Tuesday, May 31, 1864

Lucy came on the evening train.  They have just heard that Charles Gates is very sick at Harper’s Ferry with pneumonia.  Mr. and Mrs. Gates were on the train going to him.

Peggy's comments:
Charles Gates, Mary Gates Dawes's 19 year old brother, had enlisted and was injured on the train derailment outside Marietta on May 23.

Monday, May 30, 1864

Gardening today.  Dr. Reigner & son & grandson came on some business with William.
Gen. Grant has re-crossed the North Anna, marched east & is safely across the Pamunky, thus avoiding an engagement with Lee while in his strong fortifications on the South Anna, and flanking him in such a way as to force him to abandon them.  A wise movement.

Sabbath, May 29 1864

Attended Sabbath school & preaching.  We are to have sacrament next Sabbath and preparatory lecture at two o’clock the Saturday preceding.

Peggy's comments:
Rufus wrote very frequently to his wife Mary.  Here is a portion of a letter written on May 29:

Two days and nights of incessant marching has placed us within seventeen miles of Richmond, the heart of the rebellion.  A glorious achievement!  The thousands of this army are full of admiration and gratitude for the man who has pushed back the rebel army thirty miles without a general battle.  The nearer we get to an investment of Richmond, the less we regard our danger of bloody fighting, and our men are intensely anxious to get forward as far as their legs without help of their muskets will carry them.  Our advance is now within fourteen miles of Richmond.  We are now waiting in line to move forward.

Saturday, May 28, 1864

Mrs. Leroy Dramar and Mrs. A. S. Bailey called on us.  Mr. Dramer whose house is in Morgantown West Virginia wishes to purchase a place below Marietta.  I wish he may do so.  They are pleasant & good people.  Mrs. Cutler went up to see her mother who is still feeble and Lizzie Poage who has been sick with mumps.  Marther Collville is gone to spend the Sabbath at Mr. M^cTaggarts.

While we deplore the great loss of life in late battles, and shudder at those yet to be fought, we cannot but hope & believe that progress is being made and God is blessing our army and giving them the victory.

Friday, May 27" 1864

Lizzie & litle Sarah went to town with William.  He came home on the 11 o’clock train and went back on the three o’clock, & brought them home on the cars in the evening.   Lizzie got Nancy a pretty black calico dress and gave her for helping do the papering.   Nancy & I worked at the entry all the time we could & nearly finished papering it.  An old man called and wanted to tell fortunes.  I told him No!  Our fortunes came to us fast enough.  So he went on.  Mrs. W. D. M^cClure returned Lizzie’s and my call.  Mr. A. S. Bailey called -- he was first Lieutenant in Co. K. 148 Regt National Guards but his Co. being consolidated with another, the Lieutenants were thrown out -- This Regiment is reported to be at Harpers Ferry.  Martha Colville who sews for us has a brother & several realties in Col. Moore’s Regiment.

Ephe is twenty four years old to-day.  How little we expected for him such a life of peril as he is now enduring.  Our heavenly Father has mercifully preserved both him & Rufus hitherto -- may they both be kept unharmed to the end.  Sister Sarah sent down to me a letter just recieved from him.  He passed safely through the battle of Resaca Ga.  His regiment lost 47 killed and wounded and were very highly complimented by Generals Lightburn & Smith.  He writes that they were “perfectly wild with enthusiasm”.  Sherman’s advance into Georgia has been thus far a perfect success.  Ephe is in Lightburn’s Brigade, Morgan L. Smith’s Division & in M^cPherson’s Corp.  Ephe’s horse was shot under him.

Thursday, May 26" 1864

I received a letter from Kate.  She is very anxious about her brothers in the army, as we all are.  Mr. M^cLean has gone to the battlefield sent by the Christian Commission of Pittsburg.  He has a son in a Pennsylvania regiment in the army of the Potomac.  Mrs. W. D. & Mrs. B. C. Bailey here at prayer meeting.  Grant’s army are across the North Anna.

Kate Dawes McLean

Ephraim Cutler Dawes

Rufus R. Dawes

Rufus wrote to his wife:

Line of Battle, May 26th, 7 A. M.

