Dr. Arthur Moray Randolph Account of His Trip to Attend to His Dying Son.

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through the night in place of morphine which appears to have lost
any good effect and to make him only more nervous. He rested toler-
ably easy. Theres a white frost on the ground this morning, the
sky perfectly clear. Just before night 7 Yankee cavalry passed
through the yard stopping at the door and questioning Mrs Foster a
few minutes. Cannonade all afternoon and to 8 Oc night.
Wednesday 5th
Eston seemed much worse from 40c yesterday, in more than ordinary
pain tho' dozing oftener than usual, could not touch his supper
but eat it at sunrise today. Gave him 80 drops of laudanum in two
doses through the night. Could not get ready for a start even had
he been able which I much doubt. Dr Chapmans residence, just opposite
this and distant 1/3 mile was burnt. I was probably the first person
to see the fire, happening to look from my window at the moment the
blaze appeared. Only a portion of the furniture was saved.
Genl Stonemans division and Genl Meads passed or are yet passing
9 Oc night. The former is a fine looking youngish man, halted at the
Spring long enough to make coffee. The latter is a contemporary
at W. Point of Genl Longstreet, with his staff took quarters here
for the night. He is clean [?] certainly and a gentleman, is tall
and robust looking. Sentries walked their rounds on every side of
the house and in all directions are to be seen wagons, tents, and
bivouac fires, it is now raining and blowing freshly from NE I
think. They are having a bad time, I can hear them knocking off
planks, palings, etc.
Thursday 6th
Eston seemed greatly oppressed in the afternoon and last night,
could eat no supper and coughed considerably with but little expec-
toration. I gave him small doses of Laudanum with his cough mixture
several times and kept him tolerably tranquil until day break when
he had a distressing fit of coughing. The division under Genl Mead
passed on toward Warrington but I believe all the balance of McClellans
army have assembled just around the Fosters. In every quarter the
white tents and wagon covers meet the eye while the Yankee specimen
of the Genus homo is everywhere in knots and swarms. A number of
Officers tents are just under my window and a half dozen or more
of the occupants were at the dinner table. Truly no one can say
what a day may bring forth. Who 4 weeks ago would have prophysied
my present position.
Friday 7th
Eston continues much the same coughs but little but with far greater
pain than before, he eats less too, only twice a day and little then.
He often exclaims, "death would be far preferable to this". God
help him, he is beyond human aid. Genl Fitz-John Porter and staff
occupy the sitting room, great numbers of troops are massed around
on every side. Snow began to fall about 9 Oc, now, 12, the ground
is white with it.
Mr. Foster tells me on the 7th Novr 1807 he was born, the snow was
so deep the Dr had great difficulty reaching his Fathers house
2 miles off.
Saturday 8th
Eston much the same, has fits of coughing that are short but so
severe as almost to carry him off. He is kept tolerably quiet by
opiates and dozes a light troubled sleep a good deal. He groans and
moans more now than he did. It is a bitter trial. O father have mercy
in thy chastisement. The camp is broken up and army gone on but the
poor country is stripped. The Officers seem to be gentlemanly men, that
is the Staff. I saw little of others. Dr Moore is Med Director of

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