xigencies of the war might not necessitate a
change to some point more available, this was at least unnecessary.
True, the people had made sacrifices, and had inconvenienced
themselves. But what they had done was for the country, and not for the
Government; and had, besides, been done equally elsewhere. And the
location, even temporarily, of the Government there had aided the town
greatly. It had become the converging point of railroad and contract
business for the Confederacy; and the depots and storehouses located
there would be of course continued, throwing a vast amount of business
activity and money into it. So, though the people might be somewhat
morbid on the subject, their arguments against the change were, on the
whole, if natural, not founded on fact.

But, perfectly regardless of the thunders of the press and the
growlings of the people, the preparations for removal and the change of
base to Virginia went steadily on. By the 20th of May, everything had
been completed--the President and Cabinet left Montgomery--the fact,
that had for some time been a real one, was formally consummated; and
Montgomery became again the Capital of Alabama.

I had nothing to keep me in town longer, so I started for a leisurely
trip to Richmond. But man proposes; and in this instance, the
Quartermaster's Department disposed that travel was to be anything but
practicable.

Trains, crowded with troops from all directions, met at the junctions,
and there had to lay over for hours, or days. Burden trains, with
supplies for the army, munitions of war, or government property from
Montgomery, blocked the road in all directions; and trains running "not
on time" had to proceed much more carefully than ordinarily. In fact,
there was not the amount of transportation at the disposal of the roads
that the greatly enhanced demands required; and at every station nearer
Richmond, the pressure of passengers and freight became greater.

Through Georgia I bore the troubles of the transit like a philosopher;
but under three detentions between Augusta and Columbia, of from nine
to thirteen hours, patience and endