringing in this Margret, for I was afraid it would implicate me in some shape or other; for I must confess I loved her, as well as a Boy could love; and it was the first time I had ever felt the passion. 

 

When I had told him, he droped his head in quite a Musing attitude and for a minuit sayed nothing, at last he charged me to keep all this to myself; he then put Spurs to his horse, and was soon out of sight. I saw into Dr. Bob coming round to see me, by coming two miles round he could get to know of me, what he could not get to know till I came to his house on Sunday evening, my Usal time of coming.  This Jealousy is a Restless, anxious state of mind and poor Dr. Bobs was a Sad case. As soon as I returned into the house my Dad come in, and in a while questioned me, "what did Dr. Bob want with you?" and several other questions, some of them quite Startled me; but was Bluf to all.  Afterwards I was convinced that my Dad was in the Garden, and the Garden hedg being thick and high, had over-heard Dr. Bob and myself, for when we starte talking was loss to the Garden hedg, and the same Night, I over heard Dad & Mom taling about it and I heard Dad say, "that they might as well Pump a Rock on Black Stone edg, as get anything out of hat Lad"

When I got to my post on Sunday evening all things looked Right. And it was not the Monday afternoon that Margret and I got to speak to each other   She said that the Dr. came  home on Saturday night and appeared in a good humer. I saw from all this that Dr. Bob was for doing the thing right and was for making no ado till he could be ceartain; and it was but a few days before the Devil broke loos.  Things passed on to all appearance as well as common till Friday night, when the Dr. stated at Supper that he was going off to Westhoughton to see the man that was hurt, and that it would be night before he could get back. I took all this for Realaty; he give me my Orders as he had done the Friday before, except he did not say anything about Charles. I thought he was gone for Ceartain to Westhoughton for be started an hour before day. But he had made a compleat Fant in this case, which I afterward learned as follows. He had put his horse in a Nabours stable and he had come back to a house on the opposite side of Creek Street, right facing our house, in this house lived a James Hall a Weaver; here he could see any one that went into his house at the back door;  I had seen Charles go down the street about 9 or 10 o'clock, but at that time I was very buisy fixing some medicines for some customers then in the Shop, when all of Sudden, I heard a Devil of a noise in the house, and Margret came runing into the Shop, Screaming out that the Dr. was killing Charles and her Mistress boath; but this I knew was not quite so for that moment I saw Charles runing past the window without hat and his face all blood.  Margret wanted me and this Customer to go in, but I Guessing well, how the think was, I observed it would be all right soon: The Customer looked very Strangly at me, and I Guess he thought it was not so Bad as Margret had Reppresented it, ever Margret seemed quite astonished that I was so cool about the matter. But I was always Shy in Intruding into these broils, and I knew if the Dr, had wanted no he would have told me; but in an hour or so, I saw Mrs. Boundman going down Mooreland (lane) as fast as her leg could go.  Soon after Dr. Bob came into the Shop, and told me he had catched a Weasel asleep this morning.  I said, I thought you was gone to Westhoughton,  no says he, I had other things to see to, and I have seen to them, I found after that Charles Molinax was wise enough to keep quiet, and he content with his broken Skull, and thanked God he came off as well as he did but not so with his fare Do y, for she went home to her Dads, and there hatched up a fine tale Exculpate herself;  she so contrived to patch us a tale of Jealousy etc., which her two Brothers aid her father appeared to belive,  and in the afternoon they all came. and kicked up a Big stir about it.  The Dr. told them very boldly that they could just act as they pleased in the case, he was prepeared for them in any way they could attact him, and he stated to them that he was very Sorry that he taken such a woman, as she his wife, had turned out to be; and he with tears in his eyes advised them to say and do as little as they possable could. And he give them to understand, that it was no case of Jealousy, but of realaty. This softened the old man I could see, but the two Brothers Blustered and Swore a while and all went away, and they were all wise enough to let the matter drop, the Dr. cautioned me and Margret to say not one word about it, but it soon leaked out and became a towns talk, and the Dr. was a Ruined man .