Mothers and Wives

     As white males headed off to join the war they left behind daughters, wives and weeping mothers.  Many women stood strong and proud.  They raised their children, and some even helped in the war along side their husbands.  They dealt with separations between their husbands and families. What they did wasn't thought of as important.  I wanted to include this page to remember how important their jobs really were.   


Fanny Ricketts 

       Fanny was born was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey (date unknown).  In January 1856, She married Captain James B. Ricketts, her distant cousin. In April 1861, the couple moved from Rio Grade, where Fanny's husband was stationed, to Fort Monroe, Virginia.  The two were separated in July when the army advanced.
       After the battle of Bull Run, Fanny was given many stories of her husband's condition.  Many told her that he had died in battle.  One officer said he had seen the Captain fall, repeated his dieing words and placed the Captain's sword in Fanny's hands. 
       Even with all the proof in front of her Fanny refused to believe her husband had died.  She obtained a carriage and driver and went past Union lines.  She rode until she met Jeb Stuart, an old friend from Texas.  He insisted that she sign a letter that denied her being  spy, but she tore the paper in two and declared,"I am no spy, but the wife of a wounded officer, and I will go as your prisoner, but I will never sign this." 
       She was then lead to Gen. Joe Johnson who showed her to a hospital house where she found her husband.  James Ricketts was seriously injured.  Fanny worked as a nurse and care taker for both  her husband and the other men in the house.  She was a strong minded women that remained faithful throughout the war.       


Sirene Bunten

      Sirene Buntene was a citizen of the state of West Virginia that was known at the time as "among the most disloyal in all western Virginia."  Sirene was among those that were loyal to the Union.  She was fifteen when she began writing a dairy.  She was placed in a divided community.  Families were being pulled apart and friendships broken.  The following articles have been taken from her diary.

       February 16, 1863. Once more I take up my pen to write, I have been thinking of what I had done since last I wrote and the answer comes, nothing, and it is a fact, it seems that I have no heart to study and there is not much else to do most of the time. I have been reading novels, I am passionately fond of reading and I have read over our papers about a dozen times and am heartily ashamed of it. To think that I should spend the precious time reading love stories over and over, and have resolved that it shall not happen again. I have no aim in life, nothing to make me wish to live and I often wonder what will become of me, but one thing is I will study and perhaps someday I will be a school teacher. I wonder if it would be very agreeable work to teach the "young idea how to shoot" &c. I have been thinking and thinking and it amounts to the fact that if I do not try to learn something before long it will be too late. I am as homely and awkward as I don't know who, if any company comes in I am afraid to speak, afraid that I will make a blunder. I mean gentlemen, I can talk as fast as anyone with my school mates, but oh dear, if a young man speaks to me I must blush and stammer and all the time I am thinking, well he must think she is a dunce. But I do not care for the young men, only I wish when I am in company I did know how to talk like I have heard some young ladies do. I do not think that I ever can. If only I could talk as I think.

April 11, 1863. Just sixteen years old today, it does not seem like I am that old. I have been working so hard to day. Aunt Caroline, Bel and Winnie have been fixing flower beds and they do look nice. Looking for Oc up today, he may come yet. We have had to carry water up the hill to put out fire and we are so tired. Five cavalry men went by and stopped for some water. Co E was to leave Bull Town and to Sutton. It is not known whether they went or no. We have had three nice days.

 July 3, 1863. Some dreadful news if true. Fenton Payne and Skid Ferril were killed by our men. They were going to Dixie but they have gone to their account. I sincerely pity Sister Elsey. I wish I could go and see her. She is left with seven small children and what is to become of them I don't know. Not any more important news from Beverly. I would like to hear from there. Later. The Union and secesh armies are fighting at Beverly. The report came to town that our men were retreating but it was not believed. The 3d Va was on their way to Beverly. It is awful times.

