6 March 1864: “The report is still there has been a battle in Virginia. It lasted a day and a half. The enemy attacked us. Lee fell back slowly the first evening.”

Item Description:  Diary entry dated 6 March 1864, written by Samuel A. Agnew.  This entry focuses on Agnew attending church services, a reported battle in Virginia, and a possible battle in Georgia.  Samuel Agnew grew up and attended college and seminary in Due West, S.C. In 1852, he moved to Mississippi, and thereafter lived in the northeastern part of the state, chiefly in Tippah and Lee counties, where he was an Associate Reformed Presbyterian minister, teacher, farmer, and prominent local citizen. 6Mar186416Mar18642

Item Citation:  Folder 9, in the Samuel A. Agnew Diary, #923, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Item Transcription:

March 6. Sabbath  This has been a pretty day. Rode out to Bethany and hear Rev. J. L Young preach from Psalm 138:3.  Respectable congregation was out. More men than common.  Pa had a chill at church.  Came on home and read Calvin’s Institutes.  The subject today is faith.  Hear some terms at church.  The report is still there has been a battle in Virginia.  It lasted a day and a half.  The enemy attacked us.  Lee fell back slowly the first evening.  The next morning Lee’s order was charge and the enemy was [?] and every vehicle and supply this side of the river was captured, also 1900 prisoners.  This news has come so often that it may be so.  There is also a report that there has been a three days battle in Georgia, but my informant (Bryson) did not believe it but thought that Longstreet and Johnston are [?] a junction and will march into KY. I think the battle [?] probable.  They are working on the RR.  [?] Bridge is to be built which will take some time.  Forrest has moved from West Point toward Jackson with all his available force.  This morning an independent company (Bolings) of Kentuckians passed up the road.  They left Demopolis on the 20th and say they are going to Kentucky.    
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