Saturday, Jan. 18

Rained again last night.  Some water in Kate's flower pit.  A disagreeable rainy day.  Lucy almost sick with headache. I finished a winter scene in India ink:  "Sheep Feeding" by Birket Foster.  John salted the pork.  The fire which we saw last night at Parkersburg destroyed six or eight frame houses and came near burning the N. W. V. R.R. Depot in which a quantity of Government stores were deposited.  Several families were burned out; houseless on a cold night.


Peggy's comments:
Birket Foster was a popular artist from Great Britain who specialized in gentle, country scenes. His media were water color and engraving.  Here's more information about Foster:  http://www.victorianweb.org/painting/foster/index.html
and a link to one of his watercolors:  http://www.victorianweb.org/painting/foster/drawings/1.html

Regarding the RR station:  The B&O Railroad line from Baltimore arrived in Parkersburg in 1857, and until the railroad bridge was built over the Ohio River, the city was a terminal from which all supplies and passengers had to be taken across by ferry or steamboat to connect with the Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad.  (http://www.electricearl.com/parkersburg/railroad.html)


A railroad bridge across the Ohio River at Parkersburg was authorized by Congress in 1861 but was not completed until after the Civil War.  http://bridgehunter.com/wv/wood/parkersburg/
Before that time, passengers coming from the east would disembark the train at Parkersburg in western Virginia, board a steamer or ferry and be transported by water to Marietta where they could continue their train travel on the Marietta & Cincinnati Rail Road (William Cutler was an officer of that line).

B&O steam engine in Parkersburg
(from http://einhornpress.com/ParkersburgHistory.aspx)

Friday, Jan. 17

Lucy came down on this evening train to remain until Monday.  She brought letters from Rufus who got back to Camp Arlington safely just two hours before his furlough expired, had been recognized as Senior Captain by his Colonel and appointed one of the executives (I believe it is) committee of the regiment.  Ephe writes from Camp Diamond that his regiment lacks but 20 men of being full.  They have orders to hold themselves in readiness to move and not to allow a man or officer to leave camp.


Peggy's comments:
Confirmation of imminent troop movement seems to be confirmed by letters from Julia's two nephews who were officers for the Union.

Saturday Dec. 7

Maggie expected a party from town to spend the day.  They disappointed her.  Kate and Lucy and little Annie there to dinner.  Mr. Wakefield came with William on the cars.  He will preach tomorrow.  Lucy and Maggie went up on the evening train.


Peggy's comments:
Maggie is Lizzie Cutler's sister who lived with their mother, Mrs. Burgess.  Maggie was 26 years old in 1861.

Saturday Nov. 30

Finished a letter I have been writing to Jane.  Snow on the ground and the trees look beautiful in their feather robes.  William went to Marietta and got us a variety of "little notions", conveniences for the winter.  He got lamps and coal oil which we are going to burn this winter by way of experiment.  Lucy came home with him.


Peggy's comments:
Jane Dawes Shedd was Julia's niece (and the sister of Kate, Lucy, Rufus and Ephraim Dawes).  She married in 1859 and immediately left for Persia with her missionary husband.  They would spend most of the next 31 years there.

Coal oil (kerosene) was distilled in large quantities in 1856 and tin lamps were introduced.  Because of widespread railroads, lamps and coal oil could be shipped efficiently.  I'm not positive that the lamp in this ad is exactly like the one William brought home for experimentation.  I found several old ads through a Google search that advertised their lamps as being non-exploding.  Wow!

