Our family in statu quo. The country in great
excitement. We have lately had a splendid little victory at Plymouth, North
Carolina. We have also had successes in Florida, at Shreveport, and other
places in the South and South-west. The God of battles is helping us, or how
could we thus succeed? This city is quite excited by Mr. Memminger having
ordered off the Note-signing Department, consisting entirely of ladies, to
Columbia, South Carolina. It has caused much distress, for many of them, whose
living depends on the salary, can't possibly go. Mothers cannot leave their children,
nor wives their husbands. No one seems to understand the motive which prompted
the order. It seems to be very arbitrary. It is thought by some persons that
all the departments will be ordered off. I trust not; for I, among many others,
would be obliged to resign, and I cannot imagine how we would live without the
salary. I see no reason to believe that any such move is intended, and I will
not be unhappy about it. “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
The enemy threatens Richmond, and is coming against it with
an immense army. They boast that they can and will have it this summer; but,
with the help of God, we hope to drive them back again. Our Government is
making every effort to defeat them. I don't think that any one doubts our
ability to do it; but the awful loss of life necessary upon the fights is what
we dread.
SOURCE: Judith W. McGuire, Diary of a Southern
Refugee, During the War, p. 259-60
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