My Life After The War

December 1865

Virginia

It has now been a few months after the end of the war and I think that my life has been much less hectic than it has been in the past couple of years. In June earlier this year, I finished up on my last few patients and closed up my hospital. I have many memories from that place, but now that the war is over, I don’t have much of a reason to keep it open anymore. I really enjoyed helping out all of the fallen soldiers that came through, but I am much less stressed out all the time now that I don’t have to constantly be there and maintain it. Also, another saddening event has already struck this country only five days after the end of the war. The president of our country was shot. Even though I wasn’t very happy that he became president, he became better through the years. I had high hopes for him to fix and mend our country back together after the end of this terrible war. Now Andrew Johnson is president, and even though he is a fellow southerner, I don’t know if he has the skills to help mend our country back together. He thinks that, “Whitemen alone must manage the south.” (Andrew Johnson, Reconstruction guided notes) But what about all of the now freed slaves? I don’t think that he realizes that the now former slaves are now free and a part of this country still.  Of course now all of my slaves have been set free. Since it has only been a few months, we haven’t really decided what to do with our plantation. Hopefully, we can find some people willing to work on it and keep our crops growing.

The Fall of My City

April 25, 1865

Richmond, Virginia

And just like that, our city is torn to shreds. After 10 months of long hard fighting, my beloved city is now torn to shreds. A very small part of me felt that it could happen, but I thought that our tough soldiers could hold them off for longer. Not that I’m mad at them, just mad at the other side for doing this to us. It was only earlier this month when I stood outside of my hospital, watching as the night slowly came over us. There was much commotion and I could see people outside rushing around looking as though they were sharing gossip. As I walked farther, I remember a lady who seemed very distraught coming up to me and tell me, “I saw them unfurl a tiny flag, and I sank on my knees, and the bitter, bitter tears came in a torrent.” (Mary Fontaine, History.com) Her face was still blotchy and red, with tears still pouring out of her eyes. I immediately turned around and looked at my beloved hospital. I have so many memories in here and I already know that this war is close to being over. After these four long years, I can hardly remember what it feels like to not be in war. But slowly, I think that us southerners are realizing that this is slowly coming to an end and although it didn’t go how we wanted at all, we are still relieved that it is over. We have had a very hard time with no one to buy our grown materials, we haven’t been able to supply food for our people and especially our soldiers. Even though the Yankees ruined my city and destroyed our government here in Richmond, I know that we will slowly start to surrender and this war will soon be over.

This is a photograph of Richmond after it was captured at the end of the war from the Library of Congress, Washington D.C.

Bull-Running a Hospital

August 1861, Virginia

Oh how these past few months have been long ones. Last month was really bad though. My home state of Virginia was brutally attacked by the northerners. We are so lucky though, that our southerners, who had thousands of less people, were strong until the end and ended up with a win. Now we know that even with less people, we can still win against the north, we know that we will be the ultimate winners of this war. Even though we won this battle, we still lost many many men which still greatly affects us. Because of this, I decided to open up a hospital to help those wounded in the war. I opened it immediately after the battle and so far we have set up all the equipment and very quickly have we gotten many patients. And since I opened this hospital because of the Battle of Bull Run, I guess you could say I am “Bull Run-ning a hospital.” Pretty funny right? A few days ago I spoke to General Howell who was here in Richmond when it happened.He told me that, “we didn’t know what was going on… and in a few minutes almost it was pandemonium here in Richmond.” It really just showed how unexpected and saddening this battle was and the amount of soldiers that were lost. Anyways, I hope that any soldiers that are wounded or need help know that they can always come to my hospital.

John Breckinridge for President

November 1860, Virginia

It is almost election time and the entire south is surely going to vote for John Breckinridge. He is the only one who really knows what to do with this country. John has a slight chance of winning but I am still very hopeful that this country will finally go in the right direction. I wouldn’t be happy if two of the other candidates, Lincoln and Douglas, won because they don’t want us to spread into the west. What they don’t understand is that we could do much better economically as a country if we could have lots more farming land and more slaves to work on them. The only thing that he doesn’t agree with us on is that stupid railroad to California. Us southerners do not want to pay extra taxes for something that won’t even benefit us! But he does agree with our view on tariffs. He knows that with these really high tariffs these days, all of our crops are going to be much more expensive. This is a big deal especially for me and my family, seeing as we live on a large plantation. But what happens if the Lincoln guy wins. Did you hear what he said about slavery? “They believe that the institution of slavery is founded on both injustice and bad policy; but that the promulgation of abolition doctrines tends rather to increase than to abate its evils.” How dare he call slavery evil! He’s not smart enough to know that slavery is the only thing that keeps this country running. All I know is that if Breckinridge wins, he will lower the tariffs and keep slavery and greatly help out us southerners. Even though he has a small chance of winning, we should still have hope that us southerners can finally show the north who's boss.

This is a photograph of candidate of the Election of 1860, John Breckinridge, from the Library of Congress, Washington D.C.

The Inferior Are Trying To Get Freedom

January 1858, Virginia

I can't believe it's already 1858! It is the start of the new year and the northerners are still trying to get freedom for those inferior, worthless slaves. Speaking of slaves trying to get freedom, I can't believe that that one Dred Scott guy thought he was going to win. I laugh of the thought of how dumb these meaningless bastards are and how they think they can win a case they are bound to lose. Doesn't Scott know that he will never win anything against us whites, who are much more superior to them? He doesn't get that we will always be more powerful. And to bring in the Declaration of Independence? Obviously it was just written for whites. I am very glad that Roger Taney knows what he is doing. “The enslaved African race were not intended to be included, and formed no part of the people who framed and adopted this declaration.” (Chief Justice Roger Taney) I am glad that one authority figure knows what is best for our country. All of us southerners know that what he said was right and that the Declaration is NOT included for slaves when it says, “all men are created equal.” They are not even men! They are property! Maybe soon the northerners will realize that the slaves are more important than they think and they will stop fighting us on what is right.

This is a photograph of Roger Taney, the supreme court judge of the Dred Scott ruling, taken by Mathew Brady, from the Library of Congress, Washington D.C.

Lies Being Spread In Our Country

April 1853, Virginia

It has now been a little more than a year since Uncle Tom’s Cabin was published and the amount of people who are now abolitionists is ridiculous! I am beyond mad about the lies being told in the book! Those darn northerners should know how much the slaves do for our economy and even theirs! Who do they think is making all of the supplies for their factories? Sometimes I feel like they're too darn stupid to figure out. The slaves are inferior to us! They deserve to be put to work and if they don't do what they are told, they deserve the punishments given. On my plantation, I know my slaves definitely deserve the punishment they’re given. If they don’t listen to their instructions, of course they deserve to get whipped! If they try to sabotage our equipment, you already know they’re going to get a whipping! The northerners just don't understand that and they never will. We reserve the right to own them and use them to support our country's economy! When our Southern Press Review says, “the North flies to fiction,” (Southern Press Review) people should listen! FICTION! Hopefully the sensible and smart northerners will listen to our southern press review and know that this Harriet girl is lying to them. They don't understand how much we need our slaves! And the things that that horrible little Eliza girl did, she deserves for her son to be taken from her! In the book it says “an hour before sunset, she entered the village of T--- ---.”(Uncle Tom’s Cabin) How dare she run away from her owners! If my slaves did that I would hope that nobody would ever help them and would return them back to me so that I could give them the worst punishment they ever had and they would deserve it. I really hope that all those freed slaves up in the north aren’t telling lies either.