Saturday Nov. 16

Lucy came down on the cars and sister Sarah returned this morning to Marietta.  Lucy has been painting in water colors -- rosebuds.  Ephe came on the evening train and Lucy went to town with him.  He had heard of the alarm at Marietta and came home to see after his friends.  Col. Craig has been appointed Military Commandant at Marietta.  He has two companies entrenching themselves in the narrows below the mouth of the Muskingum where they have two cannon mounted.  The Adjutant Gen. Buckingham ordered another cannon in from Chillicothe, and Col. Pond with six hundred men came down fro Zanesville.  A lady, Mrs. Lovell, just from Charleston who is well acquainted with Jenkins and his secession friends says he has vowed to burn Gallipolis at all hazards and Marietta if he can.  Forewarned it is best to be forearmed.  This Jenkins is an ex-member of Congress.  He owns a valuable estate on the banks of the Ohio, raising on it some years 100,000 bushels of corn.  He is now at the head of a troop of cavalry 800 strong with whom he has been waging a guerrilla warfare upon his union neighbors in western Virginia and now threatens southern Ohio.  God has mercifully kept the war from us higherto.  We can but trust Him for the future.  Mr. Scott, our preacher, came on the cars and spends the night with us.  W. W. Peabody sent William a box with a dozen quails.


Peggy's comments:
A rambling post from Julia today, recording the comings and goings of her sister, niece and nephew.

Albert Jenkins is the ex-member of Congress to whom she refers.  He was a Democrat from Virginia who resigned his seat in Congress when Virginia seceded.  Read more about him here. 

Albert Jenkins

Thursday Oct. 24

Lizzie went to Marietta with her mother on a visit.  Mr. Burgess and Mr. Brice called.  I went with the children nutting.  William had John climb the trees and eat off the nuts.  George also was along and gathered some excellent Hill grapes.  Pleasant day.
Lucy came down to spend the night.  She brought a letter from Rufus who is now in McDowells Division.  The Wisconsin Sixth is in Virginia near Arlington Heights.  He says they work hard.  He considers the grand reviews a great bore.  The last one, of King's brigade to which his regiment belongs was attended by Secretary Seward.  Prince de Joinville and Lord Lyons.  


Peggy's comments:
Lizzie, William Cutler's wife, had grown up living near the Cutler's Old Stone House.  Her mother, Mrs. Burgess, still lived nearby with Lizzie's stepfather Dyer Burgess.

Rufus Dawes, Julia's nephew, wrote frequently throughout his service during the war, and used the letters and his journals to write Service with the Sixth Wisconsin Volunteers, which was published in 1890.

Saturday, Oct. 19

We are anxious to hear from Rufus.  His brigade we find from the newspapers, is now in M'Dowell's division and is at Vienna.  A battle has been expected for several days, but the rebels do not seem anxious to fight.  We get no letters now.  Ephe came home unexpectedly on the evening train on a furlough until Tuesday.  He looks very well and seems to be in good spirits.  The regiment is filling up slowly but he thinks it will will succeed, hopes it will be full in two weeks.  Unexpected difficulties have occurred to retard the increase of numbers.  Sarah and Lucy went home with Ephe shortening their visit here.


Peggy's comments:
Rufus was still near Washington, DC at Arlington Heights.  Reading his book Service with the Sixth Wisconsin Volunteers, I find no evidence that he sent to Vienna to the Battle of Ball's Bluff which occurred October 21,1861.

Ephe Dawes, Rufus's brother, was the Adjutant of the 53rd Ohio Volunteers.  The regiment needed to reach a quota before it was accepted and assigned into service.

Lucy was Ephe's sister and Sarah was his mother.

Friday, Oct. 18

Mr. Israel Waters was here to dinner.  Sarah and Lucy came on the evening train.  They will stay till Monday.  
Much is said about the sufferings of our troops in the mountains of Virginia for want of blankets, overcoats, and comfortable clothing.  I hope the accounts are exaggerated, but it seems they are fast becoming unfit for service, on account of exposure to the cold rains which produce sickness, typhoid fever &c.  When I think what careful nursing and careful attention was necessary for William's recovery, I wonder any of the poor soldiers get well, neglected as they are.  It is said that in Gallipolis alone there are five hundred sick, sent back from Rosecrans' army.  They have also been sent to Cincinnati.  Those in the Marine Hospital were shamefully treated but the citizens are investigating the matter.  A number have been sent to Camp Dennison, where it is hoped they will be cared for.  The Secretary of War, Gen. Cameron is now in Ohio--he has been at St. Louis.  
It is said that the President has decided to remove Gen. Fremont from the command of the Western Department.  I am sorry for I like Fremont, but we are told that the relations between the Government and Fremont are such as to render the change absolutely necessary.  We are told that the President is Commander-in-Chief and must have entire control of his subordinates, and the people are asked to trust his knowledge and discretion.


