Monday, May 23, 2011

Thursday, May 23, 1861

Kate & Lucy drove over to see Miss O'Hara's garden, and returned with a bucket full of flowers.  Lizzie Poage here to dinner.  
Virginia votes today on Secession.  No doubt it [Virginia] will go out with an over whelming majority, the soldiers being required to vote and almost the whole confederate army scattered over the state to coerce union men, and increase the secession vote.  There will soon be a fight at or near Fortress Monroe.  The Confederate army threatens southern Pennsylvania.  Gen. Scott says he needs 60,000 men for the Ohio border.  Are we to see with our own eyes the conflict between freedom and slavery?  May God help us in the hour of need.


Henry McClure has returned from the south.  His brothers are still there.  As he has been some weeks in Illinois he brings no news to relieve the anxiety of friends.


Mr. Briggs, our road supervisor, called to see about timber for repairing bridges.  He had been to Marietta to consult with county commissioners.  They showed him a letter from the General (M'Clellan I suppose) requiring the roads to be put in order for the transit of troops.


Editor's comments:
Lizzie Poage was the 13 year-old niece of Lizzie Cutler.  Lizzie Poage was raised by her grandmother, Mrs. Burgess, who lived near the Cutlers, after her own mother died in childbirth at age 20.

A convention of the state of Virginia had met the previous week and passed an Order of Secession.  A vote of the people to be taken May 23 would ratify the order.

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