Thursday, May 31, 2012

Saturday, May 31, 1862

Annie Dean went home today on horseback.  We had a heavy rain here about sunset.  We hope she may have reached home in time to escape it.


Peggy's comments:
The entries in this book end with May 31.  The back cover reads "The Civil War".  Julia continued her journal in a new book.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Friday, May 30, 1862

We went to Mrs. Greenwood's.  Mrs. Chas. Cone, and Mr. and Mrs. Blackinton there.  Pleasant visit.  Lucy came down.  It is reported that Corinth is ours.  All eyes have turned expectantly to this point for several weeks.  A bloody battle was expected.  Gen. Halleck has moved cautiously and it appears successfully.
God grant that those we love may be safe.  Mrs. Cutler received a letter from her sister Maggie who is still out west, enclosing one she had just received from her cousin, Wm. M. Voris of the 17th Illinois regiment, which speaks in the highest terms of Ephraim and of his bravery at the battle of Pittsburg Landing.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Thursday, May 29, 1862

Kate and Annie Dean spent the day in Marietta going down to Belpre and back on the train this evening.  Lucy came down.  Julia Greenwood called and invited us to tea tomorrow.  Gen. Banks has retreated into Maryland.  Judge W. R. Putnam is greatly aroused and has gone to work to raise a company, the "Putnam Guards".


Peggy's comments:
Julia is back to writing about events in the war, but when things are going poorly, she seems to write less.  General Nathan Banks was fighting Stonewall Jackson's troops in an effort to prevent them from reinforcing Richmond, Virginia.  Banks was forced to retreat into Maryland.
More about Gen. Banks here.

Judge William Rufus Putnam served as commander of the militia at Camp Marietta and also was chairman of the Military Committee of Washington County.  In 1863 he would direct operations against Confederate John Morgan's raids, establishing a camp on the Cutler farm.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Wednesday, May 28, 1862

Lucy came down on the morning train and returned by the same.  Annie Dean and I called on Mrs. W. D. Bailey.  Took tea with Annie at Mrs. Burgess'.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Tuesday, May 27, 1862

This is Ephraim's birthday.  God keep him always and bring in safety and peace to his home.  We expected to go to Mr. Greenwood's today but they sent us word they should be happy to see us another day, Mrs. Greenwood being called to attend the funeral of her nephew, Luther Edgerton at Newport.  He was a soldier and died in hospital at Louisville.
Mrs. Burgess, Lizzie, Annie Dean and I went out to the grave yard.  We called on Mrs. Wilson at Mrs. Dickey's.  Her husband is assistant surgeon in the 75th Ohio regiment now in Virginia.  We also called at Bennet Bailey's.  Mrs. Burgess took supper with us.


Peggy's comments:

Ephraim Cutler Dawes

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Monday, May 26, 1862

Annie Dean came.


Peggy's comments:
Annie Dean is another niece of Julia's.   Her parents were Gulliver Dean and Mary Cutler.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Sunday, May 25, 1862

Dr. Beckwith called.  Mr. Scott peached a good sermon on the state of the country.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Saturday, May 24, 1862

Kate spent the day with Mrs. Burgess.  Mrs. Greenwood and Julia called and invited us there next Tuesday.  Lucy came down on the cars and told us the 36th had been in battle at Lewisburg.  Dyer McClure is wounded, also Ezekiel Roberts of this place.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Friday, May 23, 1862

Mrs. Julia A. Bailey, Rev. H. B. Scott, T. Cone and Alice Blackinton, the May Queen, called.  Kate made the crown of white roses.  She also twined the garland.  Mrs. Goff made the scepter.  Kate also made wreaths for the maids of honor.  We went to the party which was in James Scott's orchard.  The queen and her court appeared very well and the refreshments were abundant and good.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Thursday, May 22, 1862

Alice and Ella Blackinton here to get flowers and arrange about a May party.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Wednesday, May 21, 1862

Spent most of the day writing to Jane.  Mrs. Lyman Hart called.


Peggy's comments:
Jane Dawes Shedd is Julia's niece (and sister to Kate, Ephraim, Rufus and Lucy)  She married before the Civil War and immediately left for Persia where she and her husband were missionaries.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Tuesday, May 20, 1862

Kate and Marion went to town.  Letters from William and Rufus.  Betsey Bailey and Mrs. Harvey Deming called.


