My Diary: North and South (vol. 1 of 2)

Barbers’ shops--Place-hunting--The Navy Yard--Dinner at Lord Lyons’--Estimate of Washington among his countrymen--Washington’s house and tomb--The Southern Commissioners--Dinner...

New York Press--Rumours as to the Southerners--Visit to the Smithsonian Institute--Pythons--Evening at Mr. Seward’s--Rough draft of official dispatch to Lord J. Russell--Estimat...

Preparations for war at Charleston--My own departure for the Southern States--Arrival at Baltimore--Commencement of hostilities at Fort Sumter--Bombardment of the fort--General...

Slaves, their masters and mistresses--Hotels--Attempted boat-journey to Fort Moultrie--Excitement at Charleston against New York-- Preparations for war--General Beauregard--Sout...

By railway to Savannah--Description of the city--Rumours of the last few days--State of affairs at Washington--Preparations for war--Cemetery of Bonaventure--Road made of oyster...

The river at Savannah--Commodore Tatnall--Fort Pulaski--Want of a fleet to the Southerners--Strong feeling of the women--Slavery considered in its results--Cotton and Georgia--O...

Slave-pens: negroes on sale or hire--Popular feeling as to secession--Beauregard and speech-making--Arrival at Montgomery--Bad hotel accommodation--Knights of the Golden Circle-...

Mr. Wigfall on the Confederacy--Intended departure from the South--Northern apathy and Southern activity--Future prospects of the Union--South Carolina and cotton--The theory of...

Visit to Forts Gaines and Morgan--War to the knife the cry of the South--The “State” and the “States”--Bay of Mobile--The forts and their inmates--Opinions as to an attack on Wa...

Pensacola and Fort Pickens--Neutrals and their friends--Coasting-- Sharks--The blockading fleet--The stars and stripes, and stars and bars--Domestic feuds caused by the war--Cap...

Bitters before breakfast--An old Crimean acquaintance--Earthworks and batteries--Estimate of cannons--Magazines--Hospitality-- English and American introductions and leave-takin...

The first blow struck--The St. Charles Hotel--Invasion of Virginia by the Federals--Death of Col. Ellsworth--Evening at Mr. Slidell’s--Public comments on the war--Richmond the c...

Carrying arms--New Orleans jail--Desperate characters-- Executions--Female maniacs and prisoners--The river and levee-- Climate of New Orleans--Population--General distress--Pre...

Ride through the maize-fields--Sugar plantation; negroes at work--Use of the lash--Feeling towards France--Silence of the country--Negroes and dogs--Theory of slavery--Physical...

Visit to Mr. M‘Call’s plantation--Irish and Spaniards--The planter--A Southern sporting man--The creoles--Leave Houmas-- Donaldsonville--Description of the city--Baton Rouge--St...

On the evening of 3rd March, 1861, I was transferred from the little steam-tender, which plies between Cork and the anchorage of the Cunard steamers at the entrance of the harbo...

The entrance to New York, as it was seen by us on 16th March, is not remarkable for beauty or picturesque scenery, and I incurred the ire of several passengers, because I could...

_Monday, 18th._--“St. Patrick’s day in the morning” being on the 17th, was kept by the Irish to-day. In the early morning the sounds of drumming, fifing, and bugling came with t...

_March 20th._--The papers are still full of Sumter and Pickens. The reports that they are or are not to be relieved are stated and contradicted in each paper without any regard...

After our pleasant breakfast came that necessity for activity which makes such meals disguised as mere light morning repasts take their revenge. I had to pack up, and I am bound...

_March 28th._--I was honoured to-day by visits from a great number of Members of Congress, journalists, and others. Judging from the expressions of most of the Washington people...

Barbers’ shops--Place-hunting--The Navy Yard--Dinner at Lord Lyons’--Estimate of Washington among his countrymen--Washington’s house and tomb--The Southern Commissioners--Dinner...

New York Press--Rumours as to the Southerners--Visit to the Smithsonian Institute--Pythons--Evening at Mr. Seward’s--Rough draft of official dispatch to Lord J. Russell--Estimat...

_April 10th._--To-day I devoted to packing up such things as I did not require, and sending them to New York. I received a characteristic note from General Scott, asking me to d...

Preparations for war at Charleston--My own departure for the Southern States--Arrival at Baltimore--Commencement of hostilities at Fort Sumter--Bombardment of the Fort--General...

_Sunday, April 14._--A night of disturbed sleep, owing to the ponderous thumping of the walking-beam close to my head, the whizzing of steam, and the roaring of the steam-trumpe...

_Monday, April 15._--Up at dawn. Crossed by ferry to Portsmouth, and arrived at railway station, which was at no place in particular, in a street down which the rails were laid....

Early next morning, soon after dawn, I crossed the Cape Fear River, on which Wilmington is situated, by a steam ferry-boat. On the quay lay quantities of shot and shell. “How ca...

There was a large crowd around the pier staring at the men in uniform on the boat, which was filled with bales of goods, commissariat stores, trusses of hay, and hampers, suppli...

Slaves, their masters and mistresses--Hotels--Attempted boat-journey to Fort Moultrie--Excitement at Charleston against New York--Preparations for war--General Beauregard--South...

_April 19th._--An exceeding hot day. The sun pours on the broad sandy street of Charleston with immense power, and when the wind blows down the thoroughfare it sends before it v...

_April 21st._--In the afternoon I went with Mr. Porcher Miles to visit a small farm and plantation, some miles from the city, belonging to Mr. Crafts. Our arrival was unexpected...

_April 24th._--In the morning we found ourselves in chopping little sea-way for which the “Nina” was particularly unsuited, laden as she was with provisions and produce. Eyes an...

_April 27th._--Mrs. Trescot, it seems, spent part of her night in attendance on a young gentleman of colour, who was introduced into the world in a state of servitude by his poo...

By railway to Savannah--Description of the city--Rumours of the last few days--State of affairs at Washington--Preparations for war--Cemetery of Bonaventure--Road made of oyster...

The river at Savannah--Commodore Tatnall--Fort Pulaski--Want of a fleet to the Southerners--Strong feeling of the women--Slavery considered in its results--Cotton and Georgia--O...

Slave-pens; Negroes on sale or hire--Popular feeling as to Secession--Beauregard and speech-making--Arrival at Montgomery--Bad hotel accommodation--Knights of the Golden Circle-...

_May 9th._--To-day the papers contain a proclamation by the President of the Confederate States of America, declaring a state of war between the Confederacy and the United State...

_May 8th._ I tried to write, as I have taken my place in the steamer to Mobile to-morrow, and I was obliged to do my best in a room full of people, constantly disturbed by visit...

The vessel was nothing more than a vast wooden house, of three separate storeys, floating on a pontoon which upheld the engine, with a dining-hall or saloon on the second storey...

Visit to Forts Gaines and Morgan--War to the knife the cry of the South--The “State” and the “States”--Bay of Mobile--The forts and their inmates--Opinions as to an attack on Wa...

_May 13th._ I was busy making arrangements to get to Pensacola, and Fort Pickens, all day. The land journey was represented as being most tedious and exceedingly comfortless in...

_May 16th._--The réveillé of the Zouaves, note for note the same as that which, in the Crimea, so often woke up poor fellows who slept the long sleep ere nightfall, roused us th...

_May 18th._--An exceedingly hot day, which gives bad promise of comfort for the Federal soldiers, who are coming, as the Washington Government asserts, to put down rebellion in...

The first blow struck--The St. Charles hotel--Invasion of Virginia by the Federals--Death of Col. Ellsworth--Evening at Mr. Slidell’s--Public comments on the war--Richmond the c...

_May 31st._--I went with Mr. Mure to visit the jail. We met the sheriff, according to appointment, at the police court. Something like a sheriff--a great, big, burly, six-foot m...

_June 2nd._--My good friend the Consul was up early to see me off; and we drove together to the steamer J. L. Cotten. The people were going to mass as we passed through the stre...

Ride through the maize-fields--Sugar plantation; negroes at work--Use of the lash--Feeling towards France--Silence of the country--Negroes and dogs--Theory of slavery--Physical...

_June 5th._--The smart negro who waited on me this morning spoke English. I asked him if he knew how to read and write.--“We must not do that, sir.” “Where were you born?”--“I w...

_June 7th._--The Confederate issue of ten millions sterling, in bonds payable in twenty years, is not sufficient to meet the demands of Government; and the four millions of smal...

Visit to Mr. M‘Call’s plantation--Irish, and Spaniards--The planter--A Southern sporting man--The creoles--Leave Houmas--Donaldsonville--Description of the City--Baton Rouge--St...