Sabbath July 7

Train from Cincinnati did not get here till midnight so we did not get Saturday's Gazette last evening.  A little before twelve last night we heard the sound of chopping toward the hill.  It was a moonless night and we feared some one was tampering with the railroad so we aroused and sent forth John to reconnoiter.  He soon returned saying that the railroad was all right, but some fellows were chopping a tree on the hillside (a bee tree it afterwards proved) and he was disposed to watch them awhile.  While thus aroused we heard firing at Parkersburg between one and two o'clock.  First alarm guns, drums beating and then about twenty rounds of musketry.  We feared the camp had been surprised and a fight had taken place.  
Mr. Andrews preached from the text: 'Not this man but Barrabas'.  Pretty full congregation.  
John Roberts who went down to Parkersburg this morning reports that the firing was occasioned by a false alarm.

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

Friday July 5

Lucy went home this morning.  Sarah Emerson with her.  All day trains have been passing with troops, cannon, horses and equipage.  They are the Indiana 15" and 17 regiments.  We counted eighty-nine cars thus loaded.  When called to the battle field may they only be led forth to victory.


Editor's comments:
I'm quite sure that when Julia refers to "the cars" or the "RR" she's referring to rail road cars.  However, the usage of the word "trains" also referred to wagon trains.  I'm not sure if she means wagon trains or RR trains.

July 4, Thursday

Julia's nephew, Rufus R. Dawes

I thought today of the living and the dead absent from us.  Of Rufus, who is today twenty three years old.  He would have graduated at Marietta in the class of 1860, but his father took him to Wisconsin a few weeks before the close of his college course.  The faculty conferred his degree upon him at the last Commencement.  He is Captain of the Lemonweir Minute men.  He and his company have been received into the sixth Wisconsin Regiment under Col. Cutler.  Rufus has talent and principle.  He is not tall but firmly built and very athletic.  He has a very bright intelligent countenance and I think will be popular with his men.  He always makes warm friends.  May our father's God "bless the lad".

Julia's brother, William P. Cutler

I thought of my dear brother called to the exercise of a new class of duties, in unwonted circumstances, obliged to leave his family here on the border not without some anxiety as to what may befall us; and himself going to Washington, the direct route through Virginia impracticable.  Although Harpers Ferry has been evacuated by the rebels, the bridges have been destroyed on the Baltimore & Ohio R.R.   So he must needs go through Pennsylvania and Maryland to the Capitol near which 70,000 loyal troops are encamped.  There, among strangers, he begins his Congressional life.  May it be an honorable and useful one.  God shield and guide him.  

Henry Manasseh Dawes,
Julia's nephew who died in August 1860
at the age of 28

 My thoughts, too, have been today with the dear departed ones, Henry, bold, ardent, patriotic, what part would he have taken in these stirring times? 

Ephraim Cutler, Julia's father

And Father -- how would his heart have burned within him, indignant at southern treason, jubilant over northern loyalty and valor. 

How does the National holiday find us today!  Our land seems like one great encampment, the sound of war is everywhere.  In the Federal army and the Rebel there are half a million men under arms.  

I spent the morning making bouquets.  I had a large basket filled with them.  Lucy and Kate went early and when I arrived had the table all set.  Several ladies were busy carving chickens & ham, prepapring bread andd butter, cutting cheese, cakes and pies.  There was an abundance of good things and every thing seemed excellent of its kind.  Some of the State Fencibles, Scott Guard and Dayton Zouaves were there.  And the Eggleston Guards with their officers, Capt. & Lieut. Carter, &c.  The Zouaves and Eggleston Guards went through their drill for the benefit of the ladies.  After refreshements were served several short speeches were made by soldiers, Stewart of Fencibles, Bell of the Zouaves, Wright and Baird of the Eggleston guards.  Baskets of provisions were sent to those who were left on guard.  Several patriotic pieces were sung.  On the whole it was a very satisfactory picnic, about two hundred and twenty present.

Charlie Gates spent the night with us.

July 3, Wednesday

Kate went up to A. S. Bailey's to arrange about the picnic.  Lizzie baked large pound, white, and cup cakes and a large quantity of ginger cakes for the picnic.  Lucy and Annie came down on the evening train.  Lucy brought a couple of nice cakes.  For several evenings a splendid comet has been visible.  It is between Ursa Major and the north star.

Tuesday July 2

Sarah and Lucy who came down and spent the night went home on the train taking Annie with them.  Ephe took Kate in a carriage to invite the folks down the road to a picnic on the fourth.  We sent invitations in the name of A. S. Bailey and W. D. McClure as Committee to the Eggleston Guards, State Fencibles and Dayton Zouaves.  Maggie took tea here.  The papers have an account of a wonderful fight between a party of scouts sent out from Cumberland by Col. Wallace.  They consisted of thirteen mounted men, who went nearly to Frankfort town which they found full of cavalry.  They met and charged and routed a company of horsemen killing eight, and capturing seventeen horses.  Corp. Hayes was badly wounded and while attending to him, they were suddenly attacked by a party of seventy five horsemen.  Of these they killed twenty three.  They all succeeded in getting back to camp except one, J. F. Collingworth who was killed.  I think it will hardly do after this to doubt the bravery of Indianians.

Monday July 1, 1861

William left very early this morning on a chance train to Marietta.  He has started to Washington, will go by river to Wheeling, thence by railroad through Pittsburg, Harrisburg & Baltimore.  In the present state of the country it is trying to him and to us to be so far separated.  I think he felt sad but he was composed and selfsustained.  May the Lord be his keeper.  Four trains passed during the night with troops.  The Thirteenth regiment. It is cool for the season.  We have had very little rain.  The gardens and the potato crop are needing it badly.  The rain yesterday was too light to do much good.We are constantly hearing of skirmishes but do not always find the reports confirmed.  I find my record of passing events as I look it over is very meager.  There was however an attack a few nights ago made on the guard near the Tunnel on the M. and C. by a dozen miscreants who, it is supposed meant to rescue a prisoner that was under guard as a spy from Richmond.  About twenty shots were exchanged when the attacking party decamped.  Mr. Lutz dined with us.  He was a classmate of Ephe's.