JOURNAL OF HENRY HAMILTON FLOYD
OF
CAMDEN COUNTY, GEORGIA
FEBRUARY 1852 - MAY 1853 August, 1852. Sun. 1st.
Clear. I sent my boat to Cabin Bluff last night and early this morning I rode to the Bluff, got in my boat and about 9 A.M. I was in St. Marys. Found Charlie and Dick in bed with fever. Mon. 2d. Clear. Today a child, a girl 2 years old, of S. D. Fernandez, of Jacksonville, was brought to St. Marys from James O'Neil's, having died yesterday of barioloid (b or V?) I learn that Fernandez is extremely sick in
Jacksonville and his wife and children also sick at Mr. O'Neil's with the same disease. Tues. 3d. Clear. In town attending to some businefs. Yesterday my daughter, Augusta, was quite sick with fever and threatened with spasms. I called in Dr. Bacon who gave her medicine. Wed. 4. Clear. Augusta rather better. James O'Neil
Esq. taken sick with barioloid. Thurs. 5. Cloudy. Rain, wind and lightning. Mr. Proctor, of Harriets Bluff, had a negro boy seventeen years old killed by lightening today. He was in a boat crofsing from Mush Bluff to Harriets Bluff and the lightening struck him in the neck, making a hole about the size of a musket ball. Another boy was in the boat and escaped uninjured. Fri.
8. I got Dr. Bacon to vaccinate Kate and Augusta, also Amaritta. I enclosed to the Rev. N. A. Pratt $50 for the expenses of John G. Floyd for the next quarter. I also sent John $10. Satry. 7. Clear. I intended returning to Bellevue on (thirty-second page) Thursday last, but the sicknefs of Augusta prevented me. I wrote a
letter and the captain of the steamer Planter landed it at Cabin Bluff where my boy and horse were waiting for me. My boat came for me today and I got a letter from Mordina mentioning that Harry had fever on Tuesday and on Wed. the fever again and a violent fit which lasted on him 5 hours. All in the house gave him up to die, he was so ill. Sun. 8. Clear morning. Cloudy afternoon. At 4 A.M. I
left St. Marys and reached Fairfield before 10 and walked half way here when I met my horse – found the sick children better. For several days Mary D. Floyd and myself have suffered with violent colds and Mary has a bad cough and pain in her chest. Mon. 9. Clear. Sam'l. A. Floyd and myself hunted this morning. Drove the left from here, of the Far Point Field and three bucks were started. Two of them
took to the marsh and the other, a good sized peg horn buck came out to Sam'l who killed him on the spot, 50 yards, the first shot. As our dogs got away, we returned. I sent to St. Marys on the horse George and told the boy to stop at Mr. Burwell Brown's on his return and leave George and bring the horse that Mr. Brown swapped for George. I have still a bad cold. Ned and Charles sick with fever. Hands hoeing peas. Tues.
10. Cloudy, and a light shower in the afternoon. The boy returned from St. Marys near sunset and brought me the horse from Mr. B. A. Brown that he changed for George. Wed. 11. Cloudy all day. Sam'l A. Floyd and myself started out early this morning to hunt. First, drove around the Park field and made no (thirty-third page) start. Continued to drive the
margin homewards and when opposite the three mile post the dogs jumped a doe which came in 50 yds. of Sam'l, when he fired one barrel, and the other barrel at 70 yds. The last shot killed her on the spot. Drove on, and, at the upper end of the Bar Drive started something which escaped by taking the marsh. Stopped the dogs and put in the margin by taking the marsh. Stopped the dogs and put in the margin of New Ground Field and near where the corn house once stood a large buck was started and
came out in gun shot of me. I tried to shoot, but the first barrel of my gun snapped and before I get ready for with the other barrel he had got nearly 100 yds. I fired, however. Sam'l and I came by the Loyd road and got opposite the orchard when the boy and dogs that were sent to drive the Orchard thicket gave the news that the game was up. In fact I heard them jump, and in a very short time a good sized buck crofsed the road, and directly after, another, a little smaller. They came out in
good distance when the 1st barrel of my gun again snapped. My second barrel and one of Sam'l's were nearly fired at the same time at the foremost, and Sam'l's 2d at the hindmost. This last deer showed every sign of being hit, and I thought the other was also. Sent the boys in pursuit and they ran the last deer shot at into the Cottage Creek and captured him, a peg horn buck, clean rubbed. After the dogs had rested I sent them and the boys again, but the track was too old and the weather too hot for them to make it out. Both of our horses ran home, and two boys, Frank and Elbert, carried them back to us. On the way, Sam'l's horse, John, ran away with Frank and then threw him off. I put the deer on my horse before Elbert, and he had only gone a little way (thirty-fourth page) when Elbert and the doe both came to the ground together. I then took the horse and deer and reached here at 10 A.M. Hands hoeing and hilling peas. The three deer killed by Sam'l this week had in each only one shot, and two of them hit about the head and neck. After writing, late this afternoon, it rained a hard shower.
Thurs. 12. Cloudy all day and a hard rain. Wind N. E. Sam'l A. Floyd and myself were on a hunt early this morning, and between Jones Field and Yankee Field two large bucks were started and escaped by running very near the driver, Will. Started another deer near where the ox cart was burnt. Drove next Coopers Swamp, and a large buck sneaked off. On our way home started a small deer between Peru Drive and Pumpkin Branch.
