A courier has brought in the intelligence that Averill's
force is at Jordan's Furnace, between 20 and 30 miles from this, and advancing
this way. That the force engaged with Jones was not Averill's: probably
Crooke's. People are more certain to-day of "the Yankees coming" than
they have been at all yet, because there is not a soldier between them and us,
and if they chose to ride into Lexington to-night, there is not a thing to hinder
them, all the Confederates having passed on to Staunton or its neighborhood.
Mr. P. is as busy as he can be, getting things at the V. M. I. moved away. The
library has been carried to the College. As the Institute is Government
property, they will most likely burn it; that, at all events, is what we
apprehend. We have hidden our own valuables to some extent; and Mr. P. is
having his bacon hauled into the mountains. Yet the enemy may not come; we have
expected them so often when they didn't come, that we may be delivered again.
Gen. Elzey has passed on to Lynchburg to-day.
Later: At half past four o'clock we went to the daily
prayer-meeting. Dr. White gave us what information he had been able to collect;
told us that the enemy was certainly on his way hither; but inculcated calm
reliance upon God; said the force advancing would not reach us today; and
appointed the meeting for to-morrow, saying that we should come, unless it was
dangerous for ladies to be upon the street. As we went from the Lecture Room,
three couriers rode up, and the street was crowded from one pavement to the
other. We found that Imboden, Jackson, and McCausland are all with their small
forces falling back; that the enemy took possession of Staunton yesterday at
one o'clock; burnt a large factory and the railroad Depot; and it is said the
Virginia Hotel; and were advancing this way. All was such commotion as I have
never seen in Lexington; people moving flour, goods, &c.; driving out their
cow ; ladies flying about in a high state of excitement. A little while after I
reached home, in came E. and Mr. W. from Brownsburg, fugitives from the enemy.
E.'s carriage was broken, so he could not bring his wife and children to us;
but he took them and the servants over to Mrs. W.'s; moved out his bacon, and
what flour he had, shut up his house, and left it to its fate. At his church on
Sunday, a courier arrived, and demanded in the name of Gen. McC. that the
citizens should turn out en masse and blockade two of the mountain
passes. E. went with them; spent all Sunday night cutting down trees, and was
near enough to Crooke's camp to hear the band; almost to distinguish the tunes;
heard ten reveilles, which would indicate ten regiments; saw the camp
fires. When he left home, McC. had passed his house coming this way; the enemy
was several miles above Brownsburg. Agnes is pretty brave; she was willing to
be left alone in the house, the only white person, with her little children.
All her anxiety was to get E. off. I was busy until ten o'clock getting off our
bacon and flour, which E. tells me the enemy is taking all along the route.
SOURCE: Elizabeth Preston Allan, The Life and
Letters of Margaret Junkin Preston, p. 184-6
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