The hot firing of yesterday has died down this morning to only about ten or twelve shots a minute.  We are confronting the enemy precisely as at Spottsylvania, when your father visited me, except that our lines of battle approach each other more nearly.  It is raining steadily.  I have a little shelter tent with logs piled up at the end toward the enemy to stop bullets, and I lie on the ground as I write.  I presume General Grant will not make an assault upon the enemy in their entrenchments.  They get stronger in men as we get nearer Richmond, and their works are probably as elaborately prepared as those at Spottsylvania.  Our battle on Monday evening at Jericho Ford is probably as severe and general as any that will be fought on this line.  The repulse of Butler has a material bearing upon the situation here. 

Wednesday, May 25, 1864

William got home to-day.  It is a time of great anxiety with us for our dear friends in the army.  Rufus under Grant is almost daily in battle, his Division General, Wadsworth, killed in the battle of the Wilderness, friend after friend falling at his side.  In such imminent long continued & constant peril God alone can keep him.  Ephe is with Sherman in Georgia nearly every paper tells of battles fought & victories gained there.  They are moving upon Atlanta which is about 140 miles from Chattanooga, the rebel Gen. Johnston disputing their progress.

Peggy's comments:

Julia had good reason to be concerned for Rufus's safety.  Rufus writes to his wife:

Battle of the North Anna, Line of Battle, May 25th, 1864

We are again closing our lines for a desperate battle.  The bullets clip through the green leaves over my head as I lie behind the breastwork writing.  I have had no full night's sleep since May 7th, when I took command of the regiment.  Day after day, and night after night we have marched, fought and dug entrenchments; I have not changed my clothing since May third.  We have not seen, and seldom communicated with our wagon train.  I have not composure to write, as the bullets are coming so thickly through the limbs, and some poor wounded soldiers are near me. 

Tuesday, May 24, 1864

Mrs. Dawes & I went down to the scene of the disorder on the R. R.  Saw the broken cars -- blood, &c.

Looking over old papers with Mrs. Dawes.  Heavy rain after dinner but stopped in time for Mrs. Dawes and myself to go to town on three o’clock train.  I went to Miss Brigham’s the dressmaker’s and tried on my dress, then called at Mr. Gates’ and saw Mary who is suffering great anxiety about Rufus.  I then took tea at Mrs. Dawes’ and went with Lucy to the Point and then over to the depot and home again by evening train.

I took up to Marietta a watch which Charles Gates left at Mrs. M^cClure’s for his mother.  It had been injured by the accident to the cars.  I left it with Mary.

Monday, May 23, 1864

Nancy wakened me this morning & told me that Col. Moore’s Regiment passed down just before daylight -- that the cars were thrown from the track near M^cClure’s and several killed and wounded.  The Colonel sent Clark Christopher for William requesting him to come down to the scene of the disorder immediately.  I saw Martha running down the road -- she has a brother & other friends there, and could only hope they were safe.  We afterwards learned that three were killed, a soldier named Stukey who lived above Marietta and two students, John H. M^cKim of Colville, and Alex. Nugget of Franklin Pa.  These young men had got on the train to go with the Regiment as far as Belpre.  Andrew Harvey of Barlow had his leg broken and a young Hildebrandt of Marietta was somewhat injured.

The engineer Pierce Morse was one of the best on the road -- I suppose no human skill could prevent the accident which resulted from the heavy rains causing the track to slip under the weight of the engine.  This track is to be abandoned & one adopted farther up the hill on better ground.  The tender & four or five cars were thrown off only one of which, & that the forward one, was smashed up.  This sad event has cast a shadow over every heart.  William spent the forenoon doing all he could.  Mr. Harvey, whose leg had been set by the surgeons of the regiment, Dr’s Beebe and Culver, suffered so much after they left with the soldiers, who marched down to Parkersburg; that William sent for Dr. Frank Hart who said that the ankle was dislocated & that there was a compound fracture of the bone.  Mr. Harvey was taken to Mrs. M^cClure’s & finally in the mail train which did not start much before twelve o’clock, to his home in Barlow.  The body of Mr. M^cKim was taken charge of by Mr. Charles D. Cook to be conveyed to Cobleville and the bodies of Nugget & Stukey were sent to Marietta by an extra train.

