Thursday, Jan. 16

Sky has cleared and sun shines pleasantly.  Mr. and Mrs. Burgess called this afternoon.  Today's paper indicates important military movements begun.  The Burnside expedition has already salied some say to operate in North Carolina.  Others assert in Virginia.  Butler's expedition menaces New Orleans.  The Port Royal expedition has advanced to within a short distance of the city of Charleston.  Gen. Pope has been doing good service in Missouri capturing some 1500 of the enemy.  The aspect of affairs has improved in that region.


An expedition has already left Cairo to operate against Columbus, Ky. by land and water, under Gens. Grant and M'Clernaud.  A fleet of gun boats under the command of Foote is on the way to the scene fo action.  Gen'l Buell is ready for an advance on Bowling Green.  Gens. Rosecrans and Reynolds are to advance from Romeny to aid Gen. Banks who is probably to assist M'Clellan's army of the Potomac.  Thus it seems that several different points are to be attacked simultaneously and so the rebellion crushed.  By the blessing of God upon these measures we hope for success and that a just peace may soon be established.


Peggy's comments:
This entry shows how closely Julia read accounts in newspapers to follow the military movements.  And how fervently she hoped, as did many others, that the war would soon be over.

Tuesday, Dec. 10

Lizzie, William and I went to Mr. Burgess' to dinner, had a fine roast turkey.  Lucy came down on the evening train to spend the night.

Monday Dec. 9

Mr. Wakefield left this morning.  Kate went up to Mr. Burgess' and found Lizzie Poage sick with measles.


Peggy's comments:
Lizzie Poage was the young 13 year old granddaughter of Mrs. Burgess.  Lizzie's mother died shortly after Lizzie was born.

Friday Dec. 6

Another fine day.  Maggie and Mrs. Burgess called before breakfast.  William and Lizzie with the children have gone to take dinner with Mrs. Burgess.  Lucy came down on the evening train. Today's paper says Parson Brownlow with 3000 Union troops has gained a victory in east Tennessee.

Thursday Nov. 28

This is Thanksgiving day.  I awoke early and thought over the past year with its trials and its mercies.  Tried to thank God and take courage.  God has kept us thus far.


"The past with gratitude we own,
The future, all to us unknown,
We to Thy guardian care commit,
And Peaceful leave before Thy feet."


Sarah came down to spend the day with us.  Lucy staid at home with Ephraim.  Rev. Mr. Scott preached a very good discourse.  We had sister Sarah, Mr. & Mrs. Burgess, Maggie and Lizzie, Mrs. M'Clure and Emeline here to dine.  Very fine turkey and good dinner.  Ephraim came down on the evening train and spent the night with us.  Kate has got her pit finished at last and put her flowers in.




Peggy's comments:
Around the Cutler's Thanksgiving table were:

• William and Lizzie Cutler and their two daughters, Annie and Sarah
• Julia Cutler
• Sarah Cutler (sister to William and Julia and the mother to Kate, Lucy, Rufus & Ephraim Dawes)
• Kate Dawes
• Rev. Dyer Burgess and Mrs. Burgess (Lizzie's mother)
• Maggie Voris, Lizzie's 26 year old sister
• Mrs. M'Clure and Emeline, neighbors
• Ephraim Dawes joined them later in the evening.

In trying to take courage and thank God,  Julia quotes from a popular hymn:

                  "Great God, We Sing That Mighty Hand"
                      by Philip Doddridge, 1702-1751
                               Text From:
                   THE HANDBOOK TO THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL
           (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1942) p.95



        1. Great God, we sing that mighty hand
        By which supported still we stand.
        The opening year Thy mercy shows;
        Let mercy crown it till it close.

        2. By day, by night, at home, abroad,
        Still we are guarded by our God,
        By His incessant bounty fed,
        By His unerring counsel led.

        3. With grateful hearts the past we own;
        The future, all to us unknown,
        We to Thy guardian care commit
        And, peaceful, leave before Thy feet.