Peggy's comments:
Sarah Dawes (Julia's older sister) and Sarah's daughter Lucy lived in Marietta--only 6 miles away.

General Fremont caused a great deal of concern for Lincoln.  His goals and actions did not always coincide with the President's goals.  To read an interesting appraisal of Fremont's actions, go here.

Saturday Oct. 12

Lucy went home this morning.  She expects to resume her school next Monday.  We shall miss her very much.  Mr. Graves, the engineer was here to see William about the Tunnel work.  Maggie and Miss Hanna Temple called this evening.


Peggy's comments:
Lucy is Julia's niece.

The reference to the "Tunnel" work refers to the Tunnel Station of the Marietta and Cincinnati Rail Road.

Maggie Voris is Lizzie Cutler's sister.  Maggie lived nearby with their mother, Mrs. Burgess.

Friday Oct. 11

Lucy came home this morning on the cars but went p to Mrs. Burgess' to dinner.  Theodore McClure is sick near Paducah, Kentucky.  He is in the army.

Thursday Oct. 10

The papers state that Gen. Lee had retired some twenty miles back into the country east of Cheat mountains where Gen. Reynolds is posted.  There is a rumor that New Orleans is in the hands of the Federal troops, but it lacks confirmation.  It is known that a fleet of our vessels are in the neighborhood and have taken possession of Paducah, Kentucky.  Forty thousand rebels are advancing toward that place.  Lucy went down to Mrs. McClure's to spend the night.

Wednesday Oct. 9

I called on Mrs. W. D. Bailey.  Mrs. M. B. Shipman came down and I gave her several monthly and moss roses.  Lizzie and Lucy went to spend the day with Mrs. Charles Dickey.  She learned to make frames ornamented with gravel stones.  They are quite pretty.  The frame is covered with glue on which the pebbles are placed and mustard seed sprinkled between.  After being well dried the whole is varnished over.

Tuesday Oct. 8

Ephraim started this morning on the train for Camp Diamond near Jackson.  God keep him uncontaminated by the vices which attend armies and safe in life and limb.  It seems hard to have him go but he has decided to do so.  May God abundantly bless him.  He expected to cast his first vote on his way to the depot.  This is election day.  The Republicans and Union Democrats united on a ticket taking their candidates from all the old parties.  The Union candidate for Gov. is David Tod a loyal Democrat.  
The weather is fair again.  Lucy and I went to the point and made a few more purchases and got our daguerreotypes taken and ordered the omnibus to take us to the cars at five o'clock.  So, getting our bundles ready we came home on the evening train.  We found Mr. Douglas Putnam and Rev. M. Merwin on the cars, both coming down to see William.  Mr. Merwin spent the night.

Peggy's comments:
Ephraim Dawes, Julia's nephew is beginning his service with the 53rd Ohio.  The election was for Governor and for the General Assembly in Ohio.  I find the merging of political parties quite fascinating.  Here's a bit of information from Ohio History Central :




"By the end of the decade, the Democratic Party, as well as the nation as a whole, was being divided along regional lines. In the Election of 1860, the Democratic Party split into the Northern Democratic Party and the Southern Democratic Party. Tod was one of Ohio's delegates to the Northern Democratic national convention in 1860, and he ultimately served as chairman of the convention. He was instrumental in assuring Stephen Douglas's nomination as the Northern Democratic presidential candidate in the Election of 1860. Republican Abraham Lincoln won the presidency, and the nation soon was at war. Rather than join with the Peace Democrats in opposing the war, Tod chose to become part of the Union Party, a new party consisting of pro-war Democrats and Republicans, and supported Lincoln's administration. As a result, the Union Party chose Tod as its gubernatorial candidate in 1861. Tod easily defeated Democrat Hugh J. Jewett and became the state's governor in 1862."


In addition to the election of David Tod as Governor, the General Assembly also election representatives.  
     Senate:  26 Republican/Union Democrats
                        8 Democrats
     House:  74 Republican/Union Democrats
                    23 Democrats


I've recently discovered a Business Directory for Marietta for 1860.  Julia probably had her daguerrotype taken at Cadwalader's.  Other businesses included several dry goods stores, watchmakers, shoe makers, tailors, druggists, tobacco stores, saddle makers, clothin for gents, glass & queensware shops, leather shops, a churn & furniture store, milliners, books & stationers.  There was even an "ice cream saloon"! 

Monday Oct. 7

Still raining.  We are all busy fixing Ephraim's things.  He is going tomorrow to Camp Diamond to enter upon his duties as adjutant of the 53" regiment.  He received his appointment of first lieutenant from Gov. Dennison a few days ago with directions to report himself to Col. Appler immediately.  He put on his uniform today and looks quite soldierly.  He had his likeness taken which is good.  And has been arranging his matters to leave, making farewell calls &c.  He went down on the evening train to say goodby to Kate, Uncle William &c.  Mrs. Gates called.  She has knit Ephe a pair of socks.  Lucy has arranged and packed all his things.  He is very nicely fixed.


Peggy's comments:
Ephraim Dawes, Julia's nephew,  has received his appointment from the Governor of Ohio.  Here he is, looking "quite soldierly".

Ephraim Cutler Dawes

From her entry, I assume that Julia is still visiting in Marietta and that Ephraim has taken the cars to visit Uncle William Cutler at the Old Stone House near Constitution.  

Mrs. Gates is Betsey Gates, the mother of Mary Gates and Charley Gates.  The Gates family lived in Marietta and were friends of the Cutler and Dawes families.  As a matter of fact, Rufus Dawes, Ephraim's older brother who is serving with the Sixth Wisconsin Volunteers near Washington, DC, would soon begin writing to young Mary Gates.

Saturday Oct. 5

I went with Lucy on the cars to Marietta.  It was nearly a year I think since I was there.  I thought of Henry who used to be there on my former visits.  They have quite a number of Persian curiosities which I had not seen.  After dinner Lucy and I went down to the Point shopping.  We got some very pretty pictures at Clines, also some patterns for flower painting.  Mrs. Buell called.  It rained in the evening.  Rev. Mr. Scott went down to our house tonight.  He is going to preach tomorrow in Warren.


Peggy's Comments:
Marietta was about 6 miles northeast from where Julia lived.  The cars she refers to are Rail Road cars that ran along the Ohio River from Marietta past where the Cutlers lived.  Here's a sketch of the area from an old map:

Warren Township, Ohio

The Marietta and Cincinnati Rail Road primarily ran east-west between Marietta and Cincinnati.  A little spur came down past the Cutler's Stone House (William P. Cutler was V. President of the Rail Road) so when Julia writes that someone has come down on the cars, she is referring to the railroad cars that came down on this set of tracks.  The Cutler's mailing address was Constitution, Ohio and they picked up their mail from the Constitution Post Office.   They attended church nearby and could buy dry goods in Constitution or at Scott's Landing.  Bigger shopping excursions required a trip to Marietta.