William went to Chillicothe.  Mrs. Dawes came down on the evening train.  Lee is said to be retreating from Spotsylvania.  Grant having made a successful flanking movement.  

Peggy's comments:

Mary Gates Dawes's nineteen year old brother, Charles Gates, was on the train and was injured in the derailment.  He had enlisted with the Hundred Day men in the 148th Ohio.  Though injured, he was unwilling to turn back and he proceeded with his regiment towards Harper's Ferry.

Sabbath, May 22, 1864

No entry.

Saturday, May 21. 1864

Mrs. Cutler’s little Sarah went to spend the day at the Burgess’s.  Lucy, Miss Mary C. Nye, and Bettie Gates came & returned on the accommodation train taking dinner here.  Sarah came home at once to play with Bettie & Mrs. Cutler after diner.  Miss Nye brought me a beautiful boquet of “lilies of the valley” and promised us some more of the same to place on dear little Annie’s grave next fall.

Peggy's comments:
While the war wages on in Virginia and Georgia, Julia's writes most frequently about the family life at home.  News was infrequent and often confusing.  

On May 21, Rufus Dawes was moving toward North Anna with Grant and the Army of the Potomac and his brother, Major Ephraim Dawes, was marching with Sherman toward Atlanta.  

Ephraim writes:

On this campaign we have no tents.  Field officers are permitted to take only what they can carry on their horses.  Our marching order has just come in.  We start Monday, the 23rd.  The order says, "take twenty days' rations of hard bread, coffee, and salt, and expect to be independent of the railroad" for that time.  We will meet and defeat the rebel army somewhere between here and Atlanta.           We have a large and well appointed army well officered and in better spirits than I ever saw an army in my life.  The railroad trains from Chattanooga, ran to Kingston as soon as the army reached there.  Next Friday [May 27] is my twenty-fourth birthday; perhaps we will have another fight by that time.  Colonel Jones has just sent up the official report of the regiment at Resaca.  In it he was kind enough to say:  "Major Dawes, whose coolness and courage did much to inspire the men, is worthy of particular mention."

Ephraim Cutler Dawes

Friday, May 20, 1864

More soldiers passed down on the cars.  Mrs. Bailey is quite sick.  I sat with her two hours this afternoon -- am afraid she will have a settled fever.  She has just heard the particulars of death of her brother in law,  Rev. Mr. Maddox who has been under Military arrest nearly a year, and lately died at Camp Chase.  He was a Virginian and his proclivities were all Southern.  Still after his first arrest he took the oath of allegiance and there does not appear to have been any sufficient cause for his second arrest and imprisonment.  There are doubtless some cases where individuals suffer hardship and injustice.

Peggy's comments:

The bloody battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House were drawing to a close.  Rufus again wrote to his wife Mary Gates Dawes:

Line of Battle near Spottsylvania, May 20th, 1864

Who should come riding to the battle front but your good father.  I saw him for only a few moments, but I was greatly rejoiced and encouraged.  His visit did me more good than I can tell you, and for him to come to the front was an undertaking of no little peril, as it proved.  He barely escaped getting into a battle, but he is all right at Fredericksburgh.  I sent Philip Gaubatz with him and he is back.

Our hearts were rejoiced also this morning at receiving our mail.  I got five letters from you.  I will not try to write how burdens are lightened and how life comes back.  I find (by the mail,) that the Wisconsin State Agent telegraphed to Wisconsin that I was killed and my body burned.  I saw many bodies burning (at Laurel Hill), in the brush between the lines, set on fire by burning wads from the muskets.