Peggy's comments:
In the aftermath of Julia's visit to her sister Clara in Pana, Illinois, her journal entries are spare and concerned with visiting neighbors.  The war, however, is about to intrude.

William Cutler, Juila's brother, is a Congressman from Ohio.  Rufus Dawes, Julia's nephew, is with the Army of the Potomac which has been in and around Washington, D. C, for about a year.  Lincoln will soon tire of General McClellan's claim that he needs more men and more time to prepare for battle.

Rufus writes that on Saturday, May 17th, 
the regiment was fully supplied with white leggings, black felt hats adorned with feathers, and white cotton gloves.  These decorations were received with the greatest merriment, but we wall felt proud of the fine appearance of the battalion.. . . .General Gibbon attended our dress parade to-day, and the regiment was in 'fine feather'.  

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Monday, May 19, 1862

Mr. and Mrs. Perry went this morning.  They seem to have enjoyed their visit very much.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Saturday, May 17, 1862

Went back to Mrs. Dawes this morning and in the forenoon called on Miss Mary C. Nye and Mrs. Temple Cutler.  Lucy came home with me.  Mr. Burgess on the cars, also Hugh B. Scott our preacher, Mr. B. heard Mr. Scott's name and mistaking him for Lieutenant Scott asked him if he was the Scott who was shot through the heart? -- At Scotts Landing Mr. and Mrs. Perry and daughter joined us on their way to visit us.  


Peggy's comments:
Rev. Burgess was a close neighbor and the step-father of Lizzie Cutler.  In 1862 he was 77 years old and was occasionally confused and cantankerous.  He frequently visited the Cutler home and Julia often read newspapers to him.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Friday, May 16, 1862

I went to town with Sarah.  In the afternoon she went with me to call on Mrs. John Newton.  They have a beautiful place as is that of Col. Craig near them.  We also called on Mary Cone.  She had been house-cleaning but insisted that I should spend the night with her which I did.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Thursday, May 15, 1862

Sarah dined with Mrs. Burgess.  Mrs. McClure and Emeline spent the afternoon here.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Tuesday, May 13, 1862

Sister Sarah came home with Kate last night and will spend a few days with us.  Mrs. Burgess dined with us.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Monday, May 12, 1862

Kate went to town with Lucy to see her mother.  I went up to see Mrs. Burgess and tell her about Maggie and Lizzie and our journey and visit at Pana.  I wrote to Clara.  Lucy's school begins today.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Saturday, May 10, 1862

The omnibus came for us after breakfast and we made our adieus to Mrs. Walton who has treated us very kindly and we drove through street after street of lofty buildings, some of them very handsome, down to the wharf where a fleet of steamboats lay at anchor and thence away to the depot.  Here Mr. Walton and Fred bade us goodby and we soon found ourselves moving out of the city homeward.  This train had Mr. Brock for conductor.  We admired the hills clothed in all the beauty of spring matured, and thought that even the beautiful prairie land could furnish nothing more desirable or lovely than the Ohio Valley.  We stopped a few moments at Camp Dennison where two or three ladies who had come up from the city got off with their nicely packed baskets and a bundle of daily papers for the sick and convalescent soldiers.  A large number of soldiers stood on the platform at the station, some evidently wounded.  A coffin was put on the train here, going to sadden some soldier's home.  The cars stopped at Chillicothe for dinner.  Mrs. Walton had given us some nice sandwiches so we did not leave the cars.
At Athens, Mrs. Dickey and Charlie came on board and this added to the pleasure of the remainder of our journey.  At Scotts Landing we found Lucy, Emeline and William McClure, Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Hart, H. B. Scott, etc., on the train, all glad to see us.  In a few minutes we were at Consitution, glad once more to see and be at the old Homestead.  Found Lizzie and the children well.  Nancy had some nice waffles ready for our supper.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Friday, May 9, 1862 (In Cincinnati)