It is somewhat surprising to me that Julia hadn't made the 6 mile trip to Marietta, Ohio in over a year.  When she had last been there, her nephew Henry Dawes had been alive, practicing law there.  He became ill and died in August of 1860. (Sarah Cutler Dawes, Julia's older sister had 6 children:  

• Kate  (lived with Julia and the Cutlers in the Old Stone House)
• Henry (had been an attorney in Marietta until his death in 1860 at age 28)
• Lucy (unmarried, Lucy lived in Marietta and taught school)
• Jane (married Rev. John Shedd, a Presbyterian minister, they moved to Persia in 1859)
• Rufus (in 1861, he was a Captain of Company K in the Sixth Wisconsin Volunteers.  Rufus had been working for his father in Wisconsin when Lincoln's call for volunteers came out and so raised a company there, rather than in his native Ohio.)
• Ephraim  (a recent graduate of Marietta College, Ephraim helped his family including his Uncle William Cutler.  He had just enlisted in the 53rd Ohio Volunteers)

On October 5, 1861, I believe Julia was visiting her sister Sarah and Sarah's daughter Lucy.  The reference to "Persian curiosities" is to items from Jane Dawes Shedd, another of Sarah's daughters, who had been a missionary in Persia for some years.  Some of these curiosities have been passed down in the family.

Tuesday Oct. 1

The water has begun to fall.  A great deal of valuable lumber (from head waters probably) has been carried down with the drift.  Our neighbors have made a good business of catching it and are busy today with their teams securing it.  The rise was unprecedented at this tie of year, rising from 18 to 20 feet in 24 hours.  Kate and Lucy went to town today on the morning train.  They wish to prepare Ephraim's things for his prospective campaign.  May God bless and keep him.  
Yesterday Mr. Burgess came down here quite alarmed.  He had a visit from a Virginia secessionist named Creel, who pretended to be a Union man and asked impertinent questions &c.  Lieut. Miller sent two of his soldiers to sleep there last night.
William has been riding a good deal today.  The weather is fine and he enjoys it very much.
Lucy and Kate came home on train.  Ephraim with them.  Brought me a nice blanket shawl costing nine dollars, which William very kindly gave me.  
Will M'Clure told the girls that he knew this Creel who was at Mr. Burgess yesterday.  His relatives are all secessionists but this man himself is an abolitionist and a union man, but very odd which accounts for his asking so many questions.  So . . . . . . [the next two lines have been scrubbed out with pencil.]


Old Mrs. Reppert died suddenly this morning in Harmar.  I sent Mrs. Graves a bouquet by Lucy today which she liked much, and a basket of grapes to Sarah.


Peggy's comments:
Family members helped prepare items useful to soldiers as they headed off for service.  Ephraim Dawes, much loved by his sisters Kate and Lucy, was no doubt well supplied.

Mr. Burgess was a retired Presbyterian minister, a rather flamboyant seventy-seven year old man who was the step-father of Lizzie Cutler (William's wife).  Mr. Burgess and Lizzie's mother lived on property that bordered the Cutler land.

Once again, something has been obliterated in Julia's original journal.  I speculate that she might have written something about  families who still lived in the area decades later and someone who had access to the journal (her niece Sarah Cutler?) may not have wanted Julia's comments to be made public.

According to an article by Kathy Dahlie on Civil War fashions, blanket shawls were the first women't fashions to be mass produced.  Plain or checked were popular for travel.  

Monday Sept. 30

This morning Ephe and Lucy came down on the cars.  The back-water is over the bridge, in the turnpike.  We sent a horse over for Lucy.  Ephe crossed on the fence.  William rode out today twice and felt the better for it.  The river very low when it began to rain Thursday.  The elm stump and log near our landing were then out of water, high and dry.  Today the water was nearly up to the buggy bed on the turnpike bridge.  It has risen a few inches this afternoon but is probably at a stand tonight.  I never remember so high a river in September.  
Today's Gazette states that the rebels have evacuated Munson's Hill near Washington, a strategic position which commanded the encamp of 60,000 of our troops.  Do they despair of taking Washington or is it a ruse to deceive M'Clellan and draw him into another Bull Run trap?  May He have wisdom and courage to direct him aright.  Perhaps the rebels contemplate some new move against Rosecrans or toward Kentucky and Cincinnati.  Gen. Mitchell who is now in command of the Department of Ohio is throwing up intrenchments on the hills near Cincinnati and it is said that he is desirous to collect a large army at that point.  Some Ohio regiments among them the 14" (Col. Steadman's) have been sent to Kentucky, which having by the actions of her legislature, thrown off her neutrality is now ranged on the side of Government.  Federal troops have been sent there to protect Union men and to repel the rebel forces which are in possession of Bowling Green and other points.  There will be stirring times in Kentucky.  
Fremont is still denounced by many.  I think meanly and unjustly.  I hope he may have an opportunity to silence his enemies.  His position in Missouri is a difficult one.  Now he has taken the field.  May He who directs all things, and without whose blessing it is vain to fight, give him the victory.


