1862: Dr. Esther seems to have a weak spot for the opulent luxury of plantation culture …

~ CIVIL WAR DIARY of Esther Hill Hawks ~

<< BEFORE: Miserable night …

NEXT: Yankee depredations >>

All of this luxury, of course, depends on the forced labor of slaves… but Dr. Esther isn’t thinking of that now, on her first morning in town.  She’s noticing the mansions, the gardens, the “chivalrous” culture they represent…

Each panel above draws elements from these contemporary photographs @ LOC.gov; you’ll find lots of intriguing details if you zoom in on the high-resolution wetplate photos: