January 1864

[From circumstantial evidence, it appears that Goodrich may have started boarding in the house owned by Mrs. Fulton, mentioned previously, from whom he already rented a room for his school. The Margood and Bridges families, related to each other by marriage, appear to have been boarding in the same house.]

January 1, 1864

Cold all day. Sick with toothache. Egan said he would see Palmer & come & get me. He has not. There is no confidence to be placed in his word.

Awful toothache. Got one [tooth] pulled out. Sick all day. Mary's little baby died this morning with croup. I cannot get into any business it seems. I tried to get into the Anthony House but they already had one employed.

Cold. In school. Got letter from home, one from [cousin] George Stratton, & one from [cousin] Lucy Stratton.

In school. Nothing new. Saw Kramer [and he] said he would take me in partnership with him in the spring in grocery business.

Saturday. Wrote letter to [cousin] Lucy Stratton, one to George [Stratton], & one to [Willoughby] Babcock. Down street. Yesterday, a boy by the name of Dodd [1] -- a spy for Confederates about 16 years old was hanged. I feel badly. Emily and Mary [are] on their high horses today. & have been the whole week. It seems that I can't live anywhere happily. There must be something to mar one's life. If not poverty, something else.

At church. Weather thawing a little. Called at Wassell's in evening. Gibbs says that they need a clerk in the Express Office [and] wants me to try for it. I hope I may be able to get the place. At Egan's. Got a book on Book Keeping. Studying it. Last night Yoest & Flower were here & staid till after twelve. He said he would take my letters & send them for me. I hope I may be able to get that place in the Express Office if it has a good salary annexed to it.

In school. Few more boys today -- 15 in all. Down to see the Express. Man was not in. Gibbs said he would speak to him. I hope he will & that I may succeed in getting the place. All may be well in the world.

In school. Gibbs says that he would not advise me to take the Express place if I could get it, so much trouble &c. Yoest here to spend the evening. I will try to go into partnership with him in the spring if he will stick to his bargain. I hope we may succeed.

In school. Down street. Can't get the place as they want one who has been in the Express business. Nothing new.

January 14, 1864

In school. Flower here to tell me to go to the Medical Surveyor's Office as he wanted to hire me. Afternoon, went but did not know whether he would take me as he had the promise of another. Would tell me tomorrow. Last night, had a fuss with Bridges about turning out a negro. [Richard W.] Flower [2] came. I told him and he went into their room and pretended to be an officer sent to investigate the matter. They were frightened badly. They told him that I had [mistreated] them badly. They told Cobb this morning and he said if I did not walk straight, he would have me out. Told Dr. [Roderick] Dodge of it. He says Cobb is crazy and advises me to see the Provost if he does not pay for cotton soon.

January 15, 1864

In school. [Went] down to the Medical Purveyor’s Office [3] [but did not get the clerk’s job I had applied for]. He took the other man. I felt terribly disappointed. I felt like crying. I did come home and have a cry. These Feds are so stingy and mean. [Richard] Flower came up and said that the Purveyor thought I would not be energetic enough to suit, that I would dilly dally &c., and the insuperable objection was that I did not write plain enough. If he had told me so when I gave him my writing instead of saying, “It is plain”, I would have thought more of him, but downright lying is what I cannot put up with. I am sorely disappointed, but I commend myself to the hands of God. Flower and Yoest here until three in the morning.

A negro girl at Margood’s said that she went into the bedroom of Mrs. Margood [4] a few days ago and found her in bed with Dr. Cobb, and that she caught [Mr.] Margood in the garden taking refreshments from the body of Mat [“Mattie”] [5] Bridges, the sister of his wife.

January 16, 1864

Saturday. Feel badly. Ralph, colored man, died last night, buried today. Down the street. Saw Sauter. He was boozy a little. Got his translation of [Friedrich] Schiller's [The] Robbers. Delano Dodge [6] here in evening. Quite a pleasant fellow. Gave him a drink of whiskey, talking over college times. He said that he took some physical pleasure from a fancy woman on the boat coming from Memphis here and he says he wishes she was where he could find her.

January 17, 1864

January 18, 1864

In school. Down the street. Paid Louise [Adamson] $37.00 on cotton. Had a long talk with her. Evening, [Richard] Flower and Delano Dodge here. Flower staid till nearly 12 o’clock. It is getting to be a regular nuisance to stay so long. No prospects of doing anything better than I am doing. Flower said that the Medical Purveyor had turned off the man he got at the time he spoke to me [as he] did not suit, was too slow. Told Flower he did not want me. Thought I was not energetic enough & besides, did not like my handwriting. Well, so be it. But I would like to see the man that could do more writing than I can in a day, such as it is. After I got my hand in it, I could take the rags of his back in no time.

