Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Friday, June 6, 1862

My Mother's birthday.  We were all busy preparing for company this afternoon.  Mr. and Mrs. Greenwood, Mr. and Mrs. Blackinton, Mr. and Mrs. B. C. Bailey, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dickey, Mrs. Harriet D. Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. A. S. Bailey, Mrs. Burgess and Mrs. Dawes were here to tea.  We had a fine dish of strawberries, very nice cake, chicken, green peas, &c, &c.  All seemed to enjoy the visit and we were glad to have William at home to see them.
Sarah brought a letter from Ephraim written since the battle of Corinth.  He says they all have confidence in their General, Halleck.


Peggy's comments:
Julia's mother was Sally Parker Cutler born June 6, 1777 in Newburyport, Massachusetts.  She was the second wife of Ephraim and they married April 13, 1808.  Sally helped raise the four surviving children of Ephraim's first wife, Leah Atwood.  Sally and Ephraim had five children of their own.    Sally died June 30, 1846.

On May 30, Julia made a brief comment about Corinth being "ours".  She wrote that a large bloody battle had been expected but due to General Halleck's caution, the federals were successful.  What happened is that both sides were preparing for battle near Corinth, Mississippi.  When General Beauregard of the Confederates realized that they were significantly outnumbered, he decided to retreat.  They continued to fool General Halleck, however, by sending up great cheers at the railroad station as if reinforcements were arriving, parading the musicians up and down the line to play as if there were many troops, purposely sending "deserters" to the federals to confess that a big battle was anticipated and that the Confederates had large numbers of soldiers.  But in the dark of night, they withdrew, leaving campfires going all along the line with drummer boys to attend them.  In the morning, Halleck prepared to attack and found that there was no Confederate army in Corinth to engage in battle.

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