I was very much alarmed about your father.  The battle was on the road to Fredericksburgh, directly in our rear.  The rebels attacked us.  This does not look like Lee was entirely defeated, does it?  (General B. S. Ewell commanded the troops of the enemy in this action and portions of the second and fifth corps and General Tyler's foot artillerists were engaged on our side).  The enemy are probably re-enforced, and I do not believed General Grant will again attack them in their entrenched position.  Your letters came to me truly when I was 'sick with the horrors of war.' 

 

 

Thursday, May 19, 1864

I papered the fire boards today.

Prayer Meeting here this afternoon.  Mrs. W. D. Bailey and Miss Emeline M^cClure present.

Resaca was a hard fought battle.  The 53^d suffered severely.  We anxiously await particulars.  

Peggy's comments:

In addition to worrying about nephew Rufus Dawes who was fighting with the Army of the Potomac at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania in Virginia, Rufus's brother Ephraim Dawes was marching towards Atlanta with General Sherman.  He fought in the battle of Resaca.

Rufus wrote to his wife:

Line of Battle near Spottsylvania Court House, May 19th, 7 A. M., 1864

We are occupying the extreme right of our army and we are strongly entrenched.*  The battle will be to our left unless the enemy attack us.  It is impossible to conjecture when this campaign will end or what will be the result.  The country, as usual, has been unduly exultant.  This campaign has been by far the most trying I have known.  We have had eight days and nights of constant toil and battle.  Colonel Bragg does well with his Pennsylvania Brigade.  General Cutler commands our division since  General Wadsworth was killed.  We hope to get our first regular mail to-day since May 2nd.  I look for it very anxiously.  One man says I have been reported killed in all the papers and another man says I have not been and that he has seen all the lists.

* Rufus later thought that this was an error as there were other troops on their right. 

Wednesday, May 18, 1864

Mrs. Sarah C. Dawes came on the accommodation train & returned home at 3 o’clock.  She brought with her several intersting documents & papers from among Gen. Rufus Putnam’s papers.  Some of which she wishes me to copy.

Headache all day.  Letters from Martha Carter inclosing a pretty photograph of Julia Farmstead, my little namesake.

Gen. Sherman captured at Resaca 1000 prisoners and eight guns.  It is said that 20,000 of our wounded in the late battles in Virginia have left Belle Plain for Washington.

Peggy's comments:

Rufus Dawes wrote to his wife Mary on May 18:

Line of Battle near Spottsylvania Court House, May 18th 8 A. M. 1864 

Alive and well this morning.  There has been sharp fighting to our right, indeed there is heavy skirmishing along the whole line as I write.  I have heard that your father is at Fredericksburg.  It is impossible to communicate with him.

Tuesday, May 17, 1864

I wrote to Kate and so did little Sarah.  

Our anxiety about our friends in the Army is very great.  Lucy came in the evening.  She had letters from Mr. Gates who is in Washington.  He has seen & conversed with wounded men from the 6^th Wisconsin who told him that Rufus had shown his usual coolness & valor.  On the second day’s fight when Warren’s corps were repulsed and the new recruits of the 6^th faltered, and the flag was being borne back, Rufus seized the flag and in the face of a heavy fire from the enemy planted it with his own hands in advance of the regiment and rallied his men & thus brought them into line and kept them there.

Peggy's comment:

Rufus Dawes wrote to his wife Mary Gates Dawes:

Line of Battle, May 17th, 1864, 6 A. M.

I have to be thankful for another day of life and safety.  There was no considerable fighting anywhere along the line yesterday.  There was an order this morning that the artillery throughout the whole line should open on the enemy and I heard the bugles sounding at daybreak, but the fog is so thick now they can not do anything.  The loss of the regiment as near as I can now arrive at is, sixteen killed, one hundred and nineteen wounded, and fourteen missing.  Most of our missing men are now known to be wounded and some are killed. I have commanded the regiment since leaving the Wilderness on the seventh of May.  The enemy in our front are in plain view.  Spottsylvania Court House is directly in our front.  Day after day we stupidly and drearily wait the order that summons us to the fearful work. 

Monday, May 16, 1864

Nancy and I papered the sitting room -- it looks very nicely.