        4. In scenes exalted or depressed
        Be Thou our Joy and Thou our Rest.
        Thy goodness all our hopes shall raise,
        Adored through all our changing days.

        5. When death shall interrupt our songs,
        And seal in silence mortal tongues,
        Our Helper, God, in whom we trust,
        In better worlds our soul shall boast.

Friday Nov. 8

Kate, the children and I took dinner at Mrs. Burgess' with Mrs. Blackinton and children, Miss Jones and Mrs. Dickey.  Mr. Burgess was absent, gone to preach, I think at a sacramental occasion to a free church near Chillicothe.  William came home from Chillicothe very tired.  Lucy came down with some of her scholars who were going to visit Lizzie Poage.  Little Betty Gates is very sick.


Peggy's comments:
Kate Dawes, Julia's niece, lived with the Cutlers.  Mrs. Burgess was Lizzie Cutler's mother and lived nearby with her husband Rev. Dyer Burgess.  A rather colorful character, here's a reference to Dyer Burgess from an article about Marietta:

In an undated article about Music in Pioneer Days:

Of this time Mr. Russell O'Neal tells of an amusing incident.  That Father Burgess, of Warren, came to preach one Sabbath in the old brick church and when he arose to announce the hymns and saw that they had brought a bass viol into church, he indignantly said:  "We will fiddle and sing the 148th Psalm."

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.

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.

Tuesday, Aug. 14

Lucy, Marion and little Annie went up to A. S. Bailey's.  Clara Andrews is spending the week there.  Sarah Dawes took dinner at Mrs. Burgess'.  Dr. Hart today gave William more active medicine and he has had a very sick day.  I am afraid he will have a course of typhoid fever but hope for the best.  The river has risen rapidly and is covered with drift.  In some places the fords have been guarded for fear of secession depredations.  This rise will remove all such apprehensions.  It has risen about ten feet.  Miss Bicknell who lives at Great Bend, Ohio, opposite Jackson Co., Va., says that their neighborhood has been full of Virginia refugees.  Union men fleeing with their families from secession pursuers.  As many as thirty were at one time at her father's house.  The family of Lieut. Gov. Falsey were obliged at one time to take refuge in Ohio.  Our land is in a deplorable state.  Whence will deliverance come?  God pity us and send victory to our armies.  How long must this state of things be?  Shall the oppressor go unpunished?  Is God the friend of the slaveholder to uphold him in all his ways?

Tuesday. Aug. 13

Sarah came this morning with Emeline Bicknell who spent the day with us.  Mr. & Mrs. Burgess here to dinner.  Dr. Hart here again.  It is reported that there has been a battle in Missouri, our forces defeated and Gen. Lyon killed.  We trust it may be false.  Andrew M'Clure is under Gen. Lyon.  This makes his friends anxious.  Henry (Dawes) died just one year ago today.  How much we miss him!  How active he would have been in these exciting times.


Peggy's comments:
Henry Dawes was the oldest son of Henry Dawes and Sarah Cutler Dawes.  He was Julia's nephew, and brother to Kate, Lucy, Jane, Rufus and Ephraim.  By all accounts, an admirable young man, he was looked up to by his siblings.  He worked as a lawyer in Marietta, Ohio.

Sabbath July 14

No minister today.  Elder Joel Deming conducted services.  A good congregation.  I suppose Mr. Andrews is today with M'Clellan near Laurel Hill.  Mr. Andrews started into Virginia last Monday.  He is ardently patriotic and desires earnestly to take part in the struggle or in some way be useful to his country.  It is said that McClellan will employ him either as Chaplain or as Topographical engineer.  I was pained that those who led in prayer today forgot to pray for their country.  Thousands of our country men have adventured their lives in the battle field.  Possibly our own Ohio boys may even today confront the canon's mouth.  Can we not even ask of Him who disposes all events that He will fight for those who fight for us and contend with them who contend against us.  Mrs. Burgess sent for Lizzie to come up and see Maggie.  She is not so well.  The Eggleston guards sent home plates with thanks.  They leave in the morning.

