"Just now Mr Clay* dashed upstairs pale as a sheet.
'General Lee has capitulated.'**
I saw it reflected in Mary Darby's face before I heard him. She staggered to the table, sat down, and wept aloud. Clay's eyes were not dry.
Quite beside herself, Mary shrieked, 'Now we belong to negroes and Yankees!' Buck said, 'I do not believe it.'"
*Clement Claiborne Clay, Jr
**At Appomattox Court House on 9 April 1865
Showing posts with label Sally "Buck" Preston. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sally "Buck" Preston. Show all posts
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
28 November 1863, Richmond
"Then I gave a party.
Mrs Davis very witty. Preston girls very handsome. Isabella's fun fast and furious. No party could have gone off more successfully, but J. C. decides we are to have no more festivities. This is not the time or place for such gaieties."
Mrs Davis very witty. Preston girls very handsome. Isabella's fun fast and furious. No party could have gone off more successfully, but J. C. decides we are to have no more festivities. This is not the time or place for such gaieties."
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
A picnic, interrupted.
"...up rode [John Darby] in red-hot haste, threw his bridle to one of the men who was holding the horses and came toward us, rapidly clanking his cavalry spurs with a despairing sound. 'Stop! It's all up. We are ordered back to the Rappahannock. The brigade is marching through Richmond now.'
... At the turnpike we stood in the sidewalk and saw ten thousand men march by. We had seen nothing like this before. Hitherto, it was only regiments marching, spic and span in their fresh smart clothes, just from home on their way to the army.
Such rags and tags—nothing alike—most garments and arms taken from the enemy—such shoes! 'Oh our brave boys!' moaned Buck. Such tin pans and pots tied to their waists—bread or bacon stuck on the ends of their bayonets. Anything that could be spiked was bayoneted and held aloft.
They did not seem to know their shabby condition. They laughed and shouted and cheered as they marched by. Not a disrespectful or light word. But they went for the men huddled behind us—who at last seemed trying to be as small as possible and to escape observation in our rear.
'Ladies, send those puny conscripts on to their regiments.'"
... At the turnpike we stood in the sidewalk and saw ten thousand men march by. We had seen nothing like this before. Hitherto, it was only regiments marching, spic and span in their fresh smart clothes, just from home on their way to the army.
Such rags and tags—nothing alike—most garments and arms taken from the enemy—such shoes! 'Oh our brave boys!' moaned Buck. Such tin pans and pots tied to their waists—bread or bacon stuck on the ends of their bayonets. Anything that could be spiked was bayoneted and held aloft.
They did not seem to know their shabby condition. They laughed and shouted and cheered as they marched by. Not a disrespectful or light word. But they went for the men huddled behind us—who at last seemed trying to be as small as possible and to escape observation in our rear.
'Ladies, send those puny conscripts on to their regiments.'"
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
John Bell "Sam" Hood
"Nicknames. Buck asked John Darby scornfully, 'Do you think Mamie will marry you?' Striking a majestic attitude, he answers,
'Perseverentia omnia vincit.'
So Buck dubbed him P. V., and P. V. he was to us ever after.
The famous colonel of the Fourth Texas—by name John Bell Hood—him we called Sam, because his classmates at West Point did so still—cause unknown.
P. V. asked if he might bring his general—bragged of him extensively, said he had won his three stars &c under Stonewall's eye and that he was promoted by Stonewall's request.
When he came, with his sad Quixotic face, the face of an old crusader who believed in his cause, his cross, his crown—we were not prepared for that type exactly as a beau idéal of wild Texans. Tall—thin—shy. Blue eyes and light hair, tawny beard and a vast amount of it covering the lower part of his face—an appearance of awkward strength. Someone said that great reserve of manner he carried into ladies' society. Mr Venable added he had often heard of the 'light of battle' shining in a man's eyes. He had seen it once. He carried him orders from General Lee and found [him] in the hottest of the fight. 'The man was transfigured. The fierce light of his eyes—I can never forget.'"
'Perseverentia omnia vincit.'
So Buck dubbed him P. V., and P. V. he was to us ever after.
The famous colonel of the Fourth Texas—by name John Bell Hood—him we called Sam, because his classmates at West Point did so still—cause unknown.
