Monday May 6

Very heavy rain.  William, who was at Marietta today, says that dispatches were received there that Government troops this morning took possession of the "Relay House", nine miles north of Baltimore.  This place, (the Relay House) was considered an important strategic point and was said to have been seized by a party of Secessionists six hundred strong, some days ago.  Government forces were to advance upon Baltimore and take possession of Camden Station.  This afternoon it is reported that the President has issued a proclamation declaring his intention to deal summarily with those traitors who are found in arms.  Today the Government has begun to put down the rebellion -- O may our God of our Fathers fight for us and give us the victory.

Sabbath, May 5, 1861

Mr. Wakefield preached an excellent practical sermon inculcating that every one should do present duty however lowly or insignificant our position.  God accepts the service.  The Telegraph reports the discovery of a southern plot to cut off the supply of water from Philadelphia, New York and Boston, and then set fire to those cities.  The twenty days in which the President's Proclamation requires traitors to return to their allegiance is now out.  We shall probably soon hear of a collision between the Government troops and the traitors.  God speed the right.

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.

Saturday, April 20, 1861

William & Mrs. Dawes went on early train to Marietta.  Lucy on second train.  --Mr. and Mrs. Burgess & Maggie here to dinner.  Marion and Kate went up to assist in putting the meeting house in order for Presbytery, which meets here next Tuesday.  
On his return from Marietta William said he never saw anything like the excitement in town.  The Union Blues were on parade and more people in the streets than usually attend the County Fair.  --The Telegraph today confirms the fight at Baltimore, but a smaller number was killed.  The 6th Massachusetts regiment was assailed and three of their number killed, and several wounded.  The Gov. of Massachusetts has today telegraphed the Mayor of Baltimore to have the bodies of the slain preserved in ice and sent home.  We can imagine the effect upon our Yankee kinsman, when they look upon the first blood shed by traitorous hands.  In the place of each dead soldier ten thousand living ones will start forth.
Virginia has seceded.  This places us on the border & we must look the monster secession in the face.  It is said however that western Virginia is strongly Union in sentiment, and it is possible she may break away and form a new state adhering to the "stars & stripes".                 --Wheeling city is raising a Company for U. S. service.  Parkersburg held a large Union meeting yesterday.  They have taken possession of the cannon which Gov. Wise sent them during the John Brown excitement and have nominated Carlisle of Harrison County (anti-secession) for Congress.
--Today Williamsport ran up the Union Flag.  --Still all is uncertain we know not what a day may bring forth
--With regard to Harpers Ferry it appears that Virginia sent 2,500 men to seize the arsenal and arms there, but the Lieutenant Jones acting under orders from the War Department burned the arsenal and 15,000 stand of arms and then retreated through Maryland with his command of thirty men---So the Old Dominion failed of her expected plunder.  ---President Lincoln has issued a proclamation blockading the southern ports.  The North backs up the government with money & men.

April 19, 1861

Ephraim came on the early train bringing the coffin for dear little Jennie.  It is covered with black velvet and lined with white muslin, the dear babe looked sweet, her little hands clasping a cluster of blue forgetmenots--  Prof. Andrews, who came down with Sister Dawes on the second morning train to attend the funeral said he never saw a lovelier babe, every feature so perfect, and so much more expression than was usual in a face so young.  After the exercises at the house she was placed in the grave at the side of Ephie who died last August.


It is reported this morning that Virginia has seceded from the Union and that Harpers Ferry has been siezed.  John Minor Botts, hung, etc.  These telegrams may soon be contradicted.  Mr. Botts in a recent conversation with President Lincoln at Washington in reply to the query, What is to be done with traitors? is reported to have said, "Give hemp to the leaders and grape to their followers."  
At half after twelve William went on a freight train to Harmar & came down on the afternnon train with N. L. Wilson, Pres. of the M & C R.R. who is on his way to England and expects to sail on the Persia.  While we were at supper we heard an extra train up from Belpre whistling loudly & continuously as it neared our station.  This was a signal for William, who on going up, found that Wilson on reaching Belpre had received such disheartning [sic] dispatches, that he had turned back.  It was said that there was fighting at Baltimore, the mob opposing the passage of troops through that city on their way to Washington.  The report is that the troops were assailed with brick-bats & stones & that they fired on the rabble killing seventy of them--  William went up to Harmar with Wilson where he heard by telegraph that Government had removed the arms and burnt the arsenal at Harpers Ferry.

Monday, April 15, 1861

Train time has been changed & we have now two passenger trains in the morning each way, and one down in the afternoon which does not return until near midnight.  William went to Town.  A great deal of indignation is felt at the attack on Sumpter [sic], and the insult to the National Flag which was trailed in the dust at Charleston.  Gov. Dennison of this State has telegraphed to President Lincoln tendering 10,000 men.  Baby is still very dangerously sick.  The Dr. has been here twice a day for the last ten days, and is trying all he can to save her, but has little hope.  Ephraim came and staid all day & wrote for Wm.


Editor's Notes:
The trains, which Julia sometimes refers to as "the cars", ran between the town of Marietta, Ohio, and the Cutler home 6 miles away.

Wm. is William Cutler, the baby's father and Julia's brother.
Ephraim is Julia's nephew, Ephraim Cutler Dawes.

Sunday, April 14, 1861

Dr. Hart brought us dispatches confirming the surrender of Fort Sumpter [sic] after a gallant defence by Major Anderson & his little band of seventy.  A storm kept the war vessels out of Charleston Harbor, so that they could not aid Anderson.  The President has issued his proclamation convening Congress July 4th, and declaring the South in a state of insurrection and calling for seventy-five thousand men.