Civil War Diary

“April 13th, 1861
Rained violently until 9 O’clock, when it cleared off, and remained so with the exception of a few clouds. This day has been one of unusual interest. The papers bring the news of the bombardment of Fort Sumter, and about diner[sic] time, a dispatch was received from South Carolina, saying that the Fort had been taken by the South Carolinians. The news was received here with great joy, the firing of one hundred cannon bearing testimony to it. A torchlight procession is talked of, but I do not know whether there will be one or not. It is raining now, I hope it will not…”

The following is an entry from a diary an unknown young woman who was living in Richmond. Entries date from April 13, 1861 to May 15, 1862. We don’t know who she is, but her prose provides firsthand observations of what was going on in Richmond during the early years of the Civil War.