In school. Boys bad as they could be. Down street. No prospects for doing anything yet. I shall give up on my school & see if I can make a hundred dollars by July & if I can I shall leave [Little Rock]. Saw Smith [and he] finally paid me five dollars.

In school. Pleasant. Down street. Staid at Dr. Dodge's store nearly all day. Nothing new. Some kind of a fuss with Margood's family. Delano [Dodge] thinks there is less morality in the North than in the South.

In school. Down street. Nothing new. Delano [Dodge] here. Mr. Welch & family come back today. Dr. D'Espie's house broken open the other night & he & his wife nearly killed by soldiers. Col. Clayton at Pine Bluff had a fight a few days ago with the Confederates [and he] whipped them. The last night Flower was here, he asked me if I wanted to know Mr. Wassell's opinion of me. I said what is it? He replied, "well he told me that your in ostentations goodness was not fully appreciated," or words like them. Flower replied to him & said I never was so disappointed in a man as I was in him. When he came to Sunday School & i was his teacher, he took me to be a rich planter's son, & I thought I was above every one like the poor Yankee & knew more. Wassell said he did not know what was in me to make him suppose that I was a rich planter's son. Flower will, it seemed so to me. Flower said his opinion had changed a good deal. My opinion of Flower was this at the start. He is envious [and] thinks he is not made enough of vain, a little, & some what of a bore & my opinion has not changed.

In school. Few there. None of the Scott's. Feel sick. Down street. At Dodge's. Saw Mick Egan. Nothing new. Mr. Welsh came in to see if he could bring in his family. The Ashley's want to come in, but it may be doubtful if [Gen.] Holmes [will] let them come. They know now that the Yankee's are not so bad as they have been represented. But as for me, I am deserted by both friend & foe. When I thought I might be able to do something among my own kin, I am entirely disappointed. Can do nothing. I never was treated so badly in all my life. I feel like cursing the whole post of the army for all they have done me. Yet I hope a better day will come soon. I will not wish any one evil but I wish my __ate was a little better. Too much trouble and poverty to make it agreeable as it might be. My confidence shall be reposed in the Lord. Thy will be done.

January 23, 1864

Sunday. Down street. Saw Dr. Cobb [and] he said he could not pay [but] would seem me in afternoon. Drank beer with [Ed] Sauter. Saw [Mick] Egan. Afternoon, Cobb came up [and] said he could not pay before the first of March. I said he had promised to pat Christmas week. He said yes I ought to have done it. He said some think I am in government business, but it is not true. Then he told me a lie. Said he was when he took the cotton. He said when Bridges & I had the difficulty, he was mad & said he would not pay & he told me that he thought of taking ________ of this budding & turn me out. He said he found he could do it & he has authority to confiscate the property. I said he could not . He said it would be an unfair thing if treated his relations well & he would not do it. He said the Bridges family was once high but now they are low. He said I got [Richard] Flower to go in [to] scare Bridges. He saw Flower afterwards and said Flower begged his pardon for doing it & could not if he had known it was his relations. That Flower said he was put up to it by me. I went up to Mrs. Fulton’s. She was sick. Did not see her, but Mrs. Fulton said they could not put me out. She told me to come up on Monday. Went to Wassell’s. He said go straight to the Provost Marshal [and] have them turned out. Peake will go with me Monday afternoon. Evening, Delano [Dodge] here.

January 24, 1864

Sunday. At church. Afternoon, [Richard] Flower came up & I told him what Cobb said [which] made him mad. He said he was going to speak to Cobb about it. Went down. Cobb came up here to Bridges. Flower came along. Like to have knocked down Cobb. Cobb called me in. Called me a tyrant & a liar several times & told me not to agitate him too far. Flower was mad [and] I was too, but Cobb is a black-hearted villain. In evening, Flower & Yoest came. Flower said he believed me but he is a green fellow. I do not know exactly how to take him. Delano [Dodge] here after dinner.

January 25, 1864

In school. Bridges good today. Delano [Dodge] here at night. He wants me to get him a woman to do da with. Warm & pleasant. Wrote a letter [7] to [my sister] Augusta and Uncle Elizur [Goodrich].

