Josie Underwood's Civil War Diary

[Susan Higginbotham]

I got this book, edited by Nancy Disher Baird, a few days ago. Josie was a young woman in Kentucky whose family was loyal to the Union. In the summer of 1862, her father went to Washington on business (he would be named consul to Glasgow in Scotland) and took Josie with him. Josie and her father stayed at the National Hotel, where she was impressed to see actor John McCullough, a fellow guest there, in his street clothes (she also saw him play at Ford's). She writes of Mary Lincoln, "I was most agreeably surprised when I met her. Instead of seeing the loud, common woman the papers had made her out to be--she was really a handsome gentle woman dressed in deep mourning (for her little boy--not long dead) her conversation was agreeable. Her manner gentle--Mr. Etheridge thought---this owing to the sadness which was very apparent though she did not intrude it upon us--only responding to Pa's very appropriate expressions of sympathy and then tactfully passing on to other subjects."

When Josie and her father were returning to their hotel from the Soldiers' Home, where they had met Mrs. Lincoln, they encountered a "lone horseman" riding out of the city, who of course turned out to be President Lincoln. Josie writes, "Pa and Mrs. Etheridge thought it very imprudent and unwise risk for him in such a time of warfare and especial hatred of Mr. Lincoln himself for him to be riding unattended, unguarded out a lonely country road--and called his attention to the dangers--Mr. Lincoln's smile--expressed kindliness to all men and fear of none--as he said--he 'did not think anybody would hurt him that way.'"