Reached here after 10 A.M. Had no shots today. Hands hoeing and hilling peas. Fri. 13. Cloudy, and in the afternoon it became quite cool. Last night it rained harder than it has done this summer and today my fields are nearly covered with water. Hands doing little or nothing. Charlotte, Ned and Charles sick. Satry. 14.
Clear and pleasant day. Sent Will to St. Marys on horse back. Sent by him a gun for one of Mr. Ben Scott's sons who lives near crooked bridge. Hands ditching and letting off the water from my fields. Sun. 15. Cloudy all day, and several showers. Will returned from St. Marys about 10 A.M. I heard from Mary D. Floyd she was very sick on Thursday last. I wrote a long letter to Sister Mary today. Mon. 16. Clear morning. Cloudy and rainy afternoon. Sam'l A. Floyd and myself went hunting this morning. Started one deer in Bear Drive, 2 fawns (thirty-fifth page) in the upper end of Coopers Swamp, one old buck in this end of Coopers Swamp, and 2 does and a small fawn in the branch leading from the cypress. Sam'l had two shots at the last fawn started. He mifsed, although it was not over 30 feet off. Fawns are hard
to hit, especially at so short a distance. Hands hilling peas. Preparing to visit St. Marys tomorrow. Tues. 17. Cloudy, and a very heavy rain in the afternoon. Last night between 8 & 9 o'clock Mordina, Tom, Harry and myself went in the boat to Fairfield and before light this morning we started for St. Marys and got there at 8 A.M. This is Tho's Bourke's first trip from home. Mordina was sick last night
and had a slight fever again this afternoon. After tea, Mary and Mordina played whist against Rosalie and myself. We beat them three straight games. When I took Mary for a partner and we won three games, all that were played. It so happened by changing partners that I won six games and Mordina was on the losing side all the time. I pafsed a very pleasant day. Wed. 18. Cloudy and a shower. I left St. Marys in my
boat, Tho's. F. Bryan, near 7 A.M. and reached here before 11 A.M. I stopped a little while at Fairfield. I am very low spirited this afternoon. Thurs. 19. Clear. Sam'l A. Floyd and myself hunted on the Neck this morning and only started one deer, which was by the Middle Field. Little Sammy rode behind me on the hunt. It is the first time he ever went hunting. Soon after our return the little fellow got the fever and
had it all day. I sent Ned to St. Marys on horse back. Sally, Mary D. Floyd's servant, is to be married tonight to a man named Friday. (thirty-sixth page) Fri. 20. Clear day. Ned returned from St. Marys, and brought me letters from Mordina, Mary, Rosalie, and John L. Hopkins. Mordina has been sick with fever since I left. John Hopkins sent my rifle, Crocket, to St. Marys. Sally was married last
night to a man named Friday. I got a nice piece of the cake. Satry. 21. Clear and pleasant. I commenced cleaning up my flower garden, cutting up all the flowers that are common. Sun. 22. Cloudy and several showers. High E. wind. Mon. 23d. Cloudy and showery,
Sam'l A. Floyd and myself hunted. Started a large buck between Jones and Yankee fields. Made no other starts Jimmy has a fever today. Quash sick with fever. Hands hoeing and hauling up slips. Tues. 24. Clear and pleasant. We hunted again today and in the far Point field the dogs and Ned killed a wild pig. No deer started. Quash, Ned, Rosine and Maum Sue sick. I sent Will to St. Marys on horse back. Hands finished
working slips. Wed. 25. Some what cloudy. Will returned from St. Marys near 10 A.M. I sent Chance to Major David Bailey's with a letter, but the Major wa'n't (sic) at home. Commenced breaking corn. Thurs. 26. Cloudy & a shower in the afternoon. Major David Bailey came here this morning and left late after dinner. I wrote him yesterday to
know if he was willing to run his boat, John J. (?) Dufour, with six oars against my boat, Thos. F. Bryan, with eight oars. He declined doing so. Major David Bailey bet me today that his boat, John J. Dufour, could beat the Sarah and Catherine, belonging to (thirty-seventh page) Col. Henry DuBignon, fifty feet, each boat to be propelled by six oarsmen, distance, one mile, bet, two hundred dollars, and the race to come off Christmas next. Hands breaking corn. Quash and Maum Rosine quite sick.
Fri. 27. Cloudy and light showers. Sister Sarah came here this morning and left in the afternoon. Hands breaking corn. Satry. 28. Cloudy and a rain. I left here early in my boat for St. Marys and reached there about 11 A.M. Sun. 29. Cloudy and a shower. Dr. Whipple Aldrich was taken sick at 11 o'clock Friday
night, died yesterday at 11 A.M., and was burried (sic) this afternoon. Mon. 30. Clear. I fixed my Clinch rifle in a box with some other things to go to John G. Floyd. Tues. 31. Clear and pleasant day. Mordina, Harry, Bourke, and myself left St. Marys early this morning and got here at ½ past 10 A.M. I was quite sick last night and
soon after I got here had a chill and high fever. Sam'l. A. Floyd I found sick. He has had the fever ever since Sunday. | 
