The following are quotations from the diary of Matilda N.
Jones Willoughby, who lived in northwest Georgia during the War
Between the States. Unfortunately, this put her and her family in
the middle of its bloodiest conflict - the Battle of
Chickamauga.
This year finds the Willoughbys living in Pikeville, Tennessee: Matilda, her husband Enoch, and daughter Eva.
Mr. R. J. Glenn come and moved us to Georgia. NOTE: This was joining plantations with her father, William Jones, who lived near Pond Springs, GA.
At the beginning
of this year, Susan Glenn (Matilda's sister, married to R. J
above) and family lived in what is now Chickamauga Battlefield,
the largest part of Chickamauga-Chattanooga
National Military Park. Henry, one of her brothers,
and his wife Sis lived nearby with their two children, Willie and
Jim. Pa and Ma, with Matilda's other brothers Joel and Doll lived
at the homeplace, along with Uncle James B.
R. J. Glenn's sister-in-law, Eliza (known as the Widow Glenn) also lived in what is now the Battlefield. Her log cabin was taken over by the Union forces and used a temporary headquarters for General Rosecrans. It is now the site of Wilder Tower (photo to right).
April 21, Sunday We arose early and made a trip to Susan Glenn's, where we spent the day in company with Pa and Ma and Mr. and Mrs. Lee Glenn.
July 3 Henry has a fine daughter at half past 7 o'clock. (Josephene)
Aug. 4 I started before day to Mr. Glenn's with Ma and Mr. Willoughby. Susan has another fine son, Henry Henly Glenn.
Aug. 20 Old Mr. George M. Glenn died.
Dec. 25 Henry & family and our family took Christmas dinner at Pa's. Susan & family came later in the week.
Nov. 19 A letter from Doll (hard to read, could be Joel). He is at Skiway (probably Skidaway) Island.
Nov. 29 Alas, that I ever saw the close of this day, for it has closed the precious life of my husband. Oh! God temper the winds to the slain lamb. a desolate orphan and a broken-hearted widow.
Feb. 24 Cousin Joel C. Jones left us this morning for the battlefield. May the Lord protect him.
Sept. 5 I went to see Susan Glenn, who announced the birth of a daughter, Capitoria.
--- My brother Doll is dead. (Presumably died in battle.)
Sept. 8 We were startled at an early hour this morning by the roar of a wagon train. I have lost all my help except Creecy. Oh! Help, Lord!
Sept. 9 Oh! What a wretched day! There has been 3,000 men here today. I reckon I am weary and sad tonight.
Sept. 11 P. Henry Jones and Jude (negro) left us for the army. Joel came home for a few minutes with his Captain.
Sept. 12 A right smart cannoning this evening. Henry came to see Pa for a few minutes.
Sept. 13 There has been heavy cannoning at Pass in a half mile of us.
Sept. 14 The Federals nearly ruined Pa, by taking, tearing up and destroying everything that came to hand.
Sept. 15 There has been no fighting near here today, but may be here ny minute.
Sept. 16 Same notation.
Sept. 17 We had a light picket fight near here and a larger fight some distance away.
Sept. 18 Another fight, and another pretty clost by.
Sept. 19 Oh! What a day of fighting this has been. All around near. Desperate indeed. NOTE: This day and the next were the beginning of the actual Battle of Chickamauga, "the bloodiest two days in American history".
Sept. 20 Oh! Merciful God, what a day of bloodshed this has been. I never heard battle rage so fiercefully. Help the righteous cause.
Sept. 21 The battle has gotten farther off. My two brothers yet live, O thank God!
Sept. 22 The battle is still farther off.
Sept. 23 Brother Joel spent the night with us. It may be the last time. I have many in family - 13 in all.
Sept. 24 Our armies are fighting again.
Sept. 25 Brother Joel has again gone to the battlefield. He is in Ord. Co. "H" Reg. 6th Ga. Cavalry. Later he was promoted to Co. "C" 6th Ga. Regiment, then a Lieutenant.
Sept. 26 Our armies are fighting again near Chickamauga.
Sept. 27 Dry and dusty as I ever saw. Fighting yet in Chattanooga. A great many yet remain unburied on the recent battlefield.
Sept. 28 I never saw such a dry Fall. Our soldiers are still fighting. The Federals are being reinforced. What is to be our doom?
Sept. 29 The armies are for exchanging captives.
Oct. 1 It has rained all day.
Oct. 4 I have sad news - General Polk and Forrest have been removed from office.
Nov. 2 Creecy and Uncle Jim left us this morning. Jake stays with us at night. (These were slaves.)
Nov. 24 There has been heavy fighting.
Nov. 25 I hear Susan and Mr. Glenn have moved.
