Introduction: In 1864, the editor of the Southern Literary Messenger received a letter from H. R., who identified herself as an eighteen-year-old, unmarried woman from Buckingham County, Virginia. Hattie, as the editor called the anonymous letter writer, admitted suffering from a "chill feeling of despair" brought on by the "execrable war." She wrote that the reflection has been brought to my mind with great force that after this war is dosed, how vast a difference there will be in the numbers of males and females. Having made up my tnind not to be an old maid, and having only a moderate fortune and less beauty. Í fear I shall find it rather difficult to accomplish my wishes."
She asked the editor, "[D]o you think that I will be overlooked 'amidst this wreck of matter and crush of men and horses'[?]'"
[Note: The article shows up as very light for some reason, which is a cause for annoyance at least for me. Hopefully it behaves better for you. ]
J. DAVID HACKER, LIBRA HILDE, and JAMES HOLLAND JONES. The Journal of Southern History.
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