A little after seven in the morning Kate and I accompanied by Mrs. Joshua Walton went out on a shopping expedition.  We visited innumerable milinery establishments on Fourth and Fifth streets, also dry goods stores.  The Opera House is a magnificent building, the finest in this city which has no lack of fine buildings.  Passed through the Fifth street market and saw many things new and interesting to me.  I returned with Mrs. Walton to her house a little after noon "tired almost to death" with five hours shopping.  I got a mantle at Wilson's and a bonnet at Mrs. Ayers who claims to be miliner to Mrs. Lincoln.  Kate, however, with Fred spent two more hours in completing her purchases when she came back quite exhausted.  We were glad to sit still and rest ourselves in Mrs. Walton's nice easy chairs.  Our purchases came home in the course of the evening.  This is my first day in a city and I find it very fatiguing.  We made our purchases mostly at Shillito's, Wilson's, Hopkin's, and Gassage and Deland's.
Pike's Opera House in Cincinnati

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Thursday, May 8, 1862

Occupied during the morning packing to start on the train today for home.  Mr. William Tyler came to seal up some cans of sorghum which we are going to take to Ohio.  Mrs. Mills, Mrs. Tyler and Mrs. Bacon came to say goodby.  After an early diner we went down to the depot.  A little after eleven o'clock we made our adieus to Clara, Mr. Walton and the children and Mr. and Mrs. Bradley who came to see us off, and were seated in the cars homeward bound.  We saw Mr. Munsell and Levi on their lot near Tower Hill as we passed.  
The country looks beautiful, the prairies with the herds of cattle and horses and the woods beautified and fragrant with blossoming haws, crabapple and plum trees.  I enjoyed the ride very much.  At St. Mary's there are some very fine buildings where a Catholic school is kept.  Some of the young ladies came on the cars to go to Terre Haute.  They were evidently school girls, with their large bouquets of lilacs and other flowers, enjoying a day's respite from study.  One of these who sat near us tried to get up, though unsuccessfully, quite a panic by asserting that the bridge over the Wabash was dangerous, and was expected to fall, etc.  But no one attended to her probably thinking if these things were really so why was she who knew the facts on board the train.  
We did not change cars at Terre Haute but a new conductor came on board who was a singularly ugly looking man with a remarkable turn up nose and a mustache five or six inches long.  I took a dislike to him but he proved to be gentlemanly and accommodating seeing that we and our baggage were safely on board the Cincinnati train at the Indianapolis depot.  In a few minutes we left the city, just as the sun was setting.  I noticed numerous spires and glanced up some fine looking streets.  A few stations passed and it became dark.  The passengers stopped about nine o'clock for super, but Clara had provided us with a lunch and we did not get out.  I did not sleep any but as we passed along looked out on the moonlit scenery.  I thought Lawrenceburg improved by the dim light.  From that place to Cincinnati the road runs parallel with a canal.  The canal boats slowly moving with lamps at the end or tied up for the night looked oddly as we whirled past them.  It was after midnight when we arrived at Cincinnati.  We got into an Omnibus and drove through the gas lighted streets to Mr. Joshua Walton's.  The omnibus driver rang the bell for us and waited until Mr. Walton appeared and admitted us.  He lighted the gas in the parlor and called Mrs. Walton who received us very kindly and insisted upon making us a cup of tea, which we declined preferring to go at once to bed.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Wednesday, May 7, 1862

Clara had school only half a day.  Kate, Clara, Mr. Walton and I went by invitation to dine with Mrs. Bacon, who gave us an excellent dinner and seemed to enjoy our visit as much as we did ourselves.  She says the Hon. Nathan Cutler of Farmington, Maine, is her great Uncle and that Mr. Bacon's mother was a Dorchester Cutler, her father's name being Calvin Cutler.  So she feels quite like a relative.  She evidently likes us very much as we do her.
As Mrs. Sibley had invited us to attend the sewing circle we by Clara's advice concluded to do so.  When we arrived we found two rooms filled with ladies listening to Mrs. Sibley read the conclusion of the "Pearl of Orr's Island" in the Independent.  We found ourselves seated in a room where nearly all the ladies were strangers.  After the reading was finished we were introduced to several ladies and among them was a Mrs. Bragg whose husband claims some relationship with the rebel general Bragg, and a Mrs. Bullens, a merchant's wife.  She says she is connected with Scott Harrison.  These ladies are what little Eddie Walton calls "Secesh".  We also met Mrs. Slack who had just got back from Missouri with a sick soldier son whom she has been nursing through typhoid fever.  Her account of the state of things in Missouri was very graphic.  She thought that those who were in the Free States had no conception of the trials and sufferings of Union people in the Slave States.  They had a chapter read and Clara who is president made a prayer.  Refreshments were handed around and we got home at dusk.  Mrs. Pearce, a near neighbor, who has been absent since we came called and spent the evening.


