Savannah has been evacuated, without loss to us, except of
some stores, which could not be removed. The city was surrendered by its mayor,
Arnold by name, and he seems to be worthy of the traitorous name. Our troops
marched towards Charleston. Savannah was of little use to us for a year past,
it has been so closely blockaded, and its surrender relieves troops which were
there for its defence, which may be more useful elsewhere; but the moral effect
of its fall is dreadful. The enemy are encouraged, and our people depressed. I
never saw them more so.
On the 22d General Rosser beat a division of the enemy near
Harrisonburg, and on the 23d General Lomax repulsed and severely punished
another, near Gordonsville.
To-morrow is Christmas-day. Our girls and B. have gone to
Cedar Hill to spend a week. Our office has suspended its labours, and I am
anticipating very quiet holidays. A Christmas present has just been handed me
from my sweet young friend S. W. — a box filled with all manner of working
materials, which are now so scarce and expensive, with a beautiful mat for my
toilet at the bottom of it. Christmas will come on the Sabbath. The “Colonel”
is gone, but J. and C. will take their usual Sunday dinner, and I have gotten
up a little dessert, because Christmas would not be Christmas without something
better than usual; but it is a sad season to me. On last Christmasday our dear
R. T. C. was buried; and yesterday I saw my sweet young cousin E. M. die, and
to-morrow expect to attend her funeral. Full of brightness and animation, full
of Christian hope and charity, she was the life of her father's house, the
solace and comfort of her already afflicted mother, one of the many mothers
whose first-born has fallen a sacrifice to the war. This interesting girl, with
scarcely a warning, has passed into heaven, leaving a blank in the hearts of
her family never to be filled.
SOURCE: Judith W. McGuire, Diary of a Southern
Refugee, During the War, p. 322-3
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