Catherine Susannah Thomas Markell, diary
September 12, 1862
“Fred left this morning on Billy for Hagerstown. Generals Jeb Stuart, Fitz Lee, Wade Hampton
and all their aides with Dr. Davis Thompson, dined here. Gave General Stuart “Southern Yankee Doodle” which so delighted him that he called up Sweeny, his banjo player---who played and sang “Old Gray Hoss” and many other of his favorite songs. All the girls were here---several sang for him. He gave me a piece of his plume and wrote in my autograph album. He was called down in the hall where a prisoner stood trembling in charge of the guard. Stuart called for pen and ink, which McCaffrey gave him, and wrote a parole on the spot.
About four o’clock a courier informed the generals that the Yankee drums could be heard and the advancing columns of McClellan’s army were in sight. Hampton had left and Lee started but the “Cavalier” Stuart waited until his hurried command was obeyed and then formed his men in line of battle immediately in front of our house---where a considerable skirmish occurred. The Confederates slowly retiring toward the mountain---up the Middletown pike. One of the Federal cannon burst at the east end of Patrick Street, killing several men. A piece of our front door railing was shot away. We all retired to the cellar where we found concealed an old Confederate soldier. Mr. Erasmus West, wife and children and the O’Leary’s were here. We all went on the house top after the fight to see McClellan’s army enter. Some one hoisted a flag on Robert McPherson’s house, next to Calvin Page’s, which a Confederate officer spied and returning almost in face of the enemy, compelled them to take it down. Jackson started on Wednesday night and passed out Church Street, stopping a moment at William Bantz’s."
Author
Name: Catherine Susannah Thomas Markell
Unit: N/A
Document Information
Type: Diary
Subject(s):
- Civilian Support for the Confederacy
Event Location: Frederick City, Frederick Co., MD
Document Origin: Frederick City, Frederick Co., MD
Source
Markell, Catherine Susannah Thomas. Frederick Maryland in Peace and War 1856-1864, The Diary of Catherine Susannah Thomas Markell. Transcribed by David H. Wallace. Frederick, MD: The Historical Society of Frederick County, Inc., 2006.
Transcripts
document-118.pdf 
