Thursday, December 31, 1863

John & James Means & Lizzie Poage here to dinner.

This day ends 1863, a year that by the mercy of God has to our family been crowned with many blessings--But to our Country one of bitter sorrow--in bereavements unnumbered--May it result in redemption to the slave.

Wednesday, December 30, 1863

William goes again to Cincinnati.  Lucy to Marietta.

Tuesday, December 29, 1863

Mr. Durand & W. P. Putnam, Ephe & Lucy Dr. Limon Wort & Dr. Seth Hart were here last night.  I dressed the head of the engineer Fred Washburn--he was determined to go to his home in Chillicothe.  He was carried to the train in a rocking chair.  I never saw any one endure pain as he did.  That accident was occasioned by some persons turning the switch--it was very dark & the engine backing down.  Mr. Ridlow & Mr. Graves were to dinner.  Major Dawes went back to war.

Monday, December 28, 1863

About six o’clock this evening just after the freight train passed we heard men calling for help--an accident had occurred.  William & John hurried to the station where the engine & 4 cars were thrown from the track.  They dug out the engineer from under the engine and brought him here--his head & wrist terribly scalded & his ankle dislocated. Sent Ivan Smith for a doctor.  All the train men here to supper.

Sunday, December 27, 1863

A rainy muddy time, only William went to meeting.  Annie continues to be sick.

Saturday, December 26. 1863

Ephe & Lucy spend the day here.  Ephe is looking very well.

Friday, December 25, 1863 Christmas

Cold.  Dr. Regnier came again to see Annie who has ulcers again in her throat & is much discouraged.  Too sick to enjoy her Christmas gifts, but Sarah was delighted with hers.

We were surprised & delighted by a visit from Major E. C. Dawes & Lucy.  He brought me gold star [unreadable word] buttons, Lizzie vases, Kate traveling bag, the children candy &c.

Thursday, December 24, 1863

Kate not well.

Mr. Boothby who is building a steam mill for us & dwelling house for himself on Hocking sent us a fat young goose for Christmas dinner.

Maggie gave me Whittier’s “In War Time”.  She & her mother were down to see Annie who is yet confined to her room with diptheria.  Gave Mrs. Ames coffee, soda &c to keep Christmas.

Peggy's comments:

John Greenleaf Whittier published a book of poems focused on the Civil War.  It's available here.

Wednesday, December 23, 1863

Kate went to Marietta.  Annie rests downstairs on the sofa & is not so well.

Tuesday, December 22, 1863

William goes to Cincinnati today.  Lizzie went to town with Sarah to do some shopping.  Evening train detained two or three hours.  Mrs. Dawes came down with with her.  Ice in the river.

Monday, December 21, 1863

William went to Marietta.  Sister Sarah came down with him this evening.  Still cold.

Sunday, December 20, 1863

Annie got down stairs and lay on the sofa in the sitting room this forenoon.  A keenly cold day -- we all walked to meeting.  Mrs. Cutler staid at home with Annie.

Saturday, December 19, 1863

We started our Soldiers box by train this morning.

Dr. Regnier came down today but thinks it will not be necessary to repeat his visits longer unless unfavorable symptoms manifest themselves in Annie’s case.

Friday, December 18, 1863

Dr. Regnier again here, he thinks Annie better but she has a very bad throat still. 

Packed box for Cincinnati Branch of Sanitary Commission--about three bushel of dried apples, shirts, pairs of socks & two comfort bags & a few other things.

Thursday, December 17, 1863

Dr. Regnier came again this morning.  Lucy & Mrs. Coon left after breakfast.  Maggie here.  Mr. Coon says Jane acquires the Syriac with great readiness and is a great favorite with the natives, & much beloved by all the missionaries.

Wednesday, December 16, 1863

Dr. Regnier came on morning train.

Rev. Mr. Coon missionary to the Nestorians of Persia has been spending the day with Mrs. Dawes who invited quite a party to meet him.  He is well acquainted with Mr. & Mrs. Shedd of whom he speaks very handsomely.  He came down on the evening train with Lucy & will spend the night.

Peggy's comments:

The Cutlers were obviously quite concerned about William's daughter, Annie, with daily visits from the doctor.