Peggy's Comments:
The "Pearl of Orr's Island" was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe and is a novel based in Maine.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Tuesday, May 6, 1862

As the time we gave ourselves to stay in Pana is drawing to a close we find our time much occupied.  Kate has been busy all the forenoon with the sewing machine.  This afternoon we went with Jimmy for escort in the carriage to call on Mrs. Bradley, Mrs. Lewis and the Misses Lewis.  These Lewises are very pleasant people.  We went by invitation to Mr. Brigham's where we met Mrs. Sibley and Mrs. Baldwin.  This latter lady is from Vermont and appears to be highly educated.  She is original and interesting.  She is a Baptist.  Her husband is Postmaster.  Mrs. Brigham is much of a lady.  Her father was a German Professor named Ulrich.  She was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, but has lived for many years in Springfield, Illinois.  Is acquainted with President Lincoln and Mrs. Lincoln, etc.  We spent the afternoon very pleasantly and had a fine supper.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Monday, May 5, 1862

Rev. Mr. Gordon called to see us.  He is an elderly man and is the Presbyterial missionary and supplies two or three feeble churches.  In the afternoon Mr. Walton took Kate and me out riding.  We went past Mr. Jorr's residence which is in the midst of a pleasant grove and looks like a desirable home.  He has miles of board fences around his cultivated fields.  Mr. Walton says that he has paid out twenty thousand dollars in improvements on his land, but owing to the state of the country which cuts off Illinois from markets and prostrates business generally, and possibly too, a want of skillful management, Mr. Jorr is broken up.
We extend our ride to the Knobs in Shelby county, had some splendid views.  In some instances as far as the eye could reach to the distant horizon not a tree could be seen.  We caught glimpses of Tacusa and some other towns in the distance during our drive.  The wet prairies look curiously, thickly dotted over with the queer little structures of the crawfish or crab. They are round clay tubes six or eight inches high and are innumerable.  The grass as yet is only a few inches above the ground, and none but the earlier prairie flowers are in bloom.  Looking forth on these prairies at this season they look like extensive meadows and convey to my mind rather the impression of long cultivation of centuries than of a country new and wild.  The sleek fat cattle, 40, 60 or a 100 in company roaming over and cropping the grass make a pleasant addition to the scenery.  We saw the mallard and other wild ducks which frequent the numerous ponds.  Clara says at some seasons cranes one or two hundred together may be seen here, but they are not often seen now as this is their breeding time.  I saw many red-winged black birds, larks and grouse.  We dug up some pretty violets to take to Ohio.  
The afternoon was far advanced when we returned from our drive, but we concluded to return some of our calls.  So Clara, Kate and I made ourselves ready and sallied forth.  It is the windiest day we have experienced in Illinois but we braved it and made calls on Mrs. McCoy, Mrs. Morrison, Mrs. Bacon, Mrs. Rice, Miss Hooper and Mrs. DeLevie.  We found them in neat pleasant homes and our conviction that Pana has an unusually pleasant circle of ladies was confirmed.  Very tired.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Sabbath, May 4, 1862

Rev. Mr. Gordon of Vandalia, N.S., Presbyterian preached a sermon on the state of the country from the text Luke 22:53 "but this is your hour and the power of darkness," a good and patriotic discourse.  He is a native of Ireland, whole souled and impulsive and preaches what he knows to be unpalatable to his hearers who have secession sympathies.
Mr. Walton went to the Knobs seven or eight miles north of here in Shelby county, to preach today.  He saw some people setting the prairie on fire and tonight we had a fine spectacle.  From the night of our arrival until now almost every evening a fire might be seen in some direction, but tonight there are three or four.  The people here scarcely pay any attention to them.  They are common at this season.  A traveled road, a ploughed field, or even a few furrows are sufficient to stop the progress of the fire.  The prairies are traversed by roads in almost every direction so the flames do not run very far and seldom to mischief.  I went with Clara and Mr. Walton to evening meeting.  Pleasant moonlight.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Saturday, May 3rd, 1862