The accommodation train on the Union road began to run to-day.  It goes down about 11 o’clock in the morning and up again at three o’clock P. M.  William went to Marietta & then to Belpre and was home again by the middle of the Afternoon.  There passed down two trains conveying a regiment of National Guards from Camp Dennison to Parkersburg from whence they proceed to Washington.  Belonging to this regiment was cousin Mason D. Parker.  He is a teacher of one of the principal schools in Cincinnati, and the company to which he belongs is almost entirely composed of city teachers.  Another cousin Eben. Parker a lawyer in Millford is Adjutant of a regiment which passed over the road a few days ago.


Peggy's comments:

Rufus Dawes wrote again to his wife, Mary Gates Dawes:

Line of Battle near Spottsylvania, May 16th, 9 A. M.

Last night we were ordered to charge the enemy's entrenchments, provided he attacked Burnside's corps on our right, but no attack was made and for the time being we were spared another scene of horrid butchery.  We know absolutely nothing of what is going on outside of our army or even within it.  We have had no newspapers since May 3rd, and get only a pitiful handful of mail for cooks, orderlies and lieutenants of staff at the various headquarters.   Put 'Headquarters First Brigade, Fourth Division, Fifth Corps,' on your letters and perhaps some may get through.

Rufus's father-in-law, Beman Gates, was in Fredericksburgh, VA, attempting to bring supplies and to discover information about Rufus.  He wrote to his wife, Betsey Gates, on May 16th from Fredericksburgh:

I walked from the Potomac here yesterday, the last four miles in a very severe rain and hail storm.  I am sick but hard at work.  The latest news from the front is that Rufus was well and safe Saturday P.M.  There was a report two days ago, that he was killed on Wednesday, but I have talked with M. Dempsey, First Lieutenant of company 'A', twenty-fourth Michigan, who left the front yesterday, and he says that on Saturday afternoon between two and three o'clock he saw Colonel Dawes and talked with him.  The Chaplain of the Twenty-fourth says that Dempsey is a reliable man.

You cannot conceive of the suffering here.  Every house, barn, and shed is a hospital, and although everything possible is done, the accommodations are imperfect.  The roads by the late rains are so cut up, that the transportation of the wounded men to the river is in many cases fatal.  The delay in receiving sanitary and hospital stores is very great.  It is impossible to get reliable information from the front.  Last night it was currently reported that Grant was falling back, and that General Warren's corps would be in Fredericksburgh.  This morning men from the front report that our general hospital was yesterday advanced to Spottsylvania, and that General Grant had issued a congratulatory order.  One hour we hear that Butler is in Richmond, and the next that he has been whipped.  We know almost nothing, except that on every hand are thousands of brave men suffering and dying.  The Sanitary and Christian commissions are doing a great deal, but their supplies cannot be got forward.  The stores that I started with are yet at Belle Plaine, but I hope will be got through to-day.  I send this to Washington by an Ohio man, who is going there with a wounded son, and he will mail it from there upon his arrival. 

 

Sabbath, May 15, 1864

Our Sabbath School contributed $10 for a communion service for one of the Mountain churches in Persia to be sent to Mr. Shedd by Mr. Coan.  Mr. Curtis in accordance with the President’s Proclamation, gave thanks for our successes against the rebels in Virginia, & asked the blessing of God upon the future efforts of our Army.  Mr. Curtis took tea here.

Peggy's comment:

Julia's niece, Jane Dawes Shedd was a missionary in Persia along with her husband, Rev. John Haskell Shedd.

This is Lincoln's Proclamation to which Julia refers:

Executive Mansion, Washington,

To the friends of Union & Liberty. May 9, 1864.

Enough is known of Army operations within the last five days to claim our especial gratitude to God; while what remains undone demands our most sincere prayers to, and reliance upon, Him, without whom, all human effort is vain. I recommend that all patriots, at their homes, in their places of public worship, and wherever they may be, unite in common thanksgiving and prayer to Almighty God. ABRAHAM LINCOLN

The above press release appeared in the newspapers on May 10, 1864.

