Diary of Josephine Shaw Lowell: October 30, 1862

Well! Sue's gone and we've had a perfect success in the wedding, with only one thing to mar our enjoyment of the day. This morning three gentlemen appeared and asked Father, for the Governor, to be Provost Marshal of Richmond, Queens and Suffolk Counties, and he refused the offer. Mother, Nellie and I felt dreadfully because we thought of the great good he might do, and of the dreadful rascal who will probably be put in, but he felt he couldn't do it well (of course he'd do it better than anyone else they give it to), and I think, too, that Rob's advice had something to do with it, for he said that it required a military man and that he knew Father couldn't do it.

Rob went back this afternoon, not much wanting to, certainly, dear boy. It must be dreadfully hard to go away from this nice, homey house into cold, weariness and fighting.

SOURCE: William Rhinelander Stewart, The Philanthropic Work of Josephine Shaw Lowell, p. 37

Diary of Josephine Shaw Lowell: October 29, 1862

Rob is home again for tomorrow. That dear General Gordon, feeling that he ought to be at home for Sue's wedding, and not being able to get him a furlough, sent him to New York on official business. We thought he was on the advance, far away, when suddenly at 2 o'clock he appeared, having come down with Annie Haggerty,¹ whom he had gone to see in New York. He looks splendid and seems in good spirits. To have him at home is lovely. We were saying this morning that we were all together but one, and now that one has come. He said tonight, poor boy, that he wished we were done with this fighting and expected to be “slaughtered before it was over.” I suppose they must all feel so, seeing so many of their friends and companions dying around them. Tomorrow, Harry and he meet. They've not seen each other since Cedar Mountain. So far the Lord has been very merciful to us, in turning all our sorrows to joy.

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¹ Afterwards Mrs. Robert Gould Shaw.

SOURCE: William Rhinelander Stewart, The Philanthropic Work of Josephine Shaw Lowell, p. 36-7