The young girl's diary provides a glimpse into how things were at the time. The spelling and word usage is hers.
Sunday, August 7 - We have had a quiet day it all most seems like Sunday of old. Papa and I went to Trinity Church. Mr. Haygood preached. It is the first time I have been to Church in a month.
Monday, August 8 - I got up early this morning and cleaned up the house for Mama. I nursed Sister while Mama got dinner. We had Cousin Eddie Stow to take dinner with us to day. I did not knit much to day. I went up to Auntie's in the afternoon. We have not had many shells to day.
Tuesday, August 9 - We have had to stay in the cellar all day the shells have ben falling so thick around the house. Two have fallen in the garden, but none of us were hurt. Cousin Henry Beatty came in a and wanted us to move, he thought that we were in danger, but we will try it a little longer.
Wednesday, August 10 - We have had but few shells to day. It has ben raining nearly all day and we had to stay in the house very close.
Thursday, August 11 - Mama has ben very buisy to day and I have ben trying to help her all I could. We had to go in the cellar often out of the shells. How I wish the federals would quit shelling us so that we could get out and get some fresh air.
Friday, August 12 - Mary came home yesterday and we have not had so much wirk to do so I have ben knitting on my stocking. We had a present to day of a bag of nice pears from our friend Mrs. Green. We enjoyed them very much. We do not get any nice fruit since the army has been here.
Saturday, August 13 - We have had a very quiet day to day. We have all ben very buisy trying to work some while we could get out in safety. We fear that we will have shells to night. We can hear muskets so plane.
Sunday, August 14 - Sure enough we had shells in abundance last night. We averaged one every moment during the night. We expected every one would come through and hurt some of us but to our joy nothing on the lot was hurt. They have ben throwing them at us all day to day but they have not ben dangerous. Papa has ben at work all day making the cellar safe. Now we feel like we could stay at home in safety. I dislike to stay in the cellar so close but our soldiers have to stay in ditches.
Monday, August 15 - We had no shells this morning when we got up and we thought that we would not have any to day (but, my, when will they stop) but soon after breakfast Zuie and I were standing on the platform between the house and the dining room. It made a very large hole in the garden and threw the dirt all over the yard. I never was so frightened in my life. Zuie was as pale as a corpse and I expect I was too. It did not take us long to fly to the cellar. We stayed out till night though we had them all day but they did not come so near us again.
Tuesday, August 16 - We had shells all night. There was a large piece came through Mama's room directly after we went to bed and fell on the little bed and I expect if we had been sleeping there some of us would have ben hurt. Cousin Henry and Cousin Eddy came to see us to day. They told us that they did not think the Federals would be here much longer to torment us and I hope that it may be so for we are getting very tired of living so.
Wednesday, August 17 - Nothing of interest has hapined to day. We have stayed very closed in the cellar. Mama ran up to Aunties to see how a shell had ruined her house yesterday.
Thursday, August 18 - When I woke this morning I thought the hole town would be torn up. The cannons were so near and so loud but we soon found out that it was our guns so we have ben very well content all day. We have had less shells to day than we have had in a week.
Friday, August 19 - Auntie went down to Grandpa's this morning and I missed her so much. That is the only place I had to run to. I have ben knitting on my stocking some today and sewing some today.
Saturday, August 20 - We have had shells all day. They have not ben hitting very close to us but they have been giving them to Uncle Markham. He like to had his house burnt up by one passing through the house and set some cotton on fire which they had layed on the flore. I expect if they had ben at home some of them would have ben hurt.
Friday, September 2 - We all woke up this morning without sleeping much last night. The Confederates had four engenes and a long train of box cars filled with amunition and set it on fire last night which caused a grate explosion which kept us all awake. It reminded us of the shells - of all the days of excitement we have had it to day. Every one has been trying to get all they could before the Federals come in the morning. They have ben running with saques of meal, salt and tobacco. They did act rediculous breaking open stores and robbing them. About twelve o'clock there were a few federals came in. They were all frightened. We were afraid they were going to treat us badly. It was not long till the Infantry came in. They were orderely and behaved very well. I think I shall like the Yankees very well.
Sunday, September 4 - Another long and lonesome Sunday. How I wish we could have Church and Sunday School. We have ben looking at the soldiers all day. They have come in by the thousand. They were playing bands and they seemed to be rejoiced. It has not seemed like Sunday.
Thursday, September 8 - We all went to wirk in glad spirits this morning. Me and Tilo went to ironing. Mama was buisy regulating things when Papa came and told us that Gen. Sherman had ordered us to move. It broke all into our rangements.
Saturday, September 10 - Every one I see seems sad. The citizens all think that it is the most cruel thing to drive us from our home but I think it would be so funny to move. Mama seems so troubled and she can't do any thing. Papa says he don't know where on earth to go.
Sunday, October 23 - This has ben a beautiful day since the sun has come out. Mama and Papa took a walk this evening and they say that they never saw a place torn up like Atlanta is. Half of the houses are torn down.
Saturday, November 12 - We were fritened almost to death last night. Some mean soldiers set several houses on fire in different parts of the town. I could not go to sleep for fear that they would set our house on fire. We all dred the next few days to come for they said that they would set the last house on fire if they had to leave this place.
Sunday, November 13 - The federal soldiers have ben coming to day and burning houses and I have ben looking at them come in nearly all day.
Monday, November 14 - They came burning Atlanta to day. We all dread it because they say that they will burn the last house before they stop. We will dread it.
Tuesday, November 15 - This has ben a dreadful day. Things have ben burning all around us. We dread to night because we do not know what moment that they will set our house on fire. We have had a gard a little while after dinner and we feel a little more protected.
Wednesday, November 16 - Oh what a night we had. They came burning the store house and about night it looked like the whole town was on fire. We all set up all night. If we had not set up our house would have ben burnt up for the fire was very near and the soldiers were going around setting houses on fire where they were not watched. They behaved very badly. They all left the town about one o'clock this evening and we were glad when they left for no body know what we have suffered since they came in.
Tuesday, November 22 - It is just a week to day since the federals were burning. Papa and Mama say that they feel very poor. We have not got anything but our little house. It is still very cold.
Wednesday, December 7 - This has ben a election day for Mayor and council men but the election was broken up. I had a little sister this morning at eight o'clock and Mama gave her to me. I think its very pretty. I had to cook breakfast and dinner and supper.
Sunday, December 11 - I am getting tired of cooking.
Christmas Day, 1864 - We all went down last night to see the tree and how pretty it looked. The room was full of ladies and children and Cap. gave us music on the pianno and tried to do all he could to make us enjoy our selves and we did have a merry time. All came home perfectly satisfied. This has ben a cold dark day but we all went down to see how the tree looked in the day time but it was not as pretty as at night.
Wednesday, December 28 - I have had no Christmas to day. I have ben studying the multiplication to day. I have ben running about so much that it has made me sick.
Life Goes On
Carrie Berry not only saw the horrors of war, she lived with them every day. She heard the guns firing. She saw the bombs exploding. She saw the burning of Atlanta. Her mother gave birth, and Carrie had to help with her new sister plus take on the cooking responsibility. People, she was ten years old!
Yet, we see her rejoicing in the Christmas celebration, stating that everyone came home perfectly satisfied. She found perfect satisfaction in a town that had been destroyed. Her diary then moves to the trouble she's having learning the multiplication tables.
Life goes on. Amidst all the adversity, amidst all the bad things that life may throw our way, amidst it all, life goes on. Like Carrie, we need to recognize that things may not be what we want them to be. Whether we have a new life as a brain injury survivor or family member, we must recognize that life goes on.
We must never give up on life and the things it can offer. We must never give up on ourselves. Atlanta was burned to the ground. But, look at Atlanta today.
Brain Injury Sitemap
The sitemap for this site provides a comprehensive view of information that is available. Please visit our Brain Injury Sitemap.
Inspiration can sometimes be found in just about everything we see or experience. One facet of life following a brain injury tragedy is for everyone involved to be confused.