Mary Boykin Chesnut
MARY BOYKIN CHESNUT
In every regard, Mary Boykin Chesnut was a remarkable woman. She penned the best known diary that detailed the Civil War from a southerner’s point of view. Despite her being a staunch defender of the Confederate cause, Mary also spoke openly about her opposition to slavery. She was raised in a family that depended on slavery for their very existence, but she still felt deeply that somehow it was morally wrong. Mary Boykin Miller was born on March 31, 1823. She was born on her grandparents’ plantation near Statesburg, South Carolina. She was the eldest child of Mary Boykin and Stephen Decatur Miller. (Chesnut - #4, pg xviii) Her father was elected governor of South Carolina when Mary was only five years old. After his term was over he was elected to the U.S. Senate. Mary’s childhood revolved around politics because of her father and as she grew up she was greatly influenced by him, even though he died when she was only fifteen. (Chesnut - #4, pg xix) Mary Boykin Chesnut was born on her grandparents' estate at Mount Pleasant, South Carolina on March 31, 1823. She learned early about the workings of a plantation by observing her grandmother. Her grandmother worked with the servants and sewing crew so easily and effectively that Mary was nearly nine years old before she became aware that her grandmother's coworkers were slaves. Having learned to respect these workers, she thought of them as near equals. Mary learned to read at an early age, probably from her grandmother also. Soon she was using this new-found ability to teach a favorite servant to read. It was illegal in South Carolina to teach a slave to read or write, but Mary was a favored grandchild and her grandmother was proud of her ability. In 1831, however, her grandmother died. Mary was twelve years old when the entire family moved to Mississippi, where they owned some other plantations.
James and Mary began a courtship that ended with James proposing
In every regard, Mary Boykin Chesnut was a remarkable woman. She penned the best known diary that detailed the Civil War from a southerner’s point of view. Despite her being a staunch defender of the Confederate cause, Mary also spoke openly about her opposition to slavery. She was raised in a family that depended on slavery for their very existence, but she still felt deeply that somehow it was morally wrong. Mary Boykin Miller was born on March 31, 1823. She was born on her grandparents’ plantation near Statesburg, South Carolina. She was the eldest child of Mary Boykin and Stephen Decatur Miller. (Chesnut - #4, pg xviii) Her father was elected governor of South Carolina when Mary was only five years old. After his term was over he was elected to the U.S. Senate. Mary’s childhood revolved around politics because of her father and as she grew up she was greatly influenced by him, even though he died when she was only fifteen. (Chesnut - #4, pg xix) Mary Boykin Chesnut was born on her grandparents' estate at Mount Pleasant, South Carolina on March 31, 1823. She learned early about the workings of a plantation by observing her grandmother. Her grandmother worked with the servants and sewing crew so easily and effectively that Mary was nearly nine years old before she became aware that her grandmother's coworkers were slaves. Having learned to respect these workers, she thought of them as near equals. Mary learned to read at an early age, probably from her grandmother also. Soon she was using this new-found ability to teach a favorite servant to read. It was illegal in South Carolina to teach a slave to read or write, but Mary was a favored grandchild and her grandmother was proud of her ability. In 1831, however, her grandmother died. Mary was twelve years old when the entire family moved to Mississippi, where they owned some other plantations.
James and Mary began a courtship that ended with James proposing
Cited: 1. Chesnut, Mary Boykin. A Diary from Dixie. Ed. Isabella Martin and Myrta Avary. 1905. New York: Random, 1997. 2. Chesnut, Mary Boykin. “Diary of a Southern Belle (excerpts).” Diary of a Southern Belle (Excerpts) 1.68 (10 Jan. 2009): MAS Ultra – School Edition. 3. Chesnut, Mary Boykin. Mary Chesnut’s Civil War. Ed. C.Vann Woodward. New Haven: Yale University Press. 1981. 4. Chesnut, Mary Boykin. The Private Mary Chesnut, The Unpublished Civil War Diaries. Ed. C. Vann Woodward and Elisabeth Muhlenfeld. New York: Oxford University Press. 1984. 5. Cliff, Peter. “Mary Chesnut’s Diary About the South.” World & I 22.1 (Jan. 2007):