The Journal of Hugh Campbell: Memorandum

This is Hugh’s own introduction to his journal….

The foregoing pages were written in the month of September 1819 in Milton, N. Carolina from notes taken during my tour.  The only time, which the hurry of business would permit me to occupy in this manner, was either the hours I deducted from sleep or the short intervals in a morning between customers calling in the store.  The hasty, unconnected manner of writing will form an apology for the many errors and inaccuracies it contains; and will be an excuse for me in requesting that no person may see it out of the family except such friends as would think trifles when they related to me worthy a perusal.

In some letters from Ireland I have been chided for negligence and taxed with ingratitude for not complying with a promise I made of sending home a Journal.  To avoid this imputation and to gratify my friends, I was obliged to comply, though I might have excused myself from the task of pleading my dependent situation, etc.  Should this (which is to be considered rather in the light of a confidential letter than a regular journal) please, if it is requested, I shall send another small volume next spring or fall as a continuation of this, but it will be mostly observations on the country as my personal transactions have not been sufficiently varied to afford amusement and my occupations have had too much monotony in them to be worth perusing.

Hugh Campbell
Milton, North Carolina
September 1819

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For an introduction of the journal and a biography of Hugh, visit October 27th’s post.