Diary of Henry Greville: Tuesday, May 7, 1861

A dower of 30,000l. and an annuity of 6,000l. were voted nem. con. last night for Princess Alice.

An interesting letter from Fanny Kemble of April 20 from Philadelphia says:

'How can I describe the state of things in the midst of which we are living? I am paying a visit to Sarah¹ before returning to Lenox for the summer, and even in this village (a suburb of Philadelphia) we are in the midst of the most furious political and military excitement. It is Sunday, and the drums have been rolling to call the men to drill. Mr. Butler has gone off to swear his allegiance to the Southern Confederacy, taking, in spite of her own and her sister's entreaties, and the remonstrances of all his friends, Fanny² with him, his purpose, I understand, being to establish himself on his plantation again, buying a new force of slaves instead of those he sold two years ago, and thus become a resident Georgian slaveholder. Absolute war has broken out between North and South; all communication by post or telegraph is suspended. Maryland, which has hitherto (though a Slave State) been considered loyal to the Government, has seceded. A murderous onslaught was made in Baltimore, the chief city of Maryland, on the troops going through to Washington. These were New England regiments and a large body of Pennsylvanians—the latter unarmed, expecting to find their accoutrements in Washington. Of course this has excited a tempest of rage and indignation throughout the North. Troops are pouring into Philadelphia night and day, and are now being despatched by sea to Washington instead of through Baltimore. That place is but a hundred miles from hencethree hours and a half by rail, and the excitement here is something of which you can form no notion. The streets of Philadelphia were yesterday swarming with people, great crowds of eager, excited men were gathered at all the newspaper offices, 40,000 men have enlisted in Pennsylvania alone within the last six days. Those who are not ordered South immediately remain here to organise and drill themselves for service. From every house the flag of the United States is hung out, and here in the country, among the early tints of the spring, the Stars and Stripes are seen flaunting through the woods and across the fields from the roof and window of every villa, cottage, and farmhouse. You cannot imagine anything more strange than the suddenness with which we find ourselves in the midst of these disastrous preparations to which your account of public and private theatricals formed a curious contrast. We shall have a furious and fierce conflict now, for both sides of the country are rabid. Is it not too frightful to think of?'

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¹ Sarah, her eldest daughter, married to Dr. Owen Wister. Her son is the author of some remarkable novels lately published in America.

² His younger daughter, now Hon. Mrs. James Leigh.—Ed.

SOURCE: Alice Countess of Stratford, Leaves from the Diary of Henry Greville: 1857-1861, p. 373-4