Creator

Purdy, Horace, 1835-1909

Title

Horace Purdy Journal, September 1861 Entry

Date

1861-09-01

Description

6 pgs

Subject

Danbury (Conn.) -- History.

United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal Narratives.

Boughton Family

Charles Hull

Charles White

Edward Stevens

Elisha Dickerson

Elizabeth Mead

Father Griswold

George M. Southmayd

George Starr

Hartford (Conn.)

Hatters' Association

Hoyt Family

Mary Jackson

Mary Vintz

New Haven (Conn.)

Saul G. Bailey

Saul Wildman

Smith Barnum

William Barnum

Publisher

Western Connecticut State University

Abstract

SEPTEMBER 01 – SUNDAY – Cool last night. Pleasant today. It was late when we rose this morning. Father and Bell came down before church, he for the first time to see the baby. I went with Noah Hoyt up to New Fairfield to meeting. Mother came from church and took tea with us. SEPTEMBER 02 – MONDAY – Gussie worse last night and today. She has considerable fever. I sent for the doctor. Father Griswold came home on the morning train. I worked rather late in the shop. Doctor came again in the evening. SEPTEMBER 03 – TUESDAY – Showery all day. A hard one at noon and another one as I was coming home from the shop. I received a letter from Elisha Dickerman in New Haven. Gussie very sick. SEPTEMBER 04 – WEDNESDAY – I sat up and took care of Gussie last night. The nurse not being a good one, I feared leaving her with her. She appears better this morning. I went to Mrs. Vintz to arrange for Mary to come and help us in place of our nurse. I did not go to the shop, but stayed with Gussie. I wrote a letter for Mrs. Jackson. Paid her off in the evening $3.00 preparatory to discharging her in the morning. Harriet came down at noon with more of her home difficulties and took me aside and wanted to have me tell her just what I thought of her. I talked plainly to her, more so than I had ever done before. I hurt her feelings. She felt badly, but I felt it my duty to tell her the truth. I told her where I thought the difficulty lay. I considered her in the wrong as well as our folks, but I think that I accused her of no more than she was guilty of. She told me that I abused her and that I was no brother to her but notwithstanding this, I felt it was my duty to talk plainly with for once. SEPTEMBER 05 – THURSDAY – When Mother came from evening meeting last night, she brought Miss Elwood and Mrs. Ives to watch with Gussie. We made our nurse go to bed and I went over home to sleep. No work in the shop today. George Starr brought Father Griswold and myself some shavings. I got out the barrels and went over and filled them. Gussie received a letter from Anne (Ohio). Mary Vintz came in the evening. SEPTEMBER 06 – FRIDAY – Fanny stayed with Gussie last night. She is somewhat better today. Not feeling very well, I have stayed at home. I took some medicine before dinner and went to bed. George called in the evening and brought a letter to Gussie from Elizabeth Mead in Hempstead. SEPTEMBER 07 – SATURDAY – I did not feel well enough to go to the shop. I dug my potatoes in the garden, picked beans, etc. A great Union meeting on the green in front of F. S. Wildman’s. I signed the call for the meeting and expected to attend, but had forgotten it. I drew $5.00 at the shop. I carried Mrs. Jackson’s bundle over to her home and ran some pistol bullets at Charles Hull’s shop. SEPTEMBER 08 – SUNDAY – I sat up with Gussie last night. She rested well and appeared better this morning. I attended church and Sunday School. Charles Fletcher preached from 2nd Corinthians 5:6-9. I came home from Sunday School and found Gussie worse. I went immediately for the doctor. Mrs. Boughton came in the evening to watch. SEPTEMBER 09 – MONDAY – Cloudy, musty and some rain. Gussie has a high fever and is very sick today. I did not go to the shop, but stayed at home with her. I cleaned out my rainwater hogshead and took dinner over home. Mrs. Barnum came in the evening to watch with Gussie. SEPTEMBER 10 – TUESDAY – I went to the shop and worked all day. Edward Stevens time was out today. He brought in cake, pie, cheese and lemonade. Gussie was better today, but very weak in the evening. SEPTEMBER 11 – WEDNESDAY – Father Griswold prayed with us before retiring last night. Fanny and Ma being over here after breakfast this morning, Father Griswold came over also and attended prayers here. We moved Gussie from her bed to the lounge by moving the bedclothes with her and made the bed anew. Brother Pegg came up about 9 o’clock and prayed with Gussie. She is much better. Stormy all day. It rained very hard in the morning and just at night. It was nearly 11 o’clock when I got to the shop this morning. Caroline Beatty was married today. SEPTEMBER 12 – THURSDAY - I sat up with Gussie last