Rufus Dawes was involved in the battle of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania.  On May 15 he again wrote to his wife, Mary Gates Dawes:

I find this morning that I am reported killed in the New York papers.  The report may be verified before this awful struggle is over, but I may still escape, and to have this unnecessary burden of trouble thrown upon you, is very trying.  I am almost prostrated with over exertion and with fighting, but alive and well, and feeling more hopeful.  Colonel Bragg is alive and well.  He has been published as killed, and is troubled lest the same shock has come to his wife.  I received your letter of the second of May last night.  I have had two letters since the first day of the battles.  Our army is fearfully exhausted and worn out.

Saturday, May 14th 1864

I received a letter from Clara to day.  They have all been sick since Eddie’s death.

George writes to John Kuntz that he has just received a letter stating that his twin brother William was killed in a fight near Little Rock.

The battle of Tuesday last May 10” is said to have been one of the bloodiest of the war -- a drawn battle -- in which our loss is estimated at from 7,000 to 10,000 men.  On the next day (Wednesday), Lee was driven from his fortifications, & many prisoners were taken, it is said over 4,000.  There had been terrible fighting in the Wilderness of Virginia for more than a week but the battle of the 11^th resulted in a glorious victory won by our soldiers & Lee is retreating South of Spotsylvania.  May Rufus be kept safely.

Peggy's comments:

Rufus wrote from the line of battle near Spottsylvania Court House on May 14 at 11 a.m. to his wife Mary Gates Dawes:

By the blessing of God I am still alive.  We have continued fighting and hardship since I wrote two days ago, beyond what I can now describe.  We charged upon the enemy's rifle pits again on Thursday, and were as usual driven back.  Thursday night, May 12th, we stood in mud over my boot tops, firing all night.  Yesterday, --13th,--we were under fire all day, and last night we marched all night.  I am troubled very much lest I have been reported killed in the New York papers.  The report was extensively circulated by one of my men.  I can never tell if I live through it, the sufferings of this campaign.  The army has earned the lasting gratitude of the people.  Do not give me up if you see me reported killed.  Such things are often mistakes.  The end is not yet, though, and I cannot avoid, my dear wife, saying that the probabilities of coming out safely are strongly against me.  If we may only finish this horrible business here, our lives are of poor moment in comparison.  The loss of my regiment now amounts to over one hundred and fifty men killed and wounded, many of our best and truest. 

Friday, May 13th, 1864

We have finished papering the old kitchen it looks very nicely.  Mrs. W. D. Bailey is sick with asthma, they sent for me & I went & staid an hour or so.

The dispatches received to-day say Grant was victorious Wednesday, and Lee retreating, terrible fighting & great loss of life.     More trains with National Guards passed down today.          John Kuntz got home to day from Indiana where he went two weeks ago to visit his sister lately come from Germany, whom he had not seen for seven years.  George Cutter told him that he had heard that his brother Lewis Cutter had not been seen or heard of since the capture of Steeles Wagon Train when the 77^th  and two or three other regiments were made prisoners.  Lewis believed to be either killed or captured.

Thursday, May 12th, 1864

Mrs. Terril is here helping clean house.  We have cleaned the old kitchen & whitewashed and cleaned the sitting room -- owing to the wetness of the weather, and the sickness of several of the “praying women” we had no prayer meeting to-day -- Henry O. M^cClure called, he is at home a few days, but starts tomorrow to rejoin the 36^th which is now in the Army of Kaneohe under Gen. Crook who was their first Colonel.  Henry M^cClure has for some months had command of Gen. Baird’s body guard consisting of 40 men.  He is brave, faithful & gentlemanly and well deserves promotion but does not expect to get it.   

Mr. Burgess was here to-day -- the maddest man I have seen lately.  Mr. W. D. Bailey’s geese had trespassed upon his premises, he pronounced Mr. Bailey a villain, a scoundrel, only fit for the penitentiary, totally without honor, &c, &c.    

Dr. Hart came to see Mrs. Cutler again this morning -- he thinks her better.

Wednesday, May 11th, 1864

Still rainy.  Dr. did not come to-day.

Peggy's comments:
On May 11, Rufus wrote to his wife Mary, but it would take several days before she received the letter.  

