Diary: Ellen Stabler, 1864-1867

7th . mo. 2d. 7th day. Clear morning, a gust about 2 oclock, then cleared off again: father went to Perry Leagear's and to Uncle Samuel's after the rain. Joe at Ingleside at work at hay, William begun cutting his wheat both came home after the rain.

3 d. 1st. day. Clear except about an hour, a little after noon, a very slight shower. Mother went to meetings. Lucy went to the Cottage from meeting, came home to supper: Charlie Brooke dined here, Joe went with him to Brooke Grove in the afternoon, to Olney in the evening. William took me to Willow Grove in the afternoon, he went to Olney after tea: Cousin George and Eliza Brooke, Millie and Mary Harry and Mary Sherman at Willow Grove to tea.

4th. 2d.day Clear and pleasant. Joe finished the hay at Ingleside.

5th. 3d.day. Clear and pleasant. Joe at work at the wheat at Ingleside, William at his place.

6th 4th day Clear day; I came home from Willow Grove early in the morning; Hadassah Moore here in the hours before meeting; Lucy at Harewood awhile in the afternoon, Kate came home with her to tea. Joe went to Washington with hay; William at his place all day.

7th. mo. 7th. 5th.day. Clear most of the day; a very slight shower after dinner. Joe came home from Washington. William at his place all day. Lucy at Sharon early in the morning.

8th. 6th.day Clear day: Cutting wheat in the Walnut tree field; finished there by four oclock; William at Rockland after supper: Lucy went to Bentleys awhile in the afternoon; she and I at Harewood after supper: father went down to see B. Downs, found him very low, he died in the afternoon.

9th. 7th.day. Clear day. Joe plowing potatoes at Ingleside all day, William there in the afternoon, at his place in the morning; father went down to B. Downes' in the morning, went to the funeral in the afternoon. I went to Uncle Samuel's in the afternoon, found father and Joe waiting for the horse when I got home.

10th. 10th day. Tolerably fair day; at Meeting: Arthur here before Meeting. Dr. and Margaret Magruder here to dinner: Joe out in the woods awhile in the afternoon; after supper Joe and Charlie went to take Nahlor Kirk part of the way up to his mothers, he walked up from Laurel: William at the store and R.T. Bentleys after supper came home about nine oclock in company with Arthur, he went on home; Mother and Lucy at Harewood awhile after supper. Reported that the Rebels are in our Country. The stage has gone down this evening.

4th mo. 11th. 2thday. Clear day; Joe went away early in the morning, he and Arthur: Kate here awhile in the morning ; [crossed out word: Gilpin] father at the store several times during the day:many reoports about the Rebels; this much we know, they are in the Rockville road at Rock creek some were at Rockland and Stanmore and Mechanicsville one taken prisoner at M.ville: [crossed out date: 12th].

12th.3d.day. Cloudy part of the day, a slight shower in the afternoon; Aunt Lizzie, Grace and Annie here awhile early in the morning. Arthur called twice; William stacking wheat at his place. Charlie Stabler here in the afternoon. Bradley Johnson with several thousand Rebels came down the Westminster Road through Mechanicsville, on toward Washington, some went down the pike, some came down by Stanmore, [Wellers?] and Dr. Palmers, with Ben Canby at their head, some called at Rockland, took B. Hallowells house, took one of Frank Millers houses and him too, as far as a mile or two, and let him go; some 8 or 10 Rebels called at Sandy Spring and Ashton, took R.R. Moore's house and Charlie [Luckers?]; the advance of the Rebels got as far down as Blair's place yesterday, today they cut the Rail Road to Laurel: five hundred of our Cavalry came up to Brookeville yesterday afternnon and down to [Ianne?] last night.

4th.mo. 13th. 4th day Cloudy part of the morning, clear afternoon; at meeting; Lucy did not go to meeting but to Uncle Samuel's at noon, brought Grace home with her in the evening; she was at Harewood both morning and evening; I went to Sherwood awhile after supper: William at Sandy Spring and Ashton after supper: The news today is that the Rebels begun retreating toward the river last night about 10 o clock, with our Cavalry in close persuit, and that they burned Judge Blair's house before leaving: some more Rebels came down the Westminster road through B. ville and M. ville and on toward R. ville to meest the others, some of them were cut off and had to go back up country again. William finished stacking his wheat. Sophie Peirce's baby died yesterday, buried today.

14th. 5th;day Clear day; Lucy and Grace went to Sharon [on hill?] in the morning; Grace went back to Uncle Samuel's after supper, Lucy went with her, and on to Burnside to stay all night: Kate here awhile in the afternoon; Joe and the horses came home in the morning a little after nine oclock, went right to work hauling in wheat Charlie Stabler here to supper.

16th.6th.day Clear day: got the mail, the first time this week; Lucy went from Burnside to see Aunt Sally Gilpin off in the afternoon; home in the evening went to Gideon's awhile in the afternoon.

7th.mo. 16th.7thday Clear and pleasant . Father called at Uncle Samuels in the morning, found Grandmother poorly, took mother down to see her in the afternoon; Lucy spent the afternoon and night at Harewood, she and Kate went to Gideon's after supper. Joe and the men cutting oats at Ingleside in the morning, at home in the afternoon William at his place all day stacking hay.

17th.1st.day. Clear day: Debbie and Tom Stabler here to dinner; Phil here to supper; William took Lucy to Brooke Grove in the afternoon; he staid to supper: Joe went with Phil to Rockland after supper.

18th.2d.day Clear: father went to see how Grandmother is; she is better: I spent two hours at Sherwood in the morning; Joe and the men binding oats in the orchard. A Soldie here, to get something to eat. William at Willow Grove after supper.

19th. 3day Clear day: while we were at dinner, Mary Porter came, Kate here some man from Rockville brought her, he went back soon after dinner; Kate here [on hill?] in the afternoon: father went up to Henry Harris's about 4 oclock, he came down at 7. Lucy came home after supper, spent the day at [Thorn?]; went with Alice Brooke to Willow Grove last evening Joe Joe cutting Timothy in the Chestnut tree field, with the machine