“Cornelia
Phillips Spencer was married six years before becoming a widow at age
thirty-six. Her journal read: “May, 1862, My hearing is going, and with
it youth, hope, and love. There remains for me nothing but to sit at
home and remember.” Commentating on Spencer’s diary, author Wright
described the “universal mourning” in the South had made her own loss
seem less burdensome because at least her husband had not died “horribly
in battle, or lain lingering and mutilated in hospitals.”
Another
diarist, Sarah E. Mercer, recorded that her brother Oliver (called
Buddy), had to return to camp even though he was not well. She said,
“Tears are such a solace…” In less than three weeks, he would be among
the dead at Gettysburg.
“I
cannot look to the future, it is too dark. All is dark, dark, dark. The
fate of our country is in a thick mist, too dark and thick to see
through.” Still grieving, Mercer three days later declared, “Pity that
the politicians were not obliged to do all the fighting themselves. Me
thinks there would be considerably less blood shed….” Major Brooks
visited the family and gave them the contents of Buddy’s pockets. Mercer
said, “We can have no hopes of ever getting is dear remains, as they
were left on Yankee soil. We do not even know if he was buried.”
Elizabeth
Robeson had several sons in service. A religious woman, she questioned
her faith as did other women. Entries in her diary are as follows:
“May 18th
– but all God does is right, though he moves in a mysterious way. He
takes the young and leaves the aged for some wise purpose, but we
shortsighted mortals cannot see it.”
“Jun
1, 1862 – Mr. W. Cain came in and said that he heard our boys (Bladen
Guards) were in the battle and were cut to pieces. Many a better woman
than I am has been bereaved of their only child, but I feel as if I
could not bear up under it.”
Henry
Fuller was wounded in June of 1862 at Seven Pines, Virginia. His wife
Ann “went to Richmond in search of him but was unable to find even an
ambulance driver, since it was almost impossible to keep up with the
troops. She did find the man who placed him in the ambulance and was
told that he was seriously wounded with a Minnie ball through his head.
After several days of fruitless inquiry, she was forced to return home
empty handed and the fate of her husband was never known.”
Fuller
remained on the farm and raised her three children. Foraging Union
troops took everything on the place at the close of the war. “
Heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteThere will be those who will underestimate us in the upcoming fracus because they do not take the time to know our history, they do not aknowledge the events that has forged the steel in our very souls.
Miss V
Well said. I was surprised when I read the credits as I was listed. Just never know who you might touch.
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