Clara has had no school today and we have had time to talk over many things, her struggles and privations, the sickness in her family, little Lucy's death, etc.  She has seen sore trials but as her day so has her strength been.  God has sanctified to her these sorrows and her Christian character has been improved by them.  
Clara took us this afternoon to Rosemond, a place four or five miles west of Pana on the St. Louis and Terre Haute R. R.  The place is settled almost exclusively by Yankees and is said to be a very enterprising and intelligent community.  They have pleasant farms under cultivation.  I saw miles of young hedges, neatly pruned, of the Osage orange, large peach orchards now in bloom and other fruits were being cultivated. I noticed among other things dwarf pears, peaches, cherries, raspberries, Lawton blackberries, strawberries, etc.  
On our return we went to the graveyard where little Lucy Walton lies  It is a sunny spot on a mound in the midst of the prairie, the wild flowers springing up among the graves.  I noticed here a fine marble monument erected to the memory of a young soldier named Glasgow who fell by the hand of the traitor McGoffiin in Missouri.  By his side rests another soldier who died of wounds received at Fort Donelson, Tenn.  While we were gone to Rosemond, Mrs. De Levie, Miss Hooper, the Misses Lewis, Mrs. Bacon, Mrs. Morrison and Mrs. McCoy called.


Peggy's comments:
Lucy Walton was Clara's daughter who died the previous June at the age of four.

Beriah Magoffin was the governor of Kentucky.  He was definitely sympathetic to the South and refused to send troops when Lincoln called for volunteers in 1861.  His telegram to the Secretary of War read:
 " Your dispatch is received. In answer, I say emphatically that Kentucky will furnish no troops for the wicked purpose of subduing her sister Southern States.
B. MAGOFFIN, Governor of Kentucky."
During 1862, Governor Magoffin was in an ongoing political battle with the Kentucky state legislature which was more inclined to support the Union.  There were a series of bills passed, then vetoed by the governor, then overridden by the legislature.   In this book, there are copies of correspondence between Lincoln and Magoffin as well as between Jefferson Davis and Magoffin.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Friday, May 2nd, 1862

New Orleans is ours, it is said.  No battle yet at Corinth tho' we dread every day to hear of another dreadful conflict.
Mr. and Mrs. Munsell with all their children arrived about 8 o'clock this morning.  We were very glad to see them as there seemed to be no way for us to go to Williamstown where they now live, the road being impassable for a one horse buggy and Kate not able to bear the fatigue of the ride.  She is almost sick today.  Mr. Munsell has bought property near Tower Hill on the Terre Haute R. R. on which he expects to erect a house this summer.  I shall be rejoiced to hear of their being settled in a home of their own again.  Their baby Louisa is a beautiful child six or seven months old.
Mary has on the back of her left hand a bump which she fears is a cancer.  I hope it may prove not to be.  She has been trying remedies which she believes are benefiting it.


Peggy's comments:
Mary Dean Munsell is another niece of Julia's.  She is the daughter of Julia's half-sister, Mary Polly Cutler Dean.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Thursday, May 1st, 1862

This is May-day and a holiday so Clara has no school.  She has invited several ladies to take tea this afternoon and is occupied during the morning making preparations.  Her rooms are inconveniently small, but by arranging the school room and setting the table there we shall do nicely.  The ladies who came were Mrs. Sullivan a native of Tennessee and her widowed daughter, Mrs. Mills, both thought to have a warm side toward the south.  Mrs. De Levie, Miss Eunice Hooper, Mrs. Lewis and Miss Elizabeth Lewis, Mrs. Bradley, Mrs. Tyler, Mrs. Bacon, Mrs. Brigham, Mrs. Kirkpatrick, one of Clara's scholars who has lately been married, Mrs. Ayers from Ohio, and Mrs. Sibley a Connecticut lady whose husband is an elder in the Presbyterian Church of Pana but is now in the army under Gen. Steel.


Peggy's comments:
I haven't been able to find out why May Day would be a school holiday in 1862.  It wasn't connected to organized labor until later.  I can't imagine a school holiday to celebrate and do a May pole dance.  I found one reference to May Day connected to the feast of Mary, a religious holiday.