Emma Holmes
Encyclopedia
Emma Holmes was a resident of South Carolina
who kept a diary during the American Civil War
. This document has since been published as The Diary of Miss Emma Holmes, 1861-1866 by the Louisiana University Press. It is thought to be a historically significant document due to Emma's in-depth accounting of events occurring during the American Civil War.
, the daughter of a wealthy planter. She was living in Charleston at the time of the 1861 attack on Fort Sumter
that began the Civil War.
As a Confederate
, Miss Holmes' writings reflected the early confidence of the Southern United States
at the start of the war, but later turned to despair as the conflict grew closer to home. From February 13, 1861 until April 7, 1866, Emma kept a detailed diary of life in Charleston, the affairs of her family and the swirl of history around her. Through that diary a day-to-day narrative was produced of the life of the Holmes family and of Charleston in general. In the diary’s introduction, John F. Marszalek states in regard to Emma Holmes:
The diary provides a portrait of various members of the Holmes family and their actions during the war period. For instance, on March 18, 1861 Emma reported that "Uncle Edward (Holmes), who was then in Washington, had written to General (Winfield) Scott asking if Fort Sumter really was to be given up, and was answered in the affirmative." Isaac Edward Holmes, who is referred to in this passage, was an 1815 graduate of Yale University
and a Congressman from South Carolina from 1838 to 1850. When secession
came, he went to Washington and conferred with Secretary of State
William Seward
, among others, in an effort to maintain peace. After the war, he was a member of a South Carolina delegation that went to Washington to negotiate with the administration of President Andrew Johnson
. A subsequent diary entry, on March 20, 1861, reported that, "A letter has been received from Uncle Edward, saying he has seen (Gen. Winfield) Scott
, who assured him there would be no collision between the two forces but never even mentioned Fort Sumter." Many subsequent diary entries made reference to visits from and meals with Uncle Edward after his return from Washington, with his analysis of troop movements around Washington.
The first part of the diary, while outlining war preparation and the early part of the war, also presented a fascinating picture of life in the antebellum South. On March 31, 1862, Emma reported that "We were surprised by the arrival before breakfast of cousin Wilmot (De Saussure) and Governor (Francis) Pickens," who came by to take the family to view fortifications around the city. The next day, on April 1, 1862, she wrote,
On the following day, the entry advised that,
Another diary entry dated March 12, 1863 presented a chilling view of slavery:
Another entry, on July 16, 1861, described a house slave who evidently killed a neighbor’s infant child. Emma wondered, "what was the cause of this act, we cannot imagine."
Emma often conveyed news of her brother Henry ( Dr. Henry M. Holmes, Jr.) in her diary. On March 21, 1863, her diary entry was as follows:
Earlier, on November 9, 1862, Miss Holmes reported,
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
who kept a diary during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. This document has since been published as The Diary of Miss Emma Holmes, 1861-1866 by the Louisiana University Press. It is thought to be a historically significant document due to Emma's in-depth accounting of events occurring during the American Civil War.
Biography
Miss Holmes was born in Charleston, South CarolinaCharleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, the daughter of a wealthy planter. She was living in Charleston at the time of the 1861 attack on Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter is a Third System masonry coastal fortification located in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. The fort is best known as the site upon which the shots initiating the American Civil War were fired, at the Battle of Fort Sumter.- Construction :...
that began the Civil War.
As a Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
, Miss Holmes' writings reflected the early confidence of the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
at the start of the war, but later turned to despair as the conflict grew closer to home. From February 13, 1861 until April 7, 1866, Emma kept a detailed diary of life in Charleston, the affairs of her family and the swirl of history around her. Through that diary a day-to-day narrative was produced of the life of the Holmes family and of Charleston in general. In the diary’s introduction, John F. Marszalek states in regard to Emma Holmes:
- "A believer in aristocracyAristocracyAristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
, Miss Holmes felt that people could be classed as betters or inferiors, and she often spoke of the mobocracy...she accepted slavery without question...she was a woman of considerable intellect and curiosity...she read widely…her intellectual bent drew her to the teaching profession…she remained a teacher most of her life."