January 26, 1864

In school. Delano [Dodge] here in morning before school & at dinner time. They have a party there tonight. [They] invited General Steele & Colonel [Frank] Manter. [8] I don’t know who else [was] there. Mary [was] there to wait on the table. I did not get an invitation. I don’t care. Mrs. Fulton called here today. I called on her in the evening. I told her about these folks. She has not any rent yet from Margood. She told Mrs. Bridges that she did not pay me enough rent. Mrs. Fulton said that 6 dollars is not enough. Bridges said she did pay seven dollars. She shall now.

January 27, 1864

In school. Warm & pleasant again. Down to see Egan. Delano here in evening. Flower here a short time. Nothing new today. I think I will study medicine. It will suit my quiet tastes better than law. And if I go to Mexico or South America, medical knowledge will stand me in hand. I could, I think, make a living at that in this country if I could be a good one. Then knowledge in the sciences will become me better & languages, &c. I will try anyhow. Flower says that Young Deuce has got a situation as an acting assistant surgeon in the army at the hospital [with a] salary of one hundred dollars per month.

January 28, 1864

In school. Not many there. Down the street. Saw Egan. He thinks he will get into trouble. Cheney says he can make trouble for him about whipping conscripts at the Penitentiary. Delano [Dodge] here in evening.

January 29, 1864

In school. Only three boys there. Down the street at [Roderick] Dodge’s [drug] store. Delano & Egan here in the evening. Feel sick & worn out. No prospect of doing anything.

January 30, 1864

Saturday. Gave letter to Uncle [Elizur] and [my sister] Augusta to Dr. [Roderick] Dodge to take to Memphis. Fire down the street. Sauter’s building [was] burned up. Got letter from home. Wrote letter to mother. Nothing new. Flower here. Mr. [George A.] Worthen [9] died today. Warm & rain.

January 31, 1864

Sunday. At church. Rainy. Dr. [Roderick] Dodge goes on Thursday. [His 16 year-old daughter,] Mary [Susan Dodge,] goes to Vermont to school. Afternoon, at church & Sunday school. I am mad. Nothing to do it seems & no prospects. Finished writing home a letter to mother. Delano [Dodge] here. I have fully made up my mind to study medicine.

[1] David O. Dodd, was a 17 year-old boy who was tried, convicted and hanged as a Confederate spy in Little Rock on January 8, 1864. He is buried in Mt. Holly Cemetery in Little Rock.

[2] Richard W. Flower was a private in Company H of the 15th Illinois Cavalry -- part of the Federal occupying force in Little Rock following the fall of the city in September 1863. Company H served in Little Rock until late in January 1864 when they rejoined the Regiment. It appears Goodrich befriended Flower and used his influence with the Federal Provost Marshall's office to threaten his boardinghouse tenants when they were uncooperative.

[3] Medical Purveyor’s were generally attached to the Provost Marshal - General’s staff. Their duties were to aid in the distribution of medical supplies.

[4] Mrs. Margood [or Marguth] was the former Eliza Hightower Bridges (b. 28 March 1831 in Georgia). She was the daughter of Benjamin F. Bridges, Jr. (1797-1851) and Mary C. Henagan (1800-1864), both of South Carolina. On 10 March 1850, Eliza Bridges married Louis Marguth (a.k.a. Margood), born in 1818 in Prussia. He was a carpenter and farmer, purchasing 160 acres near Little Rock in 1857. In 1863, the Margood’s had two girls, ages 6 and 3.

[5] Martha [“Mattie”] E Bridges was born in 1835, making her about 28 years old at the time.

[6] Samuel Delano [“Dell”] Dodge (born 30 November 1842) was the 21 year-old son of Dr. Roderick L. Dodge, mentioned previously. Delano Dodge was a student at Dartmouth College at the time and later became a practicing physician in Little Rock.

[7] The letter that Goodrich wrote to his sister Augusta helps explain some of the more cryptic diary entries. It is clear that Goodrich was nearly destitute and beleaguered by the Bridges family who were fellow boarders in the boarding house kept by Mrs. Fulton.

Goodrich’s relationship to his “two servants” is partially explained in this letter as well. The two servants were Mary and her mother Emily, two former slaves of the John Adamson plantation. They were house servants in the Little Rock home of Sally Adamson, John’s widow, in 1862-1863 while Goodrich boarded there. Once Little Rock fell to Federal troops in September 1863, the slaves were liberated and free to seek employment on their own. According to Goodrich, Mary and Emily sought his protection and agreed to perform certain household chores for him in exchange for accommodations. By this time, it is clear that Goodrich had entered into carnal relations with 23 year-old Mary. Though he initially trivialized his interracial relationship with Mary, it becomes apparent in subsequent diary entries that he actually developed deep feelings for her. Henceforth, diary entries mentioning either “Mary” or “Emily” will refer to these two individuals.

