Tuesday Aug. 16 1864

Wilcox went on the train this morning.  Maggie Voris spent the day here.  It rained hard in the afternoon.  Lizzie Poage came down to tea & got her feet very wet.  William took them home in the carriage.  Old Mrs. Butler (colored woman) was here & she brought some chickens, and recieved in return coffee, tobacco, a bundle of clothing -- and crinolines.  A Mar. Station Agent at Big Run here to stay all night. Train late.  Major Dawes came from town he says that Rufus obtained his discharge by especial order of Stanton, Secretary of War.  Earl Gorham who lived in Belpre, Smith of Decatur, & Joseph Clark of Belpre were killed by the explosion of an ammunition barge at City Point.  They were members of the 148” regiment, National Guards -- or Hundred day’s men.

Peggy’s Note:  The three men who were killed by the explosion of the ammunition barge at City Point were members of the regiment that had left Marietta in late May, 1864.  This is the same regiment to which Charley Gates (Mary Gates Dawes's brother) belonged.  Charley had never made it to the front; he died from injuries in the train accident that had occurred when the regiment left Marietta.