Thursday, December 1, 2016

Lydia McLane Johnston to Eliza Johnston Hughes, April 8, 1864

[Lydia Milligan Sims McLane Johnston at Dalton, Georgia, to Eliza Mary Johnston Hughes at [?], April 8, 1864. Box 24, Robert Morton Hughes Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Patricia W. and J. Douglas Perry Library, Old Dominion University Libraries, Norfolk, VA 23529. This is my rough transcription. Lily's handwriting is challenging to decipher. Paragraph breaks added for easier reading.]

Dalton Geo April 8th [1864]

My dear Lizzie

The sight of your handwriting is refreshing -- your long letter is just received & I cannot tell you how great a treat it was when from you . . . something of the den and so far from us. The general received your letter, two months ago, & replied . . . at once, thanking you for your present. 

[T]here is some fatality about our letters. I wrote to you & then cousin Sally last summer, when you were in such terrible affliction, & where I felt for you, & with you in that affliction for you know how truly I loved & . . . that dear one, that true and noble friend of my husband, & mine, his memory will be as dear loved as that of my father, so long as I live. I can appreciate your feelings dear Lizzie, as to myself I have never . . . myself to think of that terrible enemy, or speak of him. I have suffered severely for one long year (no one knows how much) at the acts of tyranny, injustice & . . . to my husband. I have not forgiven . . . I have resolved to be silent. [T]ime has marked out, & will bring all to light & "tremble . . . to the Earth must evil" . . . 

General who has so quietly borne all, for the sake of the . . . spoke one word, of . . . when his own State, for which he would have given the last ounce of his heart's blood turned against him.

I am so glad you liked the report. I thought  it great, so clear, a child could have understood it, as simple & true as his own brave heart.

I wish I could see you, I have so many things I need to talk . . . you. So much to say perhaps tis better not, we are here more among strangers than with friends or sympathizing kindred. I had a year of trial, dear Lizzie, & a very sad one it has been, but tis . . . & I am rejoicing the more for the . . . I hope the pride & gratification of seeing the General in a position, where he is loved & . . ., & where I hope he may be able, to do & dare, what we feel he can, your heart my darling I know responds to this & I must not be so egotistical, but tis a great temptation. 

[B]ut before I close I must say how much I prayed, the bold & generous support, given him by the Examiner . . . long month of darkness where there was nothing known, but . . . from a garbled correspondence, published for a sad . . . the good & useful always withheld I am in hopes that time will bring light, a letter, the reply to Mr. Davis seen in that publication which was not given to Congress, when the correspondence was called for.    

I am here for only a few days. I have located myself in Atlanta, have hired three rooms in a pretty little house there. Kind friends have sent me a bed, chairs & tables enough to make it very comfortable. Mrs. Major Mason (Mary E. Campbell) has one room . I . . . the third is our . . . & sitting room having the General's map chest, we opened it, & have gone regularly to housekeeping on a small table. Col. Ewell of the Gen staff occupied the remaining room in the house & messed with us. [T]his is a . . . & great pleasure . . . [h]e has his office in the basement. 

I found it impossible . . . on our means in boarding houses or Hotels any longer, & . . . as the only way of getting along. [W]e live on very little as you can imagine provisions are scarce . . . very simple . . . suffered. I feel independents & . . . the army . . . here frequently from the Gen . . . 

I have determined to try it a while, at least until July when George comes home from school, by that time I trust events will have developed some brighter prospects in the future . . . perhaps can there be such . . . in store for me?

How I long to see you. [B]ut for this housekeeping arrangement I would be tempted to remove & have the comfort of seeing you all once more. [D]ear cousin Sally . . . asked to see her. [D]id she . . . from me I think of her . . . Floyd must be a great comfort to her from his name & his likeness to her little lost angel. [W]hat losses that noble woman has endured in this life. [B]ut what a gratification to feel . . . bright . . . daughter. 

[D]o you remember Mary E. Campbell; it is she who is Mrs. Mason . . . wife!! He is with the Gen & she wanted to keep near her husband, her family being in Richmond. We entered into this temporary arrangement.

I often hear from my sister Mrs. Tiffany who is in Europe to receive a trunk from Paris a complete outfit, a great godsend to me . . . the things . . . in these sad & hard times. 

What does Mr. Hughes think of the war. Has he any paper of its termination during our life time? I wish I could hope . When from your . . . to care of Col. B. S. Ewell . . . & there Atlanta Geo. would reach me & give . . . attached to you. 

[G]ive our . . . love to our dear dear cousin Sally, Nicketti. In family how is sister Louisa's health? My love . . . Mr. Hughes & all of the family.

God bless you dear Lizzie

. . . your . . . friend & aunt

L M Johnston 


[The General = Joseph Eggleston Johnston (1807-1891)
Lydia Milligan Sims McLane Johnston (1822-1887)

Lizzie = Eliza Mary Johnston Hughes (1825-1909)
Cousin Sally = Sarah "Sally" Buchanan Preston Floyd (1802-1879)
True and noble friend = John Buchanan Floyd (1806-1863)
Terrible enemy = Jefferson Davis (1808-1889)
Floyd = Floyd Hughes (1861-1940), Lizzie's son
Mr. Hughes = Robert William Hughes (1821-1901), Lizzie's husband
Mary Ellen Campbell (1842-1870),  daughter of former Supreme Court Justice John Archibald Campbell (1811-1889); A. P. Mason = Arthur Pendleton Mason (1835-1893) staff officer who often served with Johnston. Mary married A. P. in Richmond on December 22, 1863

Col. B. S. Ewell = Benjamin Stoddert Ewell (1810-1894), President of the College of William & Mary and member of Joe Johnston's staff
George =  possibly George Ben Johnston (1853-1916)
Mrs. Tiffany = Sarah "Sally" Jones McLane Tiffany (1820-1887), married to Henry Tiffany (circa 1820-?)
Nicketti = Nicketti Buchanan Floyd Johnston (1819-1908)
Louisa = Louisa Smith Bowen Johnston (1800-1873)]

[Many thanks to William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]

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