In 1858 Thomas Burge died of tuberculosis, leaving Dolly with sole responsibility for the family and for management of the farm. While the wartime economy imposed hardships, Dolly succeed in maintaining the farm and turning an adequate profit, with the help of overseers, her slave labor, and her own interest and involvement.
In November of 1864 the 14th Corps of the left wing of Sherman’s two-pronged march to the sea, accompanied by Sherman himself, swept through and devastated the area, including Burge. Dolly’s entry in her diary November 19, 1864 reads:
“…like Demons they rush in. My yards are full. To my smoke house, my Dairy, Pantry, kitchen, and cellar like famished wolves they come, breaking locks and whatever is in their way. “
The house, though ransacked for valuables and food, was not destroyed, thanks in part to the fact that an officer of the Union was acquainted with Dolly’s brother in Chicago. Dolly’s diary graphically details her wartime trials as well as the experiences of others living at Burge and nearby.
