Lizzie Alsop
Lizzie Alsop was just sixteen years old when she began writing in 1862. Her father, Joseph, was one of the richest members of the Fredericksburg community. Much of his wealth, however, consisted of enslaved people. Lizzie started writing in her diary during the Union occupation in 1862 and continued to keep track of the war through its end in 1865. Below is an excerpt from Lizzie's diary describing the first Union occupation of Fredericksburg.