In
school. Down to [Ernest] Wiedemann’s. Wheeled Minnie [Schriefer] on barrow. Government boarders
began today.
Saturday.
Paid Mrs. Fulton. Went down the street. At Wiedemann’s.
Made a bet with Minnie [Schreifer]. She won. Saw Sauter. He was drunk. He
came up [the street] with me and staid in my bed all night.
Sunday.
At home. Wrote letter to [my cousin] Lucy Stratton. Had a fuss with niggers.
[The] government boarders [were] playing cards in the kitchen and one of them
[was] trying to come at Mary & gave her four bits. She will succumb, I
think. She let a rage while they were all there. Epstein, Charley [Berkson]
& I [are] pretty well down in the mouth about them. The niggers &
government boarders are a nuisance. Ep[stein] and I are talking of going to Cincinnati
& leave the whole tribe in the lurch. Well, I will if they do not change
their tactics.
In
school. Feel sick. [My brother] Jim came up from Pine Bluff
today. [He] looks well. Epstein was sold out to a fellow by the name of Rosenberg.
[My brother] Jim [of the 5th Kansas Cavalry] came up [to Little Rock from Pine
Bluff escorting] several hundred [Confederate] prisoners.
In
school. Mrs. Cantrell wants me to teach [Lillian,]
her little [11 year-old] girl Latin. Down at Wiedemann’s. Minnie [Schreifer]
told me that the girls had told her that I was her sweetheart. I don’t believe
they want me to go there so often. Night, had some lager. Two Germans here and
spent the evening with us.
April
6, 1864
In
school. Few boys. At night Epstein had a party of Jews here. Mary & I had a
falling out. I scolded her for treated Charley Berkson so bad & treating her
turd head boarders so well. Down to Wiedemann's. Feel sick today.
April
7, 1864
In
school. Saw Mrs. Stout at Wiedemann's. Rainy in evening. Mrs. Fulton has put my
rent up to $31 dollars a month. Outrageous.
April
8, 1864
In
school. Down at Wiedemann's. These government boarders are a nuisance. [They are
a] low down, contemptible people. Epstein says he is going North Sunday.
April
9, 1864
Saturday.
Cold & rainy. Down street. Got letters from home & one from [Willoughby]
Babcock. He wants me to come to New Orleans. At Wiedemann's.
April
10, 1864
Sunday.
At home all day. Took a walk with Epstein out near the penitentiary. Emily &
Mary out to church to hear the funeral sermon of Rafe. Egan here. Wrote letter
to [my sister] Augusta.
Nothing new.
April
11, 1864
In
school. Down street. I do not think Epstein will go off tomorrow -- at least I
hope not. Mr. Gowan has $35,000 stolen out of his safe last night. Rainy today.
I went up to Dr. Cantrell's this afternoon to teach Latin [to his daughter]
Lilly.
April
12, 1864
In
school. Wiedemann came up & wanted me to go out walking with him. Went over
the river with him to get his goods. Took his papers & came back to the
Treasurers Office to get a permit to land. Walked a good deal [and] was tired
out. I heard Emily & Mary say that I was sporting about. Did not read so
much not study as I did at Mrs. Adamson's. Mary said that Fanny did not know as
much as when Mrs. Adamson had her. Emily said she knew a little more. I have had
opportunity to teach them more if they would, but they won't. They are
ungrateful. Let them gripe.
April
13, 1864
In
school. Nothing new. Niggers mad at me for something. Sick today. They did not
even enquire about me. Mary has fallen in love with a turd Humphrey. He sticks
around the kitchen till ten or eleven o'clock.
April
14, 1864
In
school. Saw Wiedemann. Went out serenading in evening. Got a letter from home
today.
April
15, 1864
In
school. Nothing new. At Wiedemann's. Rather wants me to go to Washington
[Arkansas] with him and go into business. Egan here in evening & Thomas of
the 3rd Minnesota Regt.
April
16, 1864
Saturday.
Took a ride with Wiedemann. Sent letter to [my sister] Augusta. Nothing new.
Humpries one of the government boarders is a villain.
April
17, 1864
Sunday.
At church in morning. Down at Wiedemann's afternoon. He wants me to go to
Washington [Arkansas] with him & go into business with him. Tonight,
Humphrey & Donohue pretended to be drunk & insulted me. Egan here at
night. Talking about going North &c. Yesterday lent Delano Dodge five
dollars to pay for cracking a whore.
April
18, 1864
Monday.
Governor inaugurated. Gave holiday. Very few citizens, and a great many niggers,
soldiers, & otherwise. Also about five hundred nigger winches in the rear
brought up the rear guard footing it through the streets. Epstein got a place in
theater. So did I. Out with the Glee Club to serenade Pat [Isaac] Murphy. Very
dry. As Epstein says, "Nary a drop to drink." Cobb in difficulty. I
suppose his wife does not like him fucking, & prefers the prick of some one
lese to his. Got home about twelve.
April
19, 1864
In
school. Got medicine for Mary. At theater, door keeping.
April
20, 1864
In
school. Wiedemann going soon. Wants me to go South with him. At theater. I can't
go with him very well. Mary has a baby sure enough & if the medicine does
not fix her, I will be in bad repute.
