July 5-11
At church but am too late to hear the text. Get home in a rain ....Sue and Co. did not get off today, Monday, as
they expected as there is a report of a Yankee raid on the railroad ....A blue week we have; such bad news from
all around. Vicksburg fell on the 4 July so all our hopes of peace from that quarter are nipped in the bud. Early
in the week we get news of a great victory gained by General Lee at Gettysburg in Pennsylvania on the lst, 2nd
and 3rd of July but later in the week we hear our Army has fallen back and it turns out one of those victorys in
which a great deal of glory is gained but nothing more lasting. Our loss is very great; so many from around here
have fallen. Among them are George Geiger, Bennet Taylor, Peter Minor and others. There is hope for some of
them yet as many of our wounded were left in the Yankee lines. They may come to hand yet. How many many
sad hearts are around us. It is hard to bear these sorrows with a proper spirit but it seems that God sees it
necessary to cross us. We have been too puffed up with out continued successes of late. The Mac's leave us
Saturday. The house seems so empty when they leave. I take solace in Bulwer ....