Peggy's comments:
Ephraim Dawes, Julia's nephew, is preparing for service with the Union army.  With William at last recovering from typhoid, Ephraim is not so needed at home.

The Old Stone House in which Julia and brother William and his family lived is no longer standing so it is difficult to picture the particulars that Julia describes.  Here is a painting of the Old Stone House:

The Old Stone House, Constitution, Ohio

Here is a map of Munson's Hill and an illustration and description of Munson's Hill from Harper's Weekly.

Fremont was a Union general who had issued a proclamation freeing slaves in Missouri.  This caused political difficulties for Lincoln who believed that Fremont had not only overstepped his authority but that his proclamation might tip Missouri toward the Confederacy.  In addition, the various regiments under Fremont's command in Missouri were not communicating well and appeared quite disorganized.

John C. Fremont

Saturday Sept. 28

Lucy and Marion went up to town on the cars this morning.  Three soldiers stopped at the well for water, and asked me for grapes.  I told them, "certainly" and they went out and helped themselves to Catawbas which are now ripe and good.  A few hours afterwards two other soldiers knocked and asked for grapes.  They said they looked so tempting and they did not now have a chance to have such things.  They belonged to the 36", Capt. Adney's company.  We asked them to come in and get some dinner, but they said, no, the grapes were sufficient.  On inquiry I found they went from Amesville.  One was a Wyatt.  He said their service in Virginia had comprised a good deal of hard marching.  Major Slemmer was severe but he had no doubt if called into battle he would put them through in good style.  
Still dull, cloudy weather.  Lizzie sent the soldiers a nice meat piece.

Catawba Grapes

Monday, Sept. 23

Lucy and little Sarah went up to town with Sarah and Marion.  Lt. Col. Clark and Major Andrews were here to dinner.  Major Andrews has been to Cincinnati by order of Gen. Rosecrans to purchase supplies for the 36" regiment (or as it is sometimes called the Cutler regiment", blankets, tents, &c.  He is in good spirits and speaks of their late expedition as "a grand, good time".  They expect to leave Parkersburg, that is, the four companies still there, will leave the latter part of this week to join Gen, Rosecrans at Somersville.  Col. Clark says Gen. Rosecrans has at least 40,000 men.  Capt. Moore and Mr. Tuttle here this evening on business.  Capt. Moore has been sick and had hard times in the service, severe marching and short rations.  Does not much like Slemmer.


Peggy's comments:
The Cutler women moved easily from the Old Stone House where Julia lived to Marietta, Ohio which was six miles away.  They seemed to frequently visit with each other and took care of one another.  Sarah Cutler Dawes was Julia's older sister and had been separated from her husband, Henry Dawes, for many years.  Lucy was one of Sarah's daughters who ran a school in Marietta.  Little Sarah was the daughter of William and Lizzie Cutler and was 5 years old in 1861.

Major Andrews had formerly served as a minister of the church that Julia Cutler attended.

Adam J. Slemmer  was a West Point graduate and also taught at West Point during the 1850s.

Sunday Sept. 8

Lucy and Kate went to meeting.  Bennet C. Bailey conducted services, an improvement over Mr. Deming.  William is comfortable today.


Peggy's comments:
Reading Julia's journal, I begin to see the pattern of her week.  Sundays generally were quite quiet with attendance at meeting and at Sabbath school.  Generally, she seemed to take great solace in these activities, although she had no patience for the sermons of Mr. Deming.