April
21, 1864
In
school. At theater. Nothing. I wish that I was so situated that I could go along
with Wiedeman but I can't now. There is no way but that I could.
April
22, 1864
In
school. Down at Wiedemann's. He leaves Monday. Still wants me to go with him.
Will if I can. At theater. Nothing new. Rainy.
April
23, 1864
Saturday.
Cold & rainy. Doing nothing. Shall not go with Wiedemann. Loui George has
got back. Asked him if he wished a clerk. Said he did not. Think he could, but
he would give to the first refusal. At theater.
April
24, 1864
Sunday.
At home all day. Wrote letter home. Rather cold & cloudy. Nothing new.
April
25, 1864
In
school. Nothing new. At theater.
April
26, 1864
In
school. [Wagon] train for Camden [Arkansas] left this morning. Wiedemann went.
At theater.
April
27, 1864
In
school. Rather warm. Down street. Wiedemann's wagon broke down about six miles
down the road. They say General Steele is hemmed in at Camden. [That] he has
lost a great many men and about four hundred & twenty wagons, each having
six mules. Some are frightened and believe that [General] Price will get into
Little Rock again.
April
28, 1864
In
school. Epstein says he is going North tomorrow. He will try to get into
business with me & write for me to come on. At theater. People not so
frightened to day as yesterday. McDonald says if the Confederates come in, he
will help me to get off. These blasted niggers are the worst trouble I have.
Last night at ten o'clock, I caught Mary & Creamor at the back gate.
Got
up at 5 o’clock. Went down to Ferry boat with Epstein. The boat crossed about
half past 6 o’clock. In school. Went down the street. Saw Schreifer. We went
& drank some lager – about ten glasses apiece. I drank for Epstein. I felt
bad – almost like crying to have him go. At theatre.
Saturday.
Rainy. Down the street. Town full of rumors. At Wiedemann’s.

April 9,
1864
Little Rock [Arkansas]
My dear Sister [Augusta] & Brother [James]. I
received your letter a few days ago, but I have had no opportunity to answer
it until today. One day this week [our brother] James came up on a boat from
Pine Bluff. Part of his company was detailed to come up as a guard to some three
hundred Confederate prisoners. He got here in the afternoon & hunted me
up and stayed with me the afternoon when he returned to the boat as they
care to leave early in the morning. He is well & getting along well. He
is no longer the cook of the mess. He says that they think they will be sent
to Kansas
soon & be mustered out of service there. He has no intention of going in
again. He says the reason that he has not written home or to you since he
has been at Pine Bluff
is that he has had no time. But letters will reach him if you direct to him
at
Pine Bluff, Arkansas, 5th Regt.
Kansas
Vols.
I have received a letter today from Mr. [Willoughby] Babcock. He wants me to come to
New Orleans
& try to get a Commission in the Corps d’Afrique. He says the medical
examinations are nothing. But it will cost a good deal to go there &
then if I am successful, it will be impossible to say whether I can see home
again. And I can’t begin to think of going then even with the agreeable
prospect of a commission before me, for I am getting very homesick, and
would rather go nearer home than farther off. I got another letter from home
today. Ma has been sick but was better when the letter was written, which
was about one month ago – a long time for letters to come here. I wish
there were better mail arrangements.
I was going to say my prospects were getting
better, but I think not considering everything. A little more than a month
ago, a German [named Epstein] came to town from Pine Bluff. I knew him when out in the army (by the way, he is a capital fellow) &
wanted to come & board with me. I took him. [See
diary entry of 23 February 1864.] He
pays me twenty-five dollars a month. After he had been here a few weeks he
brought his partner [named Rosenberg] in business. They give me fifty
dollars a month. Thus far it is good. I am satisfied & I could make a
little without much trouble. But a few days ago, a young fellow in Q[uarter]
M[aster] Department wanted me to take a mess of Express Riders. He said they
were all good boys, &c &c. I consented to that. They were to furnish
rations & wood & pay thirty dollars per month. There would be five
in the mess. They have been here over a week & I have got heartily tired
of the business. It makes my expenses less, but I am getting to look with
indifference upon inconveniences when I can make some money.
The servants I have, rather light mulattoes, a
mother, daughter, and granddaughter, aged respectively about 50, 23, &
8, are old family servants of Mrs. Adamson, the lady with whom I lived
before she died. They are respectable sort of darkies & have taken good
care of me when I have been sick, both here & at the old place. And if
it had not been for them, I should not be alive now, I believe. What is
more, they have taken such a liking to me that they wish to be my servants
always. They want me to be their master, not slave master, and if I go
north, they want to go too. Live as I do here, it would be a saving business
for me. What do you think of it? I am teaching the old woman to read &
she can get over the Bible tolerably well. Next time you write, tell me your
opinion. Whenever I can get a situation from Mr. Wheeler Bristol for
certain, I shall have money enough to go north on. If my boarders remain
with me any time & I shall not be compelled to ask assistance from any
one. Jim said he would lend me money, but I told him I did not want to
borrow for I thought when I did go, I would be able to raise the money.
Write soon and believe me as ever your affectionate brother – Ralph L.
Goodrich