Sat. July 6

Annie and Sarah went and spent the day at their Grandmother's.  Ephe went to town to stay over Sabbath and George went home.  Lizzie sent cherry pies and cakes to the Eggleston Guards at "Camp Cole".


Editor's comments:
Annie and Sarah Cutler were the daughters of Lizzie & William Cutler.  Their grandmother, Mrs. Burgess, lived within walking distance.

The Burgess home

Thursday June 13, 1861

The report of Col. Dumont to Genl M'Clellan states that a part of 14" O.V.M. and that Indiana Sixth which passed here, were engaged in the Phillipi affair.  The artillery were commanded by Lieut. Col. Sturgis who dined here a few weeks ago.  The rebels under Genl. Porterfield fled in the greatest haste leaving behind them their baggage, etc.  They are said to have been 2,000 strong.  They retreated to Beverly among the mountains.  Lizzie and the children spent the day at Mrs. Burgess'.

Phillipi

Western Virginia, 1861

Tuesday June 11

Mrs. Burgess spent the day here.  The soldiers are without rations.  They were invited yesterday to dine by T. L. Bailey, today by A. S. Bailey.  They stopped here on their return and drilled in front of the house, and listened to Lizzie play Hail Columbia, etc.  Lizzie told them she would send them supper.  They sent up two men, she gave them two baskets of pies, biscuits, cakes, etc., besides currants and hot coffee.  I think they will be comfortable for one meal at least.  Lucy came down and returned again on the train.  Mr. Merwin came down also to get his horse, which having been bought of us, took an opportunity to run home.

Editor's comments:  Here's a link to the tune "Hail Columbia":  http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/hailcolumbia.htm

Saturday June 8

Maggie had a party from town, young ladies & gentlemen.  Kate, Lucy and Ephe are here.  Mr. Burgess has gone to Ross Co. to spend the Sabbath.  Four or five of the gentlemen came down here with Ephe & got bouquets of flowers.  Lucy and Ephe returned to town this evening.  A company of troops went down on the cars this morning.  Lizzie sent a basket of pies and biscuit to soldiers who are guarding the trestles.  William at Marietta today.  I have suffered since yesterday extremely with a cold which settled in my face, swollen and painful.

Wednesday June 5

Spent most of the day writing to Jane.  Kate and the children at Mrs. Burgess'.  
We wait in suspense the progress of events,  Jeff Davis who has been sick it is said, is now at Richmond anxious for a battle.  Scott it is believed is ready for him.  The Charleston Mercury, a most pestilent traitorous paper, gives Scott the credit of having laid his plans in a masterly manner.  May they be successful.


Editor's notes:
Jane Dawes Shedd was a niece of Julia Cutler and was living with her husband in Persia where they were missionaries.
Kate Dawes, also Julia's niece, lived with the Cutler family in the Old Stone House.  The children are Annie and Little Sarah Cutler, children of William and Lizzie Cutler.  Mrs. Burgess, their grandmother, lived nearby.

Thursday May 30

Went in the morning to see little Charlie Bailey.  Found him quite sick.  He fell into their cistern night before last and nearly drowned.  He is now suffering from congestion of the lungs.  Mr. and Mrs. Munsell, Kate and I went up to the graveyard before dinner.  I went with our friends to Mr. Burgess' to tea.
It is reported that Bill Scott took up a horse to sell for the use of the flying artillery.  Gen. Buttles liked the horse and did not object to the price, but before the bargain was completed, some one informed the General that Scott was a secessionist.  Whereupon he told Scott he could go home with his horse, as he would have nothing to do with traitors.  Mr. Scott thereupon appealed to an acquaintance standing by to endorse his loyalty, which he declined to do.  Scott blustered, but by the time three or 400 men had gathered around, he "sang small".  
Ohio troops are advancing toward Grafton from Wheeling in connection with loyal Virginia troops from camp Carlisle on Wheeling Island.  The 14" and 18" are moving from Parkersburg toward the same point.  Col. Steadman of the 14" leads this movement.  They took possession of the telegraph and will of the railroad.  It is said that they frightened Judge Jackson so seriously that he being a secessionist has decamped.  Gen'l M'Clellan has issued a proclamation to loyal Virginians assuring them of protection for themselves and their property and their magnificent railroads.  We are all picking lint for the soldiers and making pin cushions for their convenience.


