December 1861

The winter here is considered pretty mild in comparison to others 
we have had in the past.  It has only snowed once since the seasons 
have changed over.  The snow on the mountains usually have a calming
effect on me, the quiet tranquility that it sends out, oh how I wish 
that it could send that calming effect over the whole country at the 
moment.  Christmas is almost upon us, and a sad time it will be this 
year, for many a family around us.  

This war while not having much effect here in Putnam Co., and I mean
the devastation from the battles that rage in the States around us, 
we have been having our own problems here in the County.  It seems 
that due to the many different opinions that the people of Putnam 
possess on this War, it has spawned many groups of guerillas and 
bushwhackers, both Union and Confederate sympathizers, who roam 
through the Upper Cumberland, bestowing their kind of "justice" on 
those who disagree with their brand of politics or as you would have 
it their beliefs.   They have been known to break into homes, kill 
husbands, right in front of their loving families.  Many friends have 
decided to move, over to Kentucky,  until after this War is over to 
try and escape this devastation that befalls many of us.  We have been 
so lucky to not have been visited by either of these types of madmen 
that roam our county.   

Due to this, we have taken to hiding what few valuables that we posess, 
things handed down from family members long gone, things that we have 
acquired through the years. Since my husband's family is one of the 
families here in the county that are more prosperous than others, we 
fear daily, that we too, will be visited by these guerilla's to be 
looted or even worse, murdered in our own home.  

We are feeling the effects of this War in other ways also.  Things that
we once took for granted, such as salt and sugar, are now in very short
supply.  We have taken to using sorghum molasses to replace the sugar
that once was on our table.  Some folks, with the short supply of salt,
have taken to digging up the ground under their smokehouses, seeping
water into the dirt and then boiling the water to obtain "dirty" but 
usable salt.  We have been lucky so far as we were well stocked and have
been rationing our supplies so that we can make them last as long as
we can.  

There is not one family around here that has not given up one of her
son's to this war.  I have three of my brothers fighting in this War.  
Some of my husband's nephew also serve their State.  Two of my brothers
ride with the 8th Tennessee Calvary under Col. George Dibrell.  One of
our neighbors, the Sliger's, their boy William Lafayette, of course being
under aged, joined up with the 25th Tennessee Infantry, he is only 16
years of age.  One so young, caught up in this War.  I pray for the safe 
return of them all.  

Catherine Quarles Buck