September 12, 1863. The rebels are coming, are in Centerville. Oh if I only had the power to stop them. Oh what will we do, all is excitement. Later. The secesh have gone, they did not come any further that Centerville. Our militia was there and the rebs fired on them and wounded one man, and took 50 or 60 prisoners. One of the citizens went to town to get a doctor to take off that man's leg.

April 11, 1865. On this my eighteenth birthday I must write a little in you my journal. We have great and good news from our army. Richmond, the capital of the so-called Confederacy, fell the 3rd Inst. General Lee surrendered himself and whole army to Grant, and there is a report that "Old Jeff" has absconded to Mexico with all the gold and silver he could rake and scrape in Dixie, don't know whether it is so or not. We are in hope now that the war will soon end. Sarah's boys were in the battle at Richmond and I am very anxious to hear from them, and other friends were there too, perhaps they were slain, wounded, or taken prisoner. All we can do is pray for them. The loss on our side, killed, wounded, and missing, was about 7000. It was a terrible battle though won at what a great sacrifice of life. It almost makes one say "was it worth losing so many lives." It makes me feel sad to think of the desolated homes all over the country. Fathers, mothers, and sisters are mourning for those that will never come again. Ah me! What might have been.

Rural Dale W. Va. April 5, 1901. My last record in this book was thirty-four years ago and I was only twenty years old. Now my "bonnie brown curls" are getting gray and I will soon be fifty-four. Youth is far behind me and I begin the descent. I have enjoyed reading these pages, many of them were written in stirring times during the Civil War and we were surrounded with dangers often. Both armies marched by the old homes time and again. I am glad I lived then not that I love war but as it had to come, I am glad I saw it. . . .

I have a pretty home on Hacker's Creek below Buckhannon eight miles. I had scarcely met the one I married when I wrote the events recorded in this journal. J. S. Reger attended school on the French Creek after the war and being schoolmates we at last joined our fates and have since journeyed together. Our three boys, Roy, Carl, and Bright are enjoying many privileges in these modern days that Mr. Reger and I never dreamed of. College privileges, railroads, telephones, bicycles, automobiles, and all things pertaining to the last years of the nineteenth century. What will the twentieth century bring to the present generation? Improvements yet greater, more wonderful than any we know. Fifty-four years old! I will not live as long in this new century, yet I have lived in stirring times and times that have made much history. . . .

Letters

Rebecca Barrett to her son, William, of the Seventy-fourth USCI.

My Dear Son
It is with pleasure I now embrace the opportunity of penning you a few lines to inform you that I am received your most welcomed letter for I had despaired of your writing. We are both sick pap is prostrated on his bed and has been so for three months and three weeks he got a little better but it did not last long I am very sorry that you have enlisted again for I wanted to see you once more You say you will send me some money do my son for God sake for I am needy at this time the Doctors are so dear that it takes all you can make to pay thier bill I work when I am able but that is so seldom God only knows what I will [do] this winter for I dont. Everything is two prices and one meal cost as much a[s] three used to cost when the rich grumble God help the poor for it is a true saying that (poverty is no disgrace but very unhandy) and I find it very unhandy for if ever a poor soul was poverty stricken I am one and My son if you ever thought of your poor old mother God Grant you may think of her now for this is a needy time. No more but remain Your mother Rebecca Barrat


From Letty Barnes to her husband, Joshua, of the Thirty-eighth USCI:

My dear husband
I have just this evening received your letter sent me by Fredrick Finich you can imagin how anxious and worry I had become about you. And so it seems that all can get home once in awhile to see and attend to their familey but you I do really think it looks hard your poor old Mother is hear delving and working like a dog to try to keep soul and body together and here am I with to little children and myself to support and not one soul or one dollar to help us I do think if your officers could see us they would certanly let you come home and bring us a little money
.  I have sent you a little keepsake in this letter which you must prize for my sake it is a set of Shirt Bossom Buttons whenever you look at them think of me and know that I am always looking and wishing for you write to me as soon as you receive this let me know how you like them and when you are coming home and beleave me as ever
Your devoted wife
Letty Barnes