Line of Battle, May 11^th 1864 Through God’s blessing I am yet alive, and beside the fearful tax upon my energies, mental and physical, have nothing to complain of and everything to be thankful for.  For six long days we have been under the deadly musketry.  On the morning of May 5^th our brigade lost near eight hundered men; the same night a hundred more; the next moring two hundred more.  We marched all night to come here (7^th), and next day (8^th) we charged the enemy and were repulsed, and the next day (10^th), we twice attacked and were driven back, and every moment the balls, shot and shell have whistled around us.  Major Plummer, Captain Kellogg, Captain Converse, Lieutenant Pruyn and Lieutenant Graetz are in their graves.  Captain Remington, Lieut. Timmons and Lieut. J. L. Converse are wounded.  The perils of the last week have been fearful.  I cannot hope to pass thus safely through another such.  Colonel Bragg commanded a brigade of Pennsylvania troops and I have commanded the regiment since the second day.  Our loss in killed and wounded is about one hundred and forty men.  The batle must soon be renewed.  I cannot write now.  The frightful scenes of the last week make my heart almost like a stone. 

Tuesday, May 10th, 1864

A very heavy rain to-day.  We sent up by Lizzie Poage for Dr. Frank Hart.  He came to see Lizzie & said she had diphtheria, he brought an instrument by which he examined her lungs & heart.  He says there is no organic disease of the heart -- the fluttering being occasioned by the weakness of her nervous system.

Peggy's comments:  
William was in Chillicothe on railroad business.  He telegraphed home news of the battle six hours ahead of the time the newspapers would reach Marietta:

Morning papers contain lists of casualties among officers.  Rufus' name not among them.  General Wadsworth killed.  Lee retreating.  

Monday, May 9th 1864

William has gone to Chillicothe on Railroad business.  Lizzie complains of sore throat.  I fear she is going to have diphtheria.

Sabbath, May 8th 1864

Lucy is not well, she needs rest.  She has been outdoors most of the day.  The orchards are loaded with fragrant blossoms.

Mrs. Burgess is sick with erysipalis.  Mrs. Cutler has been with her all day.  Lucy & I went up in the evening & found her a little better, but still quite sick.

The National Guards have been called out for 100 days -- four trains of them going to West Virginia passed here to day.  William says about 2000 men.

Martha Colville is here sewing.  She came last Wednesday.  

Saturday, May 7th 1864

Mrs. Dawes went with me to Miss Brigham’s where I got my Hernanna(??) dress cut & fitted.  Left it there to be made.  We then walked up to Judge Putnam’s, made a long call.  Their grounds are very pleasant, surrounded by a well kept hedge of Osage orange.  Mrs. Putnam gave me a holly, & some Scotch broom.

Mrs. Dawes went with me to take tea with Mrs. Sala Bosworth who engaged us yesterday.  We called on Mrs. A. T. Nye who had called on me when I was out.  ?? Mrs. Hildreth, Mrs. Brigham & Mrs. Raskin, they called on Mrs. Bosworth’s.  I left Mrs. Dawes immediately after tea at Mr. Bosworth’s and went over to the Harmar depot & was soon joined by Lucy & William & arrived safely at home before dark.  There is reported a terrible battle between Grant & Lee last Tuesday -- no particulars given.

Peggy's comment:

The battle that Julia refers to came to be known as the battle of the Wilderness which took place in the dense woods west of Fredericksburg, Virginia.  Julia's nephew, Rufus Dawes, participated in the battles at the Wilderness, Laurel Hill, the Bloody Angle, and Spottsylvania.  In his book, Service with the Sixth Wisconsin Volunteers, Rufus writes:

On the early morning of May 4th, 1864, the grand column of the Army of the Potomac was on the march to cross the Rapidan, the fifth army corps in advance. At the head of our division rode General James S. Wadsworth, gray-haired and noble in his appearance and bearing, and grand in every element of character and manhood.  We crossed on the pontoon at Germania Ford, and marched into the Wilderness.  Word passed over the land that General Grant was moving, and with almost breathless anxiety our people awaited the result.  For days no word came from beneath the dark shadow, to relieve the almost agonized anxiety of my young wife.  It was known that there was desperate and incessant fighting, but it was wholly impossible to get particulars from the front.  Her kind father (Beman Gates) left his business and putting aside all else, came to Washington to get the first word possible from me, and to be at hand to aid me in case of need.  My uncle, Wm. P. Cutler, almost equally concerned, sent the first word of encouragement that reached my wife.

