The Diary of Emma LeConte

Introduction by James E. Kibler, Jr.
Transcription and Textual Introduction by Karen Stokes

Seventeen-year-old Emma LeConte, traversing the streets of Columbia, South Carolina, could scarcely have imagined that her daily path past Mary Chesnut’s cottage would later connect her to another chronicler of history. While Chesnut was composing her renowned Civil War diary, Emma herself was meticulously documenting the tumultuous events unfolding around her in February 1865. In stark contrast to Chesnut, who fled the city as General Sherman’s cannons reverberated through Columbia, Emma remained, providing a rare and invaluable eyewitness narrative of the city’s invasion, sack, and burning by Federal forces. Her diary’s immediacy and emotional clarity render a vivid tableau of devastation and human suffering, capturing, with remarkable intensity, an era defined by destruction and loss.

This inaugural, fully annotated edition of Emma LeConte’s diary presents her unaltered words, accompanied by nearly 50 illustrations that illuminate the locations and occurrences she so eloquently described. The scholarly apparatus affirms her remarkable precision as an observer and recorder of historical events. Beyond its documentary value, the diary offers profound insight into Emma’s intellectual acumen and illuminates both her family’s experiences and the rich prewar society of Columbia—a city her father, the distinguished scientist Joseph LeConte, esteemed as “the most pleasant and cultivated I have ever known,” even when compared to such notable locales as Harvard (Cambridge, MA), Philadelphia, PA, Berkeley, CA, and Athens, GA.

Emma LeConte’s diary stands as a compelling, deeply moving primary source that illuminates one of the most harrowing chapters in South Carolina’s history. It serves as a poignant testament to the irreplaceable cultural heritage—both material and intangible—lost during this period. Scholars, students, and history enthusiasts alike are encouraged to engage with this exceptional work, which not only enriches our understanding of the past but also inspires reflection on the resilience of the human spirit. Do not miss the opportunity to explore this significant and evocative contribution to the literature of the war.