Hearts at Home: Southern Women in the Civil War

tmh10

Major
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Location
Pipestem,WV
I found a good site for those interested in what the Ladies of the South were doing during the war. Sorry if already posted. From the University of Virginia Library.

Through letters and diaries, photographs, newspaper accounts, and personal mementos, Hearts at Home examines different aspects of southern women's experiences at home and on the battlefield during the Civil War.
Colophon

This site is the web version of the physical exhibition, Hearts at Home: Southern Women in the Civil War, which was on view from August 2 through October 15, 1997, in the Tracy W. McGregor Room of the University of Virginia Library's Special Collections department in Alderman Library. Hearts at Home was co-curated by Ervin Jordan and Michele Ostrow.

http://explore.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/show/hearts
 
One gg-grandmother on my father's side was living in a small town in Copiah Co., Miss, her husband the county's treasurer. They heard that Grierson's raiders were on the way and the fears were that they were taking everything in their path. Newspaper accounts several decades later had her recalling that she sewed the county's funds into seams inside her large dress and when meeting one of the Union officers at the door of her house denied having anything of value. She was unharmed. They sent four sons to the war, three came back.

On my mother's side and 2o miles down the road at Brookhaven my gg-Aunt Katie was a young girl and the daughter of gg-grandfather Johnston, a Methodist preacher who headed Whitworth College, a girl's school in the town. When Grierson's blue coats went riding past on their way to destroying the railroad station and tracks, little Katie sat on the brick wall surrounding the college and yelled out 'Dam* Yankees, Dam* Yankees!' I remember Aunt Katie as a child and heard the story many times growing up.
 
One gg-grandmother on my father's side was living in a small town in Copiah Co., Miss, her husband the county's treasurer. They heard that Grierson's raiders were on the way and the fears were that they were taking everything in their path. Newspaper accounts several decades later had her recalling that she sewed the county's funds into seams inside her large dress and when meeting one of the Union officers at the door of her house denied having anything of value. She was unharmed. They sent four sons to the war, three came back.

On my mother's side and 2o miles down the road at Brookhaven my gg-Aunt Katie was a young girl and the daughter of gg-grandfather Johnston, a Methodist preacher who headed Whitworth College, a girl's school in the town. When Grierson's blue coats went riding past on their way to destroying the railroad station and tracks, little Katie sat on the brick wall surrounding the college and yelled out 'Dam* Yankees, Dam* Yankees!' I remember Aunt Katie as a child and heard the story many times growing up.


Robert,
When you can put a fact tothe war like you can with your gg-Aunt katie, it brings home the fact that the war wasn't really all that long ago.. I can't remember any of my confederate ancestors, but I can remember their children and grand children.. the tie is still there as the stories get told and retold... until we can almost picture ourselves being there..
 
Robert,
When you can put a fact tothe war like you can with your gg-Aunt katie, it brings home the fact that the war wasn't really all that long ago.. I can't remember any of my confederate ancestors, but I can remember their children and grand children.. the tie is still there as the stories get told and retold... until we can almost picture ourselves being there..
But we're old guys, Bama. The younger generation like my son doesn't remember that familial connection and to him the CW is something for the history books. Here's an interesting tidbit on my mother's side. Her grandfather was married twice, with the first set of children including a son who was killed a Shiloh. His second marriage, at a ripe but virile age, produced my Grandfather as the youngest child of the second set of offspring. So my mother used to say correctly that her uncle (to be precise half uncle) was a Civil War soldier.
 
I took a pause in reading the diary to thank you for posting it. I am enjoying it very much. Ted

It's great. It really helped me with my story more than any other research, things like cleaning out the well, etc. He writes about the Battle of Brice's Crossroads--he was there--I borrowed a lot of that for my novel. I love good period diaries. John
 
It's great. It really helped me with my story more than any other research, things like cleaning out the well, etc. He writes about the Battle of Brice's Crossroads--he was there--I borrowed a lot of that for my novel. I love good period diaries. John
Im still reading it. You got me hooked on it. Just checking back on the board for little breaks. Material like this has to be pure gold to a writer.
 
Im still reading it. You got me hooked on it. Just checking back on the board for little breaks. Material like this has to be pure gold to a writer.