Rev. John Haskell Shedd and his wife Jane Dawes Shedd (daughter of Sarah Cutler Dawes and sister of Rufus, Ephraim, Kate, and Lucy) had been missionaries in Persia since their marriage in 1859.

Tuesday, December 15,1863

Nancy came home this evening, her father did not go to Chattanooga as he could not get farther than Nashville.  Dr. Regnier came on night train.

Monday, December 14, 1863

Mrs. Dawes went home this morning.  Mrs. Terril came & washed. Rosa Roberts does the work.

Dr. Regnier here to dinner.  Annie’s throat is very bad.

A cold day.

Sunday, December 13, 1863

Annie had a very sick night.  John went this morning for Dr. Regnier who came & staid to dinner he pronounces Annie’s disease diptheria with billious fever.

Sacrament this afternoon.  Sister Sarah went to meeting with me.  Kate & Lizzie staying with Annie.

Saturday, December 12, 1863

Nancy went home on the train this morning.  Her brother’s widow has come from Iowa to spend the winter with them.

Preparatory Lecture.  Mr. Curtis thanked the church for a life membership in the A.B.C.F. Mission and also in the N.E. Bible Society--& the ladies of the Congregation for Johnson’s Atlas--a valuable work.  Annie complains of sore throat.  Mrs. Dawes came on evening train.

Friday, December 11, 1863

Kate is embroidering Sarah’s [unreadable] dress like one she has done for Annie--

Nancy recieved [sic] a letter from home saying that her brother James wounded at Chattanooga, in the bowels--ball not extracted--was not likely to recover & her father would start to see him Monday.

Thursday, December 10, 1863

Rosa Roberts came to help us until Nancy is better.

A letter from Ephe [unreadable] he is going to Cleveland thence to Knoxville, Tenn.

Wednesday, December 9, 1863

Nancy suffered severely all night and cannot leave her room today.

Emiline spends the day.

Mrs. Francy helped about the ironing.

Tuesday, December 8, 1863

Pleasant today.  Mr. Allen is putting a new hearth stone in our dining room.

Emeline McClure here to stay all night.

Nancy sprained her foot badly this evening.

We sent bed ticks, sheets, comforts &c on to Hocking to be made for Railroad hands.

Monday, December 7, 1863

Kate and the children went to Marietta & William has gone to Cincinnati to spend the week.  He has charge of building the M&C Railroad from Loveland to Cincinnati.

Kate made purchases at Bosworth & Wells’ of materials for bedding for wood-cutters.

Sunday, December 6, 1863

All went to church but Lucy & I -- George is here spending the Sabbath.

Saturday, December 5, 1863

We were very thankful & happy to get a few lines from Ephe to night written on the 26^th after the battle.  

A letter received to day may give a new coloring to the life of one member of our family.

Lucy came down to spend the sabbath here.

Peggy's comments:

I am curious about the contents of the letter--and to whom the letter was addressed--which may give a new coloring to the life of one member of our family.

Friday, December 4, 1863

Lizzie called on Mrs. G. W. Bailey.  The Commercial has a list of killed & wounded at Chattanooga.  James P. Carlin, Nancy’s brother, is wounded.

Longstreet who has been besieging Burnside at Knoxville Tenn., assaulted Fort Saunders but was repulsed with great slaughter and has retreated from before Knox.

Thursday, December 3, 1863

A very pleasant day.  Mrs. Burgess invited us all up to eat a “turkey dinner” with them.  Rev. J. S. Poage was there.  I did not go on account of rheumatism.

William brought from town letters from Ephe written just before the battle of Chattanooga.  We are very anxious to be assured of his safety.  He was under Gen. H. Ewing and was certainly in the fight.  O the weary waiting for news--

Peggy's comment:

More information about the battle at Chattanooga, Tennessee here.

Wednesday, December 2, 1863

Nancy & I have cleaned my room nicely to-day & moved the furniture so as to admit Annie’s bed for the winter.

Peggy's comment:

Annie Cutler is the 10 year old daughter of William (Julia's brother) and Lizzie Cutler.

Sarah and Annie Cutler

Tuesday, December 1, 1863

Young Ellenwood came for flower & evergreens to decorate the coffin of Mrs. Scott’s oldest daughter, ten years old, who died suddenly while sitting in her chair yesterday.  Had been troubled with rheumatism.