night. She in improving very fast. I worked all day in the shop. SEPTEMBER 13 – FRIDAY – Mrs. Cyrus White and Mrs. Ives watched for us last night. Mother came down in the afternoon and stayed with Gussie. I came home from the shop very tired. Mrs. Daniel Starr and Mrs. McNeil called in the evening to see Gussie. SEPTEMBER 14 – SATURDAY – Mother watched with Gussie last night. I brought home some ale for her in the evening. SEPTEMBER 15 – SUNDAY – Fanny watched last night. I attended church in the morning. A Presbyterian man, a stranger to me, preached from Hebrews 11, last clause of the 4th verse. Sacrament in the PM, but I did not stay. I came home after Sunday School Prayer Meeting. Pleasant and very warm. SEPTEMBER 16 – MONDAY – I carried my dinner to the shop for the first time since my return from the war. A letter, or rather an envelope from Edwin with a pair of baby socks within. Not a word was in it. I bought myself a pair of slippers in the evening. SEPTEMBER 17 – TUESDAY – Cloudy in the morning and rainy in the PM. We being busy in the shop, I worked as long as I could see and earned $1.50. Gussie is gaining in health as rapidly as we could expect, considering how sick she has been. I carried some cartridges which went through the Battle of Bull Run over too Father Griswold in the evening. SEPTEMBER 18 – WEDNESDAY – Rain in the morning. I worked all day in the shop, earned $1.50. Gussie came out and took tea at the table with us for the first time. I went to market in the evening, but did not finish trading in time to attend class. The 6th and 7th Regiments left New Haven for Washington today. Smith Barnum’s son William died today. SEPTEMBER 19 – THURSDAY - Cloudy in the morning, but pleasant in the PM. Work did not last quite all day. A Mr. Trowbridge, a member of the 38th New York regiment, who died of a fever in the hospital in Washington arrived here today for burial. The returned volunteers turned out for the funeral. I had a severe headache and did not turn out. SEPTEMBER 20 – FRIDAY – No work for the drab finishers today. I had my winter coal put into the cellar, three tons of Griffing. Very warm. Wrote a letter in the evening to Chauncey Dickerman in New Haven. SEPTEMBER 21 – SATURDAY – Warm again. Worked in the shop and went up to Aunt Louise’s in the evening to see Mary who is very sick with Typhoid Fever. I called on the doctor to get some medicine for Gussie. SEPTEMBER 22 – SUNDAY – Rainy last night. I attended church in the morning. Brother Pegg preached from Matthew 26:21-22. After Sunday School, I came home and stayed in the PM for Mary to attend. I did not go in the evening. Father called after tea and Mother came down just before meeting time. I spent the evening in writing to California to Lauren Humphrey. SEPTEMBER 23 – MONDAY – I worked as usual in the shop. Cool in the morning. Mr. Crofut paid me $5.00. SEPTEMBER 24 – TUESDAY – I worked as usual in the shop and earned $1.62 by working as long as I could see. Gussie went over home this afternoon for the first time since her confinement. The 5th Company of volunteers from here elected officers this evening. G. M. Southmayd, Captain; S. G. Bailey, 1st Lieutenant; Charles White, 2nd Lieutenant. I paid my dues to the Hatters’ Association- 60 cents. SEPTEMBER 25 – WEDNESDAY - We had to wait for some hats in the morning. I worked pretty late to finish off my work for the day, earned $1.50. SEPTEMBER 26 – THURSDAY – National Fast day. The shop closed. A sermon preached in our church by Mr. Coe. It was an excellent one, too. Most appropriate and interesting. A Union Prayer Meeting at 12 ½ o’clock. Captain Southmayd’s Company left on the 3 o’clock train to rendezvous at Hartford. I attended our regular Prayer Meeting in the evening. SEPTEMBER 27 – FRIDAY – Cloudy in the morning, a little sunshine in the PM and rain just before night. I have earned only $1.00 in the shop. Alfred Gregory called on me in the evening and wanted some money, but not having it, I, of course, could not accommodate him. Very windy in the evening. SEPTEMBER 28 – SATURDAY – There being no drab hats, the foreman gave me 2 dozen black, 5/ per dozen. Bought a cradle at Andrews & Ives for $2.50. SEPTEMBER 29 – SUNDAY - A little frost in some places for the first time. I attended church in the morning. Brother Pegg preached from Acts 17, middle clause of the 18th verse. Sunday School Missionary Meeting at noon. I came home at its close. I did not attend in the PM, nor in the evening. Mother came down before evening meeting. Gussie wrote a letter to her cousin Eliza in California. SEPTEMBER 30 – MONDAY – George called at the shop in the afternoon to see me and came home with me to tea. We went into the street together in the evening. I received a letter from Harriet.