It is indeed. I've collected a small library of such stuff. When I wrote Chase The Wild Pigeons I wanted my characters to "live" in the Confederate South. I'm still using the material for the new book that I'm working on now. The problem is I get so caught up reading the diaries, etc. my writing gets put on the back burner.:confused:
 
Thanks. Love these types of sites. I used them extensively researching my novel "Chase The Wild Pigeons." I really like the civilian perspective. Here is one of my favorite sites, though it is a man's diary: http://docsouth.unc.edu/imls/agnew/agnew.html
As you said, he was right in the path of the battle of Brice's Crossroads, One of Forrest's greatest battles.
Birth: Nov. 22, 1833, USA
Death: Jul. 15, 1902, USA
Expired Image Removed
Pastor of Bethany A.R.P. Church for 34 years.

Samuel Andrew Agnew grew up, and attended Erskine College and Seminary, in Due West, South Carolina. In 1852 after receiving his doctor of divinity degree he was assigned to Bethany Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Northeast Mississippi (Now Lee County, Mississippi). He served as Pastor of that church for 32 years.
Throughout his adult life he kept a detailed daily diary well known to scholars and historians of the American South as an important primary source of the study of southern history and culture. The Agnew Diaries are a part of the "Documenting the American South Collection" at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. They contain Agnew's thoughts, experiences and activities; local news; his comments on public events and the Civil War, during which he lived in the path of both armies, reconstruction and major national events.

http://docsouth.unc.edu/imls/agnew/agnew.html Diary posted to internet MSGenWeb pages (bio by: Darrell Rakestraw)

Family links:
Spouses:
Rachel Jane Peoples Agnew (1849 - 1905)
Nannie Elizabeth McKell Agnew (1841 - 1868)*

Children:
Enoch David Agnew (1865 - 1869)*
James Calvin Agnew (1867 - 1876)*
John Brown Agnew (1875 - 1939)*
Mary Letita Rebecca Agnew (1877 - 1878)*
Margaret Elizabeth Agnew (1878 - 1881)*
Rutherford Todd Agnew (1880 - 1959)*
Janie Agnew Robison (1882 - 1972)*
Eleanor Simpson Agnew Branyan (1884 - 1966)*
Samuel Andrew Agnew (1886 - 1969)*
Isabella Agnew Waldrop (1890 - 1964)*
Richard Peoples Agnew (1893 - 1944)*

*Calculated relationship

Note: The "D.D." at the end of Samuel Agnew's name stands for Doctor of Divinity, which was bestowed on him by Erskine Seminary in Due West, SC.

Burial:
Old Bethany Cemetery
Baldwyn
Lee County
Mississippi, USA
Birth: Nov. 22, 1833, USA
Death: Jul. 15, 1902, USA
Expired Image Removed

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10444232

15972459_130102647629.jpg


Affairs are becoming quieter, but there are many still passing. Commence bringing up this journal. This evening rode over to Hollands' to see him about the proposed application to Forrest for provisions. Find the roads badly cut up by the waggons and artillery that are passing every hour. The lane of Wm. Phillips has become impassible, and the waggons go in by Mrs. Phillips house now. See
Page 310
several graves on the road-side. The negroes are covered with very little dirt. The stench from dead horses is almost insupportable. It is sickening to pass along the roads. With Holland rode on over to Brice's. See the marks of the battle: but not so apparent as I had supposed. His house and yard are public property now. Sick men occupy the rooms. Some poor fellows are mortally wounded. I felt sorry when I looked on the poor fellows, dieing so far from the dear ones at home. They are lying on pallets. Some Yankees are also there. The Church seems to be occupied by sick prisoners. The principle surgeon was operating on a Yankee while I was there. He was lieing on a table insensible being under the influence of Chloroform. His right foot had been amputated and his left hand 1/2 taken out. As I came home saw a gentleman just from Johnson army. On the 8th he was still about New Hope Church in quietness. See a Prairie News of this morning. It called the battle of friday the battle near Baldwyn. In Virginia Grant and Lee very near each other. The battles of the 4 & 5th of May were not decisive. In some places the lines of the armies are only 50 yds. apart. The decisive battle is yet to be fought. In Georgia the armies present about the old appearance. And the decisive battle is yet to be fought there also. The N. Y. Herald of the 8th announces that on the 8th the Republican convention nominated Abraham Lincoln for the Presidency and Andrew Johnson of Tennessee for the Vice Presidency. They are a delicious duo. Mr. Boyd, the gentleman just from Johnston's army lives near Portersville Tenn. A Mr. Sergant of this county is here tonight.
 
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