Nov. 26 Still heavy fighting. I had two loads of corn hauled from Robert Glenn's to my place.
Jan. 18 Pa started south this morning with R. J. Glenn and family (Donie, Wallace, and Henry. Also, a little baby, Capitoria). Uncle Dick Glenn, their negro slave, also was in the company. They went to Gaylesville, Alabama.
Jan. 19 Big Joe and Lawson came for Alexandra and Jake. I hid Joe this evening. {An interesting entry. Were the slaves using the confusion to gain their freedom before the war was over? If so, why did Joe allow himself to be hidden? It's doubtful that Matilda could have forcibly restrained him if he'd wanted to go.)
Jan. 20 Brother Henry's corn was taken last night, just before they were going to move it.
Jan. 29 Henry and family started for Tennessee this morning.
Feb. 24 Uncle James B. Jones and Aunt Harriet moved and saved other things. They went to Gaylesville, Alabama, where they joined other kinfolks.
March 3 I heard Brother Joel was wounded.
March 26 Two Federals were here and got my cloth out at last. The Federal soldiers visit nearly every day to buy something, such as chickens, eggs and butter. Others come and rob my house.
May ?? The Federals are moving south. The roar of cannons can be heard again.
June 15 Oh! Lord! The news of my father's death of 22nd of May has just reached us. Died at Susan Glenn's while in Alabama.
Aug. 5 The Federals are again killing our hogs. I sold 5 bushels of fruit for 85 greenbacks.
Sept. 21 The Federal soldiers have taken the last horse on the place, killed hogs and chickens. Taken my apples -- ALL GONE!!
Sept. 25 Ma is fixing to leave her home. She moved in with us. The best hog has been killed by the soldiers and chickens. What shall we do? Uncle Aaron has left me. (another slave)
Dec. 31 And now, old diary, adieu, you have been my companion through 365 days of anxiety, trouble and distress. Your time is up. You leave me surrounded by trials and difficulties yet unrevealed to me. May I, Oh! God! come through them all safely, I pray thee.
April 11 Clear and calm, save the booming of the cannons which announced the death of President Lincoln.
May 15 Brother Joel, Mr. Glenn and J. C. Jones came home from the war. Mr. Glenn will stay with us.
Aug. 12 I have once more been blessed with the night of my only sister, Susan and family, also Uncle James B. and little ones dined with us once more. I feel thankful.
Aug. 13 Sue went to see Lee Glenn today.
Aug. 17 She came back to see Ma and me. Sister and Brother Joel started for her home this morning.
Aug. 21 Brother Henry has arrived. I have not seen him in 18 months. He went back home the 26th to Tennessee.
Aug. 22 I wove 2 yards of jeans (cloth) this morning.
Feb. 8 This day 13 years ago Susan was married. Oh! How many sad changes since then. We are all now in different states. I am in Georgia, Susan is in Alabama, Brother Henry in Tennessee.
Feb. 16 Ma is 62 years old today.
--- Mr. Glenn and Uncle Dick took supper with us.
Aug. 10 Mr. Glenn and family came today to my place to live. Tom Jones and Uncle Dick are playing the fiddle. These old negroes are still with their masters.
Feb. 10 Donie Glenn has spent the night with Eva Willoughby. (Interesting how she refers to her daughter - and occasionally her sister Susan too - by their full names.)
Feb. 20 Brother Joel started for Texas today.
July 31 Ma went to Brother Henry's today.
--- Cary and Calvin Glenn visited us.
June 19 Brother Joel and Uncle Dick Glenn cut wheat.
Nov. 4 I went to see Susan and family start to move. (They were living in the old home.) They moved 2 miles south of Davis Cross Roads.
Nov. -- Brother Joel is boarding with us now. Ma is also here.
--- We made 27 loads of corn.
--- I and Eva called on Sister Sue. The children made some syrup candy. We all joined in the pulling operation.
--- Willis (Henry Jones' boy) is staying with me and going to school.
--- Finds Ma and Joel with me. Uncle James and Aunt Harriet are back. The Glenns are in the Cove.
July Examination day at T. C. Napier's School at Post Oak is a great day!
Oct. 12 Uncle James and Aunt Harriet have started for Arkansas.
Jan. 7 We started up into the Cove to Sister Sue's. I went in a wagon with Brother Joel. We had a very cold, disagreeable drive. After late dinner we all took a walk over Mr. Glenn's land.
Jan. 8 We started home about 9 o'clock. We had an unpleasant drive, over rocks, through mud and water, after a tedious drive we got home about 3 o'clock.
--- Joel J. Jones married Brittina (Willoughby).
Sept. 3 I went to see Mr. Glenn! Found Susan, Mr. Glenn and Donie sick. Her baby, Willie, is dead.
--- Dr. Glenn is waiting on Eva. She is sick.
