The Diaries of Ralph Leland Goodrich, 1859-1867
September 1864 |
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September 1, 1864
At
saloon. In morning, Detective came & shut us up. May get into trouble. We
can’t get a license nor a permit. Lange got a Russian to get a license for us.
He pretended to have bought us out for one hundred and fifty dollars. [Capt.]
DeKay raised hell about it. Lange has to report tonight. He has not come back
yet. I expect he will be fined an hundred dollars or more. It was a foolish
thing to keep open when we had no license. Lange’s foolishness has got me into
trouble. Well, I will stand my part of the fine & then quit him.
September
2, 1864
Down
the street. Did not get fined. Doing nothing.
September
3, 1864
Down
the street. Doing nothing. Warm.
September
4, 1864
Sunday.
At home all day. Dr. [James] Webb came. Very warm.
September
5, 1864
Very
warm. Down the street nearly all day. The news is that [General Sterling] Price
is coming. Expect to have a fight tomorrow. Sent letter home and one to Epstein.
Got one from home. They say they expect that [my brother] Steve will be drafted
into the army. I hope not.
September
6, 1864
Warm.
Down the street. Got exempted from the militia. Around the street all the day.
The militia were ordered out today. Doing nothing. Now do I think I can get into
anything. I shall try again tomorrow & God grant that I may be successful.
September
7, 1864
Warm.
Took things from saloon. Down the street nearly all day. Nothing new. At
theatre.
September
8, 1864
Down
the street. Went over the river with Lange all the forenoon. Nothing new.
September
9, 1864
Down
the street. At Mrs. Pike’s to collect [old] school bill [but she] could not
pay. Lent Addis of theatre two hundred dollars for six days.
September
10, 1864
Down
the street. About town all day. Nothing new. Some more troops expected here. Had
a quarrel with the darkies. They are damned numbskulls sometimes. Wrote letter
to McBride.
September
11, 1864
Sunday.
At home all day. Lange & Schreifer went to Brownsville
[Arkansas] today. Mick Egan here all afternoon. He is an unmitigated bore. Nothing new.
September
12, 1864
Down
the street. Nothing new. Have not succeeded in finding anything to do. Oh God,
want that I may be prosperous & well to do in the world. Oh Lord, grant that
I may get into some good business.
September
13, 1864
Down
the street all day. Dr. Webb here in the evening. Paid him for attending on me.
His bill was fifty dollars. It was rather large.
September
14, 1864
Down
the street. Lange went over to Brownsville
to see about getting into business. Did not collect anything or learn anything
about business. Up at Mrs. Fulton’s to see about renting the next house.
Found a gold ring today. Nothing new.
September
15, 1864
Lange
here all day. I feel miserable. Found a silver ring today. [1]
Mrs. Fulton raised my rent to fifty dollars a month.
September
16, 1864
Sick
all last night. Intended to go to Brownsville
with Lange. Went to depot in the morning, but the train did not come back. Sick
all day.
September
17, 1864
Making
some beer. Lange came back at noon almost sick. The troops are going to leave Brownsville. I think he is going to give it up. Addis returned the money I lent him.
Nothing new. I have not got a place yet.
September
18, 1864
Sunday.
At home nearly all day. Some of the Battery boys are here and the 43d [Illinois]. Took a walk down the street. Nothing new. It don’t look as if I can get
anything to do. I have a pretty bad throat. I wish the doctor had come as he promised. But I suppose he thought I was out of
danger. O Lord, pray grant me health & prosperity. Grant that I may get into
some business.
September
19, 1864
Down
the street. Fauche wanted me to make a petition for a Frenchman who had lost
property by the army. Did it. Mick Egan paid me seven dollars for books I sold
him. Writing out recommendations in order to get a permit today. Fixing the room
a little for Emily & Mary.
September
20, 1864
Took
petition down to Fauche. Round the streets in the morning.
September
21, 1864
Fauche’s
friend gave me four dollars for writing paper. Treated it all out. At theater in
evening. Got letter & picture from [cousin]
September
22, 1864
Down
the street. Lange went to Brownsville. Down the street nearly all day. Dr. Webb said he would go my security on a
permit. Evening, Schreifer & Lange & I had a fuss. Detective was here
& would have arrested Schreifer if I had not begged him off. Lange insulted
me badly. Got mad & left. I told him to leave & get a better place if he
could. He was mean & contemptible. He went off. Schreifer is a jackass. The
whole set of them are villains. I shall go in for a permit alone.
September
23, 1864
Down
the street all day. Have done nothing. Getting recommendations – as many as I
can. I have not spoken to Lange or Schreifer today. Lange has not showed himself
to me today. I don’t suppose he has got over his mad fit yet. God grant that I
may get into some business. Grant also that I may get a permit to ship goods to
this place. O God, help me. Cast me not away forever.
September
24, 1864
Down
the street. Filed my application [for a permit] at the Priorary Office. Saw
Jesse Noyce. Stayed with me all night.
September
25, 1864
Went
to the
September
26, 1864
Down
the street nearly all day. Nothing new. Rosenburg said that if he got a permit
& I did not, he would take me as a partner.
September
27, 1864
Rainy.
Down the street. Nothing to do. Can’t find anything. Oh God, grant that I may
be able to get a permit.
September
28, 1864
Went
out to Capt.
Vaughn’s camp & took a bottle of wine. He said he could not get me
[appointed] to suttership of the Battery, but he would do what he could for me.
September
29, 1864
Down
the street. Saw Capt. Pratt,
Quartermaster, last night [who] said he wanted a clerk. Went down this morning
[but he] said my writing would not suit. Saw Weidemann. Went on a drunk with
him. Rainy.
September
30, 1864
Rainy
all day. Fixed fire-board in my room and put up stove. Down the street. At
Weidemann’s.
[1]
Two diary entries on two consecutive days reporting finding first a gold
ring and then a silver ring seems a bit fortuitous given Goodrich’s severe
financial hardship during this period.
[2]
Capt. Vaughn’s battery (
The Ralph Goodrich Collection is the property of the Arkansas
History Commission.