DIY History | Transcribe | Civil War Diaries and Letters | George C. Burmeister diary, 1863

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1863-07-28

thousands of lives.  I am surprised that the city is not more destroyed than it is, though scarcely a house has escaped without injury yet the majority can be repaired very easily.  The city has some magnificent buildings, and before the rebellion ruined it the "city of hills" must have been very beautiful, its citizens proud and wealthy, and its ladies, gay and beautiful, yet now what a change has come over all its surrounding, what a pitiable sight it presents! but very few citizens are visible, these appear to draw rations from our government.  None but government business is transacted at present.  A great number of government boats are lying at the levee and crowds of soldiers are employed in loading and unloading them.  The river is very narrow opposite the city.  It is strange that any of the our transports should have passed the rebel batteries.  The city has some beautiful mercantile edifices, which I hope will soon be filled with goods, that will be sold under the protection of the stars and stripes.  The city has about 4,000 inhabitants before the war broke out. The people have very little to say.

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thousands of lives. I am surprised that the city is not more destroyed than it is, though scarcely a house has escaped without injury yet the majority can be repaired very easily. The city has some magnificent buildings, and before the rebellion ruined it the "city of hills" must have been very beautiful, its citizens proud and wealthy, and its ladies, gay and beautiful, yet now what a change has come over all its surrounding, what a pitiable sight it presents! but very few citizens are visible, these appear to draw rations from our government. None but government business is transacted at present. A great number of government boats are lying at the levee and crowds of soldiers are employed in loading and unloading them. The river is very narrow opposite the city. It is strange that any of the our transports should have passed the rebel batteries. The city has some beautiful mercantile edifices, which I hope will soon be filled with goods, that will be sold under the protection of the stars and stripes. The city has about 4,000 inhabitants before the war broke out. The people have very little to say.