Thursday, February 26, 2015

Diary of Margaret Junkin Preston: May 27, 1862

As we rose from the dinner table today, I asked Mr. Preston if he was going to ride out to the farm this afternoon. “No,” he said, “I will read a while, and then go down street and hear the news.” He had scarcely done speaking, when he was summoned to the door, to “hear the news,” the sad news, that in a fight just over, at Winchester, Frank Preston [the second son of the family] had been “severely wounded.” In about two hours, the carriage was ready, and Mr. P. on his way to Staunton. Prof. Nelson went with him, as his brother-in-law is slightly wounded. How he will find poor Frank, God only knows: he said he would be thankful to find him alive, and seemed little disposed to be hopeful about him: he has an arm broken, and a ball in his side. Oh! this horrid, unnatural war! Had a letter today from W. F. J. — he says his time is absorbed in trying to comfort the afflicted. Must write to the distressed G. family; R. was brought home dead a few days ago. May God be gracious, and spare my husband the anguish of seeing his son cut off in the first flush of his opening manhood!

SOURCE: Elizabeth Preston Allan, The Life and Letters of Margaret Junkin Preston, p. 141

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