The Goodrich letter reads:

January 25, 1864 Little Rock [Arkansas]

My dear sister [Augusta]. I received your letter some time ago. I thought I had answered it, but gradually I was convinced of my error. I write now but I have nothing to say worth saying, except my own trouble. I have not heard from home for several weeks. [Our brother] Jim never writes to me. Jake Orcutt came up from Pine Bluff some time in the first of December. Since then I have not heard from him. Col. [Powell] Clayton has had a fight lately with the confederates several miles south of Pine Bluff, but I don’t think [our brother] Jim was along, as his company has been detached from the Regiment and put into an Artillery Company – heavy artillery I believe. I have written several times to him and sent them by soldiers who were going down, as there is not as yet a regular mail. The last time I heard, when [Jake] Orcutt was up, he was then well and in good spirits. Jim is the cook of the mess and consequently is not obliged to go out on scouting or foraging parties. Quite a number of the soldiers in the place have gone into the Veteran Corps to serve during the war. From the last letter from home, I hear that there is to be another draft in New York State. I should think that [our brother] Steve would be exempted, situated as he is.

I am still going on with my school. The number of my scholars is small and barely sufficient to defray my expenses. I did intend to go home in the summer, but with the pay I am getting, I never will be able to go home much less to leave this place. I have been so many times disappointed in trying to get into some business which would pay better than my present one, that I have been unwell all the time for the past two months. I am pestered almost to death by a poor miserable, shiftless, and shameless family [named Bridges] in my school. They don’t give me a moment’s peace or rest & I can’t get them out. They are a perfect nuisance and a disgrace to any place. One thing and then another has kept me mad and sick all the time. I know that it is wrong to give way but it would take a more confirmed Christian than I am to bear all with stoical indifference. I have wished again and again that I could leave the place. I would if I were able with no regret or sorrow, as long as I have lived here. I am ready to leave at any time when I can get away conveniently.

Yesterday the family in my house raised a disgraceful disturbance and by some means or other they lugged me into it. I had taken the part of a Negro woman who was their servant. The family had hired her to do their work, but she was to pay four dollars a month for rent in advance. Who ever heard of such an arrangement that a servant should do all the work and pay $4.00 besides? After the Negro woman had been in the house a few days, the white woman – who by the way is an incarnate she-devil – turns the servant out of doors and will not refund the four dollars. I take the part of the poor Negro woman and thereby get into a fuss on Sunday rather than get into a regular fight. I submitted to be called a liar, a villain, a tyrant, etc. It is an awful thing to be associated with a class of people in this country, who are white but have no more humanity than a dog and who in morals are worse than the lowest. It is bad enough to be on the same street with them but outrageous when in the same building. I have here a lying, thieving, begging band and I cannot get them out. I was not annoyed in Confederate times by the terrors of conscription as I have been by this trash. “Old buzzards” as one of my servants says. “One of my servants” sounds big but I believe I have explained in my first letter how I have two. I can live considerably cheaper than if I was boarding in a family. In fact, if I was not living as I do now, I could not pay my board and rent. I sincerely hope the times will become better for me, but at present the future prospect of good seems to be wholly obliterated by the present prospect of utter poverty. I just pay expenses and by considerable squeezing one month in the fall when cost was not so high, I saved me enough to buy me a shirt – a brown one. Since then I have purchased nothing. I wish I was in Cuba or South America. Possibly I might have some reasonable hopes of doing better than I am at present.

Well this letter is all about me. Tell [your husband] James that my ideas of the Negro are somewhat changed [and] that they are a hundred percent better in every respect than the poor miserable, one-ideas, tyrannical white dogs, [who are] the natives of this state. I am teaching nine [Negroes] and one of them can read the Bible pretty well. She is improving tolerably well. With love to all, I remain as ever your affectionate brother, -- Ralph L. Goodrich

[8] Francis [“Frank”] Harwood Manter, born 1824, was Colonel of the 32d Missouri Infantry. Reportedly a handsome man, Frank was the law partner of James H. Comfort in St. Louis prior to the war. He was killed in Little Rock 13 June 1864 when he fell from his horse. His parents were Nathan Manter and Susannah Miles of Elyria, Ohio.

[9] George Alfonso Worthen (1816-1864) is buried in Mt. Holly Cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas. Goodrich would become good friends with his son, William B. Worthen – a Little Rock banker.

The Diaries of Ralph Leland Goodrich, 1859-1867

January 1864

January 1, 1864