April 17 Oh! My God! How shall I write up this day. I am childless. My precious child died between 8 and 9 o'clock. Alone. Oh! Help me, o merciful God. Help ere I give up in despare and go home to my loved and lost treasures.
April 18 My merciful God, she has gone to return no more. All the neighbors were here. Alas, they cannot fill the aching void in my bursting heart, for she is gone - my darling child is lying by the side of her Pa in the cold and lonely graveyard. Alas!
April 19 Donie is spending several days.
Aug. 22 Susan has lost the sight of her right eye.
Oct. 3 This day 50 years since Ma was married. Many unhappy days, and many happy days have passed over her head during that time.
--- I had a letter from Father J. R. Woods. I fear I shall see but a few more letters from him. He is old and sick.
--- Ma and I alone constitute the family.
Feb. 13 A tolerable pleasant day. Joel, Brittina, Susan and Henry spent the day with us. I went to Joel's a little while. Joel had Susan and I to assign away our claims to Pa's land today.
Aug. 5 Donie Glenn and Riley Hunter were married today.
March 22 Very cold. I am an orphan without parents, husband or child. Alas, my trials are heavy, almost more than I can bare. Help me, oh, Heavenly Father. Ma is dead.
Aug. 18 Lee Hunter was born.
April 7 We all went to hear Malcolm Hearn preach and to see Donie Hunter baptized.
April 5 Uncle James B. Jones departed this life this morning. He is to be buried tomorrow. May God bless the poor stricken family.
April 6 This has been a day of storms and rain. Early after dinner Ida (Jones) and I went to the graveyard to see the last of our dear Uncle James B. Jones buried. He was buried near my darling little Eva. Our sadness is deep for the family.
June 24 Nannie and Forrest (James B. Jones' children) spent the day
July 20 Another hot day! Early this morning Sue came up. We all went to preaching. Rev. Charley Jones preached. Since noon we all went to see Samantha baptized. Sister Sue spent the night with us. We all blessed but tired.
July 22 Went to see Nannie and Sue baptized.
Nov. -- After breakfast I left home for Tennessee. After many jolts and jars we arrived at Brother Henry Jones'!
Nov. 13 We remained at Henry's till since noon, then Josephene, Sis, Sue, Bro. Henry and myself all walked to the mill.
Nov. 14 Went to see Willie and Jimmie (Jones)
Nov. 17 Went to see Fannie Middleton. James and Newt joined our bunch. We all started to Chattanooga where we met Joe.
June 22 Ida B. Jones died at 6 o'clock this morning. I hate to give her up. I do greatly sympathize with Brother Joel and Brittina in the loss of their only child, for she was bright and intelligent. She was buried in the Jones graveyard beside her little brother.
April 25 My little niece, Josephene Middleton, and her little girl, Bertha, came in this morning and is spending the day. They are up from Tennessee.
Nov. 22 Oh! Heavenly Father, have mercy on my poor widowed brother, Joel. He is alone in this world; so sad, has neither wife nor children. Brittina is dead.
Nov. 23 I went to live with Joel.
July 1 Samantha went to Tennessee to live. I went back home, leaving Brother Joel alone. (Not long after this, Joel married Samantha. She was Brittina's sister and had lived with them before Brittina died.)
July 24 William, Martin and Bertha Middleton spent the night. I wove 4 yards of jeans today.
--- I quilled and wove out my large bolt 45-1/2 yards of jeans.
--- One year Joel made 15,000 bushels of wheat on his farm.
--- The men split rails for fencing.
--- Doe, a man who works for me, cut a board tree this morning.
July 26 Susie Emma Jones, a cousin, has to stay awhile. She is from Trion.
--- I molded taller candles today.
Sept. 29 I was baptized the 29th of September, 50 years ago. For many years I have taught my Sunday School class with good attendance.
Dec. 27 Lee Hunter is spending the night with me.
Aug. 16 Since noon, Lee, Eva and Bob Hunter came down. Lee and Eva is spending the night. Eva is spending several days.
Aug. 23 Donie and Riley came the 23rd. Sister Sue came too.
Note by Eva Hunter Talley: The last book I have. Aunt Matt was living alone. Oct. 12 was the last she wrote in the book. She was hardly able to creep around. Her health had begun to fail. She had a long sick spell, but got up and wrote a few more times. Samantha was looking after her.
July 31 Note by Eva Hunter Talley: Aunt Matilda Jones Willoughby departed this life and now lies in the Jones Graveyard with her other treasures.
Matilda Willoughby's diary was kept for many years by her niece, Eva Willoughby Hunter Talley, and was destroyed when her house burned. Fortunately, my mother, Betty Hunter Groves, transcribed it before that so that this remarkable chronicle hasn't been lost.