Friday, January 18, 2008

Diary of Betty Herndon Maury - July 16, 1861

Tuesday 16th [July 1861]

The Governor has ordered out the militia in all the counties north of the James river. There is a good deal of discontent felt about it. It is thought as Virginia has furnished so large a proportion of the Southern army that the militia in the cotton States should be called out first.

We heard last night that a portion of Wise’s Legion in western Virginia had been defeated by an overpowering force and upwards of a hundred of our men killed and taken prisoners, Col. Pegram among the number.

The seceded counties in Western Virginia sent several members to the Congress at Washington. They elected a Governor some time ago -- Gov’ Pierpont -- There are between twenty and thirty disaffected counties I believe.

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