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June 16-21
Hear Mr. Meade [preach.]....Jabe [writes he] has seen General Price and he told him of brother Peter. Said he knew him well. Friday the 13th Jackson's army passed on their way down. No one knew where they are to go but General Jackson and what a day of excitement it was. The whole place seemed to belong to the soldiers: house, yard, garden, indeed the whole farm. I was feeding soldiers from early in the morning until late at night. [I] had to give up my bed to some of them. We were visited in the parlor by Generals [Richard Stoddert] Ewell and [Arnold] Elzey and Major Ballard and a number of other officers. General Ewell was such a funny old fellow. I enjoyed him. He seemed to have the simplicity of heart of a child but was dressed very rudely while his sub Elzey dyked out in all his finery looking as if he felt so fine. Major Ballard was very pleasant and good natured; promised me a button from General Jackson's fighting coat. We tried hard to get the Generals to tell us where they were going and what was to be done but they got off from all questions without satisfying our curiosity or committing themselves. We all go up to the gates at the "Persimmon Tree" to see the passage of the Grand Army. Truly the sight of those poor tired ragged soldiers lessens my fancied pictures of the pride, pomp and circumstance of glorious war. Surely our cause must be good that these men engaged in for it caused them to leave their homes and many comforts and endure all this suffering to gain it. "The conquest we must for our cause it is just. And this be our motto, 'In God is our Trust." The Battle Flags looked faded and tattered and torn as though they had braved the battle and the breeze but soiled and stained as they were their bearers bore them aloft with a proud step. Cousin Howel was here the first of the week on his way from Ivy Creek. He give us the particulars of Cousin Fielding's [Thomas Fielding Lewis] death which occurred on the 13th or 14th, I don't know which. Poor Cousin Howel looked so sad. He was a devoted brother.
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