Women's diaries

[Drygoods]

Hello Friends,
I just finished my second book of reading Mary Chestnut's diaries and was wondering if anyone knows if there is a biography of her life. I thought perhaps Elisabeth Muhlenfeld had written MBC's biography? Perhaps someone here can help.
I enjoy reading womens CW diaries, consequently, if anyone can suggest any good diaries, I'd very much appreciate hearing about them. Many thanks for your time.
Mfr,
Judith Peebles

[MuddyTrowsers]

Re: Women's diaries

Here is a diary that I found most interesting.

Mellette, Margaret Wylie. Maggie: The Civil War Diary of Margaret Wylie Mellette., ed. Joanita Kant Watertown, SD: Codington County Historical Society, Inc., 1983.

I am unsure as to whether or not the book is still in print, but this would be an interesting read if you ever come across it. Maggie's diary offers an interesting glimpes into the life of a young woman from Bloomington, Indiana during the closing months of the war and its aftermath. The diary covers the time period from March 28, 1865 to August 21, 1866.

[Emmanuel Dabney]

Re: Women's diaries

Re: Bio of Mrs. Chesnut, I think most of allowed for the C. Vann Woodward edit of her diary to suffice as biographical enough.

Re: Other interesting diaries/memoirs.

The Civil War Diary of Anne S. Frobel of Wilton Hill in Virginia. The Frobel sisters lived in Yankee occupied Fairfax, Virginia.

Lucy Breckinridge of Grove Hill: The Journal of a Virginia Girl 1862-1864. Edited by Mary D. Robertson. Lucy was a distant cousin of General J.C. Breckinridge, she and her family lived in Botetourt County, Virginia. She was 19 when she started her diary in 1862 to alleviate boredom.

Vicksburg: A City Under Siege--Diary of Emma Balfour May 16, 1863- June 2, 1863. Emma Balfour lived in a house that later became Major General James B. McPherson's headquarters. Short but an interesting and tragic view of how the war affected Vicksburg residents.

Richmond during the War: Four Years of Personal Observation by Sallie Brock Putnam. A thirty-three year old single woman in 1861, she wrote her memoirs in 1867. A side-bar note of some interest is Sallie Brock married Reverend Richard F. Putnam at age 54 in January 1882.

And one of my friend Karin Timour's favorites....A Southern Woman's Story by Phobe Yates Pember. The Widow Pember came to Richmond in 1862 to become matron of Chimborazo Hospital. Really intriguing look into the hospital.

[Matthew.Rector]

Re: Women's diaries

I read this one awhile back and thought it was pretty good. Lexington, KY resident Frances Peter was confined to her home and made most of her observations from behind the window. She sees Lexington change hands several times and provides info given to her by her family. She also writes about the different sympathies of citizens and the many activities occurring at J. H. Morgan’s mother’s home.

Peter, Frances Dallam, A Union woman in Civil War Kentucky : the diary of Frances Peter
edited by John David Smith and William Cooper, Jr. Lexington, Ky. : University Press of Kentucky, c2000.

[KKS]

"A Blockaded Family: Life in Southern Alabama During the Civil War" by Parthenia Antoinette Hague provides much detail on home production in response to the blockade, especially on spinning, dying, weaving, and food substitutes. It is a memoir written post-war, and Mrs. Hague can be fairly technical with her descriptions, but it is still well worth reading.

It can be ordered online, and may be even more widely available.

Kira Sanscrainte

[Drygoods]

Re: Women's diaries

Goodness! so many replies and so fast too! Thank you all who have written. I did manage to locate two more Chestnut books about MBC, but have not found anything about her husband. Still, it is encouraging to find so many books that I haven't found myself and all of that is due to your advice. Thank you so much. I tend to read 3-5+ hours a day and so it is a challenge to continually find books that are new to me.
I prefer reading antique books or books written from diaries because I do not care for the modern interpretation that many current authors feel necessary to include to explain either their opinion or historical notes. I know that may sound stuffy, but I just like reading from original sources.
Again, many thanks for your suggestions.
Mfr,
Judith Peebles

[col90]

Re: Women's diaries

You will find a large number of original diaries and other period texts online at

http://docsouth.unc.edu/

Colleen Formby
AGSAS

[celtfiddler]

Re: Women's diaries

The Journal of Jane Howison Beale provides some interesting insight into the days leading up to the Battle of Fredericksburg (unfortunately, I don't have it handy to give the exact time period it covers)

I've been picking up a number of diaries and journals written by nurses that have been quite interesting. Currently, I'm reading Cornelia Hancock's.

Kimberly Schwatka