Editor's comments:
During the Civil War, women would "pick lint" from old clothes and it would be repacked to be used by surgeons as dressings for wounds.  Another way women could provide aid to soldiers was to prepare things that they needed.  Since soldiers would need to do their own mending, compact pin cushions filled with buckshot were made by women and sent to the regiments.  Here's a link to a pin cushion replica pattern.

Friday May 24

Kate and Lucy went to Mr. Burgess' to tea.  William came home on train.  He was very tired.  Troops are being thrown into Virginia from Washington.  It is expected there will be fighting at Alexandria and about Fortress Monroe soon.

Wednesday, May 15, 1861

Marion Robertson went to town today to get medicine etc., I have had a very sore throat.  Lizzie and Kate went up to Mrs. Burgess' to tea to meet Mrs. Deming and the Mrs. Harts.  Government troops under Gen. Butler have taken peaceable possession of Baltimore.

Monday April 29

William went again to Chillicothe.  The Business of the road is entirely destroyed.  Not a pound of freight is shipped to Baltimore.  This state of things is disastrous to the commercial interests of the country.  We may all expect to feel "hard times" as never before.
Kate took the children to town today to get their daguerreotypes.
Seventy-one thousand troops have been tendered to Governor Dennison during the two weeks which have elapsed since his proclamation calling for volunteers, and still they come.  Pennsylvania has 38,000 ready for the field.  New York is ready with her quota.  Massachusetts has sent hers to the Capitol.  Rhode Island hers -- & so of all the free states.  It is a glorious Spectacle of Spontaneous patriotism.  It is doubted if ever in the history of the world anything has been seen like the uprising of the people -- as the heart of one man, to sustain this government.  God grant it may not be in vain.  May He, in his providence so order affairs that "the right" may be established and treason & oppression brought low.  We do not want any compromise, no patched up peace, let this quarrel be settled now & forever, that peace, when it comes, may be permanent.  Today's Gazette says that gentlemen from Va. & Maryland waited on President Lincoln and proposed an armistice until the meeting of Congress  --  --  which the President promptly negatived.  They then said "Twenty-five thousand troops could be raised to dispute the passage of government troops across Maryland."  Lincoln replied, he presumed "that there was room in Maryland to bury twenty-five thousand men".  All accounts agree that the army of the Confederate States is moving South.  It will probably concentrate at Richmond, Va., --  Beauregard has 35,000 trained men & expects 10, or 15,000 Virginians to join the Rattlesnake Standard.  Cobb of Georgia, in a recent speech, to the southern people advises them to go on & plant as usual as they will not be disturbed.  Virginia & the banks of the Ohio being the proposed battle field.  It is supposed that Gen. Scott is apprised of the plans of the Confederates and will lay his plans accordingly. We may safely trust our cause in the hands of God and to those whom He has providently placed at the head of our government.  I called on Mrs. Burgess as I returned from the Post Office.


Editor's notes:

• When Julia writes of "the road", she is referring to the railroad.
• The reference to Kate and the children refer to Julia's niece, Kate Dawes, and the children are the two living children of William and Lizzie Cutler, Annie and Sarah Julia Cutler.

Sarah Julia and Annie Cutler

• Mrs. Burgess is Lizzie's mother and lived nearby.