The following passages were taken from the Diary of Carrie Berry, a 10 year old resident of Atlanta, Aug. 1, 1864 - Jan. 4, 1865. They provide a first hand account of war through the eyes of a child:
Gen. Johnston fell back across the river on July 19th, 1864, and up to this time we have had but few quiet days. We can hear the canons and muskets very plane, but the shells we dread. One has busted under the dining room which frightened us very much. One passed through the smoke-house and a piece hit the top of the house and fell through but we were at Auntie Markham's, so none of us were hurt. We stay very close in the cellar when they are shelling.
Aug. 1. Monday. It was raining this morning and we thought we would not have any shelling today so I nurst Sister while Mama would do a little work, but before night we had to run to the cellar.
Aug. 2. Tuesday. We have not been shelled much today, but the muskets have been going all day. I have done but little today but nurse Sister. She has not been well today.
Aug. 3. Wednesday. this was my birthday. I was ten years old, But I did not have a cake times were too hard so I celebrated with ironing. I hope by my next birthday we will have peace in our land so that I can have a nice dinner.
Aug. 4. Thurs. The shells have ben flying all day and we have stayed in the cellar. Mama put me on some stockings this morning and I will try to finish them before school commences.
Aug. 5. Friday. I knit all the morning. In the evening we had to run to Auntie's and get in the cellar. We did not feel safe in our cellar, they fell so thick and fast.
Aug. 6. Sat. We have ben in the cellar all day. Cousin Henry Beatty came this evening and brought some Yankee coffee for me to grind for him. some he had captured yesterday in a skirmish.
Aug. 7. Sun. We have had a quiet day it all most seems like Sunday of old. Papa and I went to Trinity Church. Mr. Haygood preached. It is the first time I have been to Church in a month.
Aug. 8. Mon. I got up early this morning and cleaned up the house for Mama. I nursed Sister while Mama got dinner. We had Cousin Eddie Stow to take dinner with us to day. I did not knit much to day. I went up to Auntie's in the afternoon. We have not had many shells to day.
Aug. 9. Tues. We have had to stay in the cellar all day the shells have ben falling so thick around the house. Two have fallen in the garden, but none of us were hurt. Cousin Henry Beatty came in a and wanted us to move, he thought that we were in danger, but we will try it a little longer.
Aug. 10. Wed. We have had but few shells to day. It has ben raining nearly all day and we had to stay in the house very close.
Aug. 11. Thurs. Mama has ben very buisy to day and I have ben trying to help her all I could. We had to go in the cellar often out of the shells. How I wish the federals would quit shelling us so that we could get our and get some fresh air.
Aug. 12. Fri. Mary came home yesterday and we have not had so much wirk to do so I have ben knitting on my stocking. We had a present to day of a bag of nice pears fro our friend Mrs. Green. We enjoyed them very much. We do not get any nice fruit since the army has been here.
Aug. 13. Sat. We have had a very quiet day to day. We have all ben very buisy trying to work some while we could get out in safety. We fear that we will have shells to night. We can hear muskets so plane.
Aug. 14. Sun. Sure enough we had shells in abundance last night. We averaged one every moment during the night. We expected every one would come through and hurt some of us but to our joy nothing on the lot was hurt. They have ben throwing them at us all day to day but they have not ben dangerous. Papa has ben at work all day making the cellar safe. Now we feel like we could stay at home in safety. I dislike to stay in the cellar so close but our soldiers have to stay in ditches.
Aug. 15. Mon. We had no shells this morning when we got up and we thought that we would not have any to day (but, my, when will they stop) but soon after breakfast Zuie and I were standing on the platform between the house and the dining room. It made a very large hole in the garden and threw the dirt all over the yard. I never was so frightened in my life. Zuie was as pale as a corpse and I expect I was too. It did not take us long to fly to the cellar. We stayed out till night though we had them all day but they did not come so near us again.
Aug. 16. Tues. We had shells all night. There was a large piece came through Mama's room directly after we went to bed and fell on the little bed and I expect if we had been sleeping there some of us would have ben hurt. Cousin Henry and Cousin Eddy came to see us to day. They told us that they did not think the Federals would be here much longer to torment us and I hope that it may be so for we are getting very tired of living so.
Aug. 17. Wed. Nothing of interest has hapined to day. We have stayed very closed in the cellar. Mama ran up to Aunties to see how a shell had ruined her house yesterday.
Aug. 18. Thurs. When I woke this morning I thought the hole town would be torn up. The cannons were so near and so loud but we soon found out that it was our guns so we have ben very well content all day. We have had less shells to day tan we have had in a week.
Aug. 19. Fri. Auntie went down to Grandpa's this morning and I missed her so much. That is the only place I had to run to. I have ben knitting on my stocking some today and sewing some to day.
Aug 20. Sat. We have had shells all day. They have not ben hitting very close to us but they have been giving them to Uncle Markham. He like to had his house burnt up by one passing through the house and set some cotton on fire which they had layed on the flore. I expect if they had ben at home some of them would have ben hurt.
Aug. 21. Sun. This was a dark rainy morning and we thought we would have a quiet Sunday but we were disappointed. Papa says that we will have to move down town some where. Our cellar is not safe.
Aug 22. Mon. I got up this morning and helped Mama pact up to move. We were glad to get out of our small cellar. We have a nice large cellar here where we can run as much as we please and enjoy it. Mama says that we make so much noise that she can't here the shells. (Cellar of house on Alabama street between Pryor and Central Avenue).
Aug. 23. Tues. We feel very comfortable since we have moved but Mama is fretted to death all the time for fear of fire. There is a fire in town nearly every day. I get so tired of being housed up all the time. The shells get worse and worse every day. O that something would stop them.
Aug 24. Wed. We have ben frightened twice to day by fire. I have ben wanting to go home all day to get some grapes but it has ben too dangerous.
Aug. 25. Thurs. Mama woke me up irly this morning and told me there were no shells falling and told me I must run over and see what had become of Aunt Healy. We had not herd from her in so long. I stayed til after dinner. We had such a nice dinner and so many nice grapes but best of all we had no shells all day.
Aug. 26. Fri. Cousin Henry came in this morning and told us we need not fear the shells any more. The Yankees left there brest works and he hoped they were on the way back to Tennessee. We have had such a delightful day. We all wanted to move to day but we will wait til to morrow and see if the Yankees have gone.
Aug. 27. Sat. We moved home this morning and we have ben buisy trying to get things regulated. I feel so glad to get home and have no shells around us.
Aug. 28. Sun. Everything seemed so quiet this morning. I wish the people would come back so we could have Church and Sunday School. Mr. came in this morning and brought some shells which Cousin Henry sent us. He got them from the Yankees. Cousin Eddy came in this morning to tell us goodby. We feel sorry he was going to move so far. We all ways love to see him and Cousin Henry.
Aug. 29. Mon. Zuie and I went over to Aunt Hattie Smiths this morning to see if we could find our school teacher We stayed all day with her. We had a very pleasant time playing with Ellen.
Aug. 30. Tues. Miss Fannie Homes came around this morning to see about her school. I was so glad to see my old teacher once more. I hope she will commence her school. I am tired of staying at home.
Aug. 31. Wed. I have ben knitting all the morning and Zuie and I are going over to spend the night with Aunt Healy. I know we will enjoy ourselves.
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