Chapter I: Front Matter

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REMINISCENCES OF PEACE AND WAR

by

MRS. ROGER A. PRYOR

Author of "The Mother of Washington and Her Times"

Revised And Enlarged Edition

New York Grosset & Dunlap Publishers

Copyright, 1904, 1905, by the Macmillan Company.

Set up and electrotyped. Published October, 1904. Reprinted December, 1904; March, 1905.

New edition, with additions, September, 1905; April, 1908.

Norwood Press J. S. Cushing & Co.—Berwick & Smith Co. Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.

I DEDICATE THIS BOOK TO THE MEMORY OF
My Son
WILLIAM RICE PRYOR, M.D.
WHO GAVE TO SUFFERING HUMANITY ALL THAT
GOD HAD GIVEN HIM

Preface

It will be obvious to the reader that this book affects neither the "dignity of history" nor the authority of political instruction. The causes which precipitated the conflict between the sections and the momentous events which attended the struggle have been recounted by writers competent to the task. But descriptions of battles and civil convulsions do not exhibit the full condition of the South in the crisis. To complete the picture, social characteristics and incidents of private life are indispensable lineaments. It occurs to the author that a plain and unambitious narrative of her recollections of Washington society during the calm which preceded the storm, and of Virginia under the afflictions and sorrows of the fratricidal strife, will not be without interest in the retrospect of that memorable era. The present volume recalls that era in the aspect in which it appeared to a woman rather than as it appeared to a statesman or a philosopher.

ROGER A. PRYOR.

Contents

CHAPTER I

PAGE

Washington in the Fifties—Literary Society during Fillmore's
Administration—John P. Kennedy, G. P. R. James, Mrs. Gales,
and Mrs. Seaton—Anna Cora Mowatt 3

CHAPTER II

President Pierce's Inauguration—The New Cabinet—Mr. Marcy
prescribes Court Dress with Varying Results—Jefferson
Davis—Sam Houston—General Scott—Washington Irving—Adelina
Patti and Mrs. Glasgow—Advice of an "Old Resident" and its
Unfortunate Result 15

CHAPTER III

Mr. Buchanan and his Cabinet—Roger A. Pryor's Mission to
Greece—The Court of Athens—The Maid of Athens—The Ball at the
Hotel de Ville—Queen Victoria's Dress and Dancing—The Countess
Guiccioli—Early Housekeeping in Washington 38

CHAPTER IV

The President at Church—Levee at the White House—A Dinner
Party at the White House—Miss Harriet Lane—Lord and Lady
Napier—Ball in their Honor—Baron and Madame Stoëckle—Madame
Bodisco—The First Japanese Embassy to the United States 47

CHAPTER V

Great Names on the Rolls of the Supreme Court, Senate,
and House of Representatives—Pen Picture of Stephen A.
Douglas—Incident at a Ball—Mrs. Douglas—Vanity Fair, "Caps,
Gowns, Petticoats, and Petty Exhibitions"—_Décolleté_
Bodices—A Society Dame's Opinion thereon 66

CHAPTER VI

Beautiful Women in Washington during Mr. Buchanan's
Administration—Influence of Southern Women in
Society—Conversational Talent—Over the _Demi-tasse_ after
Dinner—Over the Low Tea-table—Hon. John Y. Mason and the Lady
who changed her Mind—The Evening Party—Brilliant Talkers and
Good Suppers 80

CHAPTER VII

The Thirty-sixth Congress—Stormy Scenes in the House of
Representatives—Abusive and Insulting Language—Rupture of
Social Relations—Visit from General Cass at Midnight—The
Midnight Conference of Southern Leaders—Nominations for
the Presidency—The Heated Campaign and the "Unusual Course"
of Stephen A. Douglas—Author of the Memorable Words of Mr.
Seward, "Irrepressible Conflict" 93

CHAPTER VIII

Memorable Days in the History of the Country—A Torch-light
Procession in Virginia—An Uninvited Listener to a Midnight
Speech—Wedding of Miss Parker and Mr. Bouligny—The President
learns of the Secession of South Carolina—Admiral Porter
visits his South Carolina Friends—The Last New Year's Day
in Washington—Parting Words in Congress—The Setting Sun of a
Happy Day 107

CHAPTER IX

The Fall of Fort Sumter—Virginia sends "Peace Ambassadors"
to Washington—Conventions in Richmond—Ordinance
of Secession—Rally of Virginians—Enthusiasm of the
Women—Soldiers' Outfits 120

CHAPTER X

March of the Volunteers—Sail down James River—Firing the First
Gun of the Regiment—A Peaceful Volley 134

CHAPTER XI

A Virginia Tobacco Plantation—"Health, Peace, and
Competence"—Country Dinners—A Negro Funeral—General McClellan
and the Boys' Regiment 146

