Two diaries From Middle St. John's, Berkeley, South Carolina, February-May, 1865: Journals kept by Miss Susan R. Jervey and Miss Charlotte St. J. Ravenel, at Northampton and Pooshee plantations, and reminiscences of Mrs. (Waring) Henagan; with two contemporary reports from federal officials.Jervey, Susan R. (Susan Ravenel)
History
Two diaries From Middle St. John's, Berkeley, South Carolina, February-May, 1865: Journals kept by Miss Susan R. Jervey and Miss Charlotte St. J. Ravenel, at Northampton and Pooshee plantations, and reminiscences of Mrs. (Waring) Henagan; with two contemporary reports from federal officials.
Jervey, Susan R. (Susan Ravenel)
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives, Confederate
Soon after they got off we remembered the wine up-stairs, and though we
did not know at what moment the Yankees would be here, we made the
attempt to bring it down, and then we had time to seal the bottles and
have them buried in the garden. By that time a wagon came from Moorfield
with some of Aunt Ria’s things; we were very much relieved to hear that
the enemy was not at Moorfield, but near Walworth. A carriage then came
from Indianfield, and you would have been amused to see the number of
people in it, four nurses and eight children. The house was in confusion
all day. Belle and Aunt Ria both moving over, and Grand Pa moving
provisions into the house, we all worked so hard that we were completely
worn out by night. Aunt Ria came that evening and told us how the
mistake had been made, she had written to Sarrazins exactly what she
wrote us the evening before; the family there sent word to the driver
at Brunswick that the Yankees were near Moorfield, and he must give out
the corn to the negroes; the driver sent word to Northampton that they
were at Moorfield. As everything was so quiet Emily[73] and I went to
spend the night with Cousin Henrietta we had not been frightened enough
for one day, for after supper, Mr. Jervey’s[74] entire family came down.
They had heard that the raiders had burnt Mr. Parker’s house near them;
they had intended coming down the next day, but this news brought them
at once. Emily had gone to bed with a headache, and wanted to get up and
come home, but I persuaded her they could not get there before the next
day, though I was so frightened I could scarcely stand. So much for one
day of Yankee fright!
Febr’y. 17. We were quite relieved to hear that the enemy had taken the
State Road, and gone down to Summerville. They had visited several
places and taken what they pleased. On our way home we met Belle[75] and
Sister[76] who told us of a report that the Yankees were at The Rocks
Church and the plantation on their way to Belle Isle. I did not believe
it, but thought it better to be prepared, so buried a few things. Aunt
Ria received a note from Cousin Edward[77] saying there was no truth in
the reports we had heard, that there was not a Yankee this side of
Orangeburg. We were not left quiet for long, for that evening Capt.
Guerard, from Savannah, rode up to say that he had come to notify the
planters that all of their corn was to be impressed by our government to
feed the army on its retreat from Charleston, and that planters would be
obliged to remove their property beyond the lines. This was the first
intimation we had that the evacuation had commenced. We then held a
council of war, and decided that we must send and let the gentlemen know
what we had heard; fortunately we had found out that they were at the
Eady’s. We all felt very blue for we heard that our army was crossing
as fast as possible at St. Stephens, and then the bridge was to be
burned.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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