The diary provides a portrait of various members of the Holmes family and their actions during the war period. For instance, on March 18, 1861 Emma reported that "Uncle Edward (Holmes), who was then in Washington, had written to General (Winfield) Scott asking if Fort Sumter really was to be given up, and was answered in the affirmative." Isaac Edward Holmes, who is referred to in this passage, was an 1815 graduate of Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
and a Congressman from South Carolina from 1838 to 1850. When secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
came, he went to Washington and conferred with Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
William Seward
William Seward
William Seward may refer to:*William Seward, English anecdotist, 1747-1799*William H. Seward, United States Secretary of State, 1861-1869*William H. Seward, Jr., his son, banker, Civil War general...
, among others, in an effort to maintain peace. After the war, he was a member of a South Carolina delegation that went to Washington to negotiate with the administration of President Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
. A subsequent diary entry, on March 20, 1861, reported that, "A letter has been received from Uncle Edward, saying he has seen (Gen. Winfield) Scott
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
, who assured him there would be no collision between the two forces but never even mentioned Fort Sumter." Many subsequent diary entries made reference to visits from and meals with Uncle Edward after his return from Washington, with his analysis of troop movements around Washington.
The first part of the diary, while outlining war preparation and the early part of the war, also presented a fascinating picture of life in the antebellum South. On March 31, 1862, Emma reported that "We were surprised by the arrival before breakfast of cousin Wilmot (De Saussure) and Governor (Francis) Pickens," who came by to take the family to view fortifications around the city. The next day, on April 1, 1862, she wrote,
- "We walked to visit the fortifications..., the gentlemen had provided us with fruit cake and champagne for lunch. The dinner was laid in a tent and was very nice, but camp life was shown by the deficiency of china…its place being supplied by tin ware."
On the following day, the entry advised that,
- "We went to dinner about two o'clock in a large tent in the garden. The dinner was in regular city style, boned turkey, ham, lobster, salad, etc, but it was also laid in camp fashion - all the dessert being on at the same time...fresh preserved peaches, jelly and pound cake and afterwards ice cream and of course champagne and wines."
Another diary entry dated March 12, 1863 presented a chilling view of slavery:
- "Margaret (a slave) had become so excessively negligent and indifferent to her duties…that Carrie (Caroline Holmes White, Emma's sister) asked Isaac to punish her...He...after dark took her to an extreme end of the garden, intending to reprimand her and with a light strap gave her two or three cuts across her shoulders... She tore away...and sprang into the creek…she plunged head foremost...Mr. Bull had the creek dragged unsuccessfully...and the current must have swept the body out... She had (said) a few days ago that if she was ever touched again she would drown or kill herself…But none dreamed of such a demoniac temper...It put poor Isaac nearly crazy, for he blamed himself as...undue severity... Poor fellow, to have his peace of mind destroyed by the blind rage of such a creature is too dreadful."
Another entry, on July 16, 1861, described a house slave who evidently killed a neighbor’s infant child. Emma wondered, "what was the cause of this act, we cannot imagine."
Emma often conveyed news of her brother Henry ( Dr. Henry M. Holmes, Jr.) in her diary. On March 21, 1863, her diary entry was as follows:
- "Brother Henry has written me an account of a 12 days trip in the Cumberland Mountains hunting bushwackers, as the Tories there are called, in which they underwent frightful cold exposure and fatigue, through pouring rains...almost without food, the wagons having to be left behind ; they went from Tennessee to Western North Carolina."
Earlier, on November 9, 1862, Miss Holmes reported,
- "Mother received a letter ...from Henry, dated Tennessee...his company was in the battle of Richmond, Kentucky and received the credit from Maj. Brown, chief of Gen. Kirby Smith’s staff, of winning that battle by enabling our forces to outflank the enemy...he is still only sergeant, through acting surgeon also. The medical department refused to commission him as a surgeon to the company, as it is too small."