CHAPTER XII

Battle of Bull Run—Life at Smithfield—General Pemberton—First
Sight of the Enemy—A Sudden Change of Base—Battle
of Williamsburg—General McClellan—General Joseph E.
Johnston—Battle of Seven Pines—Richmond realizes the Horrors
of War 160

CHAPTER XIII

The Seven Days' Battles around Richmond—Pryor's Brigade
ordered to the Front—Finding a Wounded Soldier—Midnight Watch
after the Fight—Work in the Hospital—Ministrations of Virginia
Women—Death of a Christian Soldier—Colonel Brokenborough's
Sufferings, Fortitude, and Death—Richmond saved 174

CHAPTER XIV

Campaign in Maryland and Northern Virginia—Battles of
Manassas, South Mountain, and Sharpsburg (Antietam)—Winter
Quarters in Culpeper—Stories around the Campfire—Devotion to
General Lee—Incidents related by his Aide, Colonel Taylor 193

CHAPTER XV

The Foraging Party on the Blackwater—Incidents of Camp Life—A
Hazardous Experiment in "Blockade Running"—Letter from
"Agnes"—A Colored Man's Views of his own Place in Time of
War—Fight on the Blackwater—Richmond Gossip from "Agnes" 210

CHAPTER XVI

The Bread Riot at Richmond, described by
"Agnes"—Correspondence between the President, General Lee,
and General Pryor—A Great Victory at Chancellorsville—General
Lee's Order upon entering Pennsylvania—Cornwallis's Orders
in 1781—Incident of Vicksburg Campaign—Dreadful Defeat at
Gettysburg—Surrender of Vicksburg 237

CHAPTER XVII

The Winter of 1863-1864—Personal Experiences—Patrick Henry's
Granddaughter—The Spring and Summer in Petersburg—Famine, and
Some of the Women who endured it—John tells of the Averill
Raid—General Orders No. 7—Domestic Manufactures—General Lee's
Dinner—His Service of "Plate" 251

CHAPTER XVIII

Siege of Petersburg—Fight at Petersburg, June 9—General
Lee arrives at Petersburg—General Grant shells the
City—Conference of Pierre Soulé, General D. H. Hill, General
Longstreet, and General Pryor—Battle at Port Walthall—A
German Maiden and her Lover—Substitute for Medals of Honor—A
Perilous Commission—Explosion of the Mine under Confederate
Fortifications 270

CHAPTER XIX

August in the Besieged City—The Dead Soldier—Return to
Cottage Farm—General Lee makes his Headquarters near Cottage
Farm—General Wilcox encamps in Yard and Garden—Picket Firing
between Friendly Foes—New Uses for Champagne Glasses 292

CHAPTER XX

Capture of General Pryor—John and the Negro Trader—Expedients
for the Support of my Family—A New Use for Ball
Dresses—Capture of the Rev. Dr. Pryor 306

CHAPTER XXI

Christmas at Cottage Farm—Dark Days of Famine and
Desertion in the Army—The Psalm of Life—A _Déjeuner à la
Fourchette_—"Starvation Parties"—The Peace Commission—The
Irish M.P. from Donegal—General Lee reveals the Desperate
Condition of his Army—A Visit from General Lee 319

CHAPTER XXII

General Pryor's Return from Captivity—Story of his Release
from Prison and Interview with Mr. Lincoln—April 2—Defeat
at Cottage Farm—Surrender of Petersburg—Entrance of Federal
Troops—Personal Experiences 338

CHAPTER XXIII

Evacuation of Richmond described by "Agnes"—Mr. Lincoln's
Entrance into Richmond as related by Admiral Porter 354

CHAPTER XXIV

Arrival of Southern Prisoners of War—General Sheridan "knows
how to make the terms for a house that suits him"—"We've
caught Jeff Davis"—General Sheridan's Visit—Frank Expression
of a Yankee Soldier—General Warren tells us of Lee's Surrender
361

CHAPTER XXV

Incidents and Events—Loyalty of Domestic Servants—The First
Army Ration to Destitute Women—Mrs. Hartsuff—Return to Cottage
Farm—A Scene of Desolation—The Lonely Vigil—Kindness of
Negroes and Fidelity of Old Family Servants 372

CHAPTER XXVI

Tourists—The Reverend Brother and the Young People—The Army
of Norway Rats—The "Met Bullets"—General Grant—The Destruction
of Fortifications and Change of Base—In the Garden at Cottage
Farm—The Voice in the Night 390

CHAPTER XXVII

The First Decoration Day—The Old Church at Blandford—The
First Memorial Association—Covering the Soldiers' Graves with
Flowers—"Until the Day Dawn" 404