Demoralization Produced by Hopes of Freedom

This entry is from Mary Chesnut's Civil War, edited by C. Van Woodward.  Mary Boykin Chesnut was married to a Civil War General and was a Southern Belle from South Carolina.

May 13, 1861


. . . . Saw for the first time the demoralization produced by hopes of freedom.  My mother's butler (whom I taught to read, sitting on his knife board) continued to keep from speaking to us.  He was as efficient as ever in his proper place, but he did not come behind scenes as usual and have a friendly chat.  He held himself aloof, so grand and stately we had to send him a "tip" through his wife, Hetty, mother's maid. . .