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Feb. 28-March 5
At church and hear Mr. B. B. Nelson....An eventful week. The Yanks are making a raid on us. [This is Custer's Raid or The Rio Bridge Raid.] On Monday there was a little fight at Rio where they burnt the bridge and mill and did much other damage and carried off many servants. We heard the cannonading very plainly and at night saw the light of their destroying fires. Not much sleep all Monday night. Met and the Taylor boys [from Lego, the neighboring plantation] were sent off with the horses to a safe place. The cattle and sheep were in a state of readiness to be driven off if the Yanks got any nearer. The next morning our soldiers arrived and what a feeling of security they brought with them but it made me feel as if the war was being brought to our very doors. The cannons were drawn before the front gate and placed upon the two highest points overlooking the railroad bridge and the whole place swarmed with soldiers. The house was HeadQuarters and we had some nice officers to stay with us; among them Kate Whitehead's brother, Col. [Whitehead.]....Wednesday evening we got news that the Yanks had gone back so our soldiers moved too and by Thursday morning not one was to be seen but we were not allowed to be quiet long for in the evening two brigades from the Valley camped on Pantops and Lego [the home of Jefferson Randolph Taylor] for the night. As a matter of course we had many visitors and some of them not altogether agreeable. Officers to supper. Stragglers for several days afterwards. Thursday night the camp fires were the prettiest things I ever saw. They seemed as countless as the stars in the heavens. It is generally supposed we are on the eve of a great battle. The Yanks, we heard, did much mischief in the county. The raiders seem to have confined themselves to thieving. From negroes and horses to the rings off the ladies hands nothing seemed too trifling to escape the notice of this heroic noble band of braves!? A letter from Bob. He tells me he has found the truth as it is in Jesus and has not been ashamed to confess Him before men. He was baptized and admitted to the Holy Communion on the lst Sunday in February. May God give him grace to keep his lamp trimmed and burning so he may be found ready when his Master calls.
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