Friday, May 6th, 1864

Lucy is preparing a box to send to Jane in Persia -- dresses for herself & little Charlie.  They are also sending a book with 50 photographs mostly Marietta friends, this is from Rufus’ wife -- I tried to get my photograph for it but did not succeed.  I sent an ambrotype instead.  Mary Nye has called two or three times.  She is sending a package to Charlie.  Mrs. Dawes got her photograph, I think it is good.  William was here to dinner, he has just received a dispatch from Dr. Fulton saying that his wife Louisa (Cutler) Fulton is dead.  I am very sorry to hear this,  She was a lovely woman, far too good for him.

Mr. Wilson is here from New York & William came to meet hin,

I went shopping with Lucy.  Mrs. Dawes & I took tea with Mrs. Gates.  Mr. And Mrs. Bosworth were there.  Called with Mrs. Dawes in the evening on Mrs. F. Dodge, found her suffering from a sore eye.  Mrs. W. Andrews called.

Peggy's notes:

Julia mentions many people in this entry!  Here is information about some of them:

Lucy Dawes is Rufus Dawes's sister.

Jane is also a sister to Rufus, Lucy, and Ephraim.  Jane and her husband, Rev. John Shedd, had been serving as missionaries in Persia since 1859.  Their son, little Charlie, was three years old.

Rufus's wife is Mary Gates Dawes.

Mrs. Gates is Mary Gates Dawes's mother.

Mr. Bosworth was Sala Bosworth, a painter.  His wife was Mary Gates Dawes's aunt.

Thursday, May 5, 1864

Mrs. Dawes & I went to the “Perkins House” to see Mrs. Cone & her daughters they all seem very much prostrated by the care and sorrow attending the death of Mr. Cone.  I think they are comfortably established there.  They are going into the cultivation of onions.  I hope they may make it profitable.  Sarah Eliza Cone (who went last year to her father Geo. W. Cone in California) has married there.  Her husband’s name is Payne.  He is a machinist from New England.

I also called on Mrs. D. Tenney.  She was very pleasant and showed me many rare shells & curiosities.  Her garden and pit have many rare and pretty things.  Some of them were from our own garden.

Late letters from Ephe state that he was to leave Scotsboro Ala. for Chattanooga in light marching order--they do not know where they are to go next.  He is under Logan, 4^th Division 15” Army Corps.  

I went shopping with Lucy--met Mrs. Ralston & Mrs. David Putnam.

Wednesday, May 4, 1864

I went with Mrs. Dawes to Marietta.  We rode from Scott’s Landing to Harmar in a caboose which had no seats & of course we had to stand.  Mrs. Kramer, wife of Gen. Levy (?) Kramer was on the car, she is a very pleasant woman, her brother Henry Hutchinson who has been so long sick was also on, he looks very feeble.  Byron Repport & a Mr. Hamm also convalescent soldiers were with him.  They all look as if they had suffered.  Rode from Harmar across the Muskingum bridge to Mrs. Dawes’ on Fourth Street in the omnibus.  Mrs. Andrews called, also Mrs. Mary Dawes & Mrs. Gates &c.  Late letters from Rufus.  He was at Culpepper Court House Va with Grant.  He is in Warren’s Corps (5^th) Wadsworth’s Div (4”) & Cutler’s Brigade.

Tuesday, May 3d, 1864

Mrs. Dawes & I spent the day looking over old manuscripts.

Monday, May 2d, 1864

Mrs. Cutler went to Marietta to try on her dress at the dress makers.  Mrs. Dawes came home with her.

Sabbath, May 1, 1864

No entry.