P. V. asked if he might bring his general—bragged of him extensively, said he had won his three stars &c under Stonewall's eye and that he was promoted by Stonewall's request.
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| John Bell "Sam" Hood (1831-1879) |
When he came, with his sad Quixotic face, the face of an old crusader who believed in his cause, his cross, his crown—we were not prepared for that type exactly as a beau idéal of wild Texans. Tall—thin—shy. Blue eyes and light hair, tawny beard and a vast amount of it covering the lower part of his face—an appearance of awkward strength. Someone said that great reserve of manner he carried into ladies' society. Mr Venable added he had often heard of the 'light of battle' shining in a man's eyes. He had seen it once. He carried him orders from General Lee and found [him] in the hottest of the fight. 'The man was transfigured. The fierce light of his eyes—I can never forget.'"
Monday, September 21, 2015
Sally Campbell Buchanan "Buck" Preston
"Buck, the very sweetest woman I ever knew, had a knack of being 'fallen in love with' at sight and of never being 'fallen out of love' with. But then, there seemed a spell upon her lovers—so many were killed or died of the effects of wounds. Ransom Calhoun, Braddy Warwick, Claude Gibson, the Notts.
In Columbia, on hearing the name: 'Shall I answer him? See here.'
Annie, on hearing the name: 'Answer! Did you see the paper today? He is killed.' Annie the practical.
Once she came in and sat on the edge of my bed. In those Columbia days, a cloud had come over her bright face. 'Buck, what makes you so pale, dear—and why have that black mantle around you on this warm day?'
'Why not? I feel so sad—black suits me. Alfred Rhett has killed Cousin Ransom in a duel.' Here she drew the mantle close around her face.
... 'What is the matter with Buck? She has been languishing on that sofa, profoundly indifferent to me and the rest of mankind,' said John Darby.
'Don't you know her yet? She would not listen to that poor fellow while he was alive, and now that he is dead she is brokenhearted. Let her alone, she will soon recover,' said Mary C cheerfully.
Johnny was asked if he were not succumbing, too, to Buck's fascinations. It was a road they all traveled.
'No, never.' He looked alarmed at the bare suggestion. 'I dare not. I would prefer to face a Yankee battery. They say So-and-So is awfully in love with Miss S. P. Then I say, look out! You will see his name next in the list of killed and wounded.'
This was very hard on Buck, but our brave young soldiers faced the music gallantly. Let who would die or be killed, there was always a new crop of flourishing dimensions growing vigorously around her. Lovers were never wanting. I think she was loyal to the dead and missing.
The darling! She has her peculiarities. Who can describe her? This I know, I wouldn't have, if I could, anything altered about her mentally, morally, physically. Of how many people can one say that?"
In Columbia, on hearing the name: 'Shall I answer him? See here.'
Annie, on hearing the name: 'Answer! Did you see the paper today? He is killed.' Annie the practical.
Once she came in and sat on the edge of my bed. In those Columbia days, a cloud had come over her bright face. 'Buck, what makes you so pale, dear—and why have that black mantle around you on this warm day?'
'Why not? I feel so sad—black suits me. Alfred Rhett has killed Cousin Ransom in a duel.' Here she drew the mantle close around her face.
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| Sally Campbell Buchanan "Buck" Preston (1842-1880) |
... 'What is the matter with Buck? She has been languishing on that sofa, profoundly indifferent to me and the rest of mankind,' said John Darby.
'Don't you know her yet? She would not listen to that poor fellow while he was alive, and now that he is dead she is brokenhearted. Let her alone, she will soon recover,' said Mary C cheerfully.
Johnny was asked if he were not succumbing, too, to Buck's fascinations. It was a road they all traveled.
'No, never.' He looked alarmed at the bare suggestion. 'I dare not. I would prefer to face a Yankee battery. They say So-and-So is awfully in love with Miss S. P. Then I say, look out! You will see his name next in the list of killed and wounded.'
This was very hard on Buck, but our brave young soldiers faced the music gallantly. Let who would die or be killed, there was always a new crop of flourishing dimensions growing vigorously around her. Lovers were never wanting. I think she was loyal to the dead and missing.
The darling! She has her peculiarities. Who can describe her? This I know, I wouldn't have, if I could, anything altered about her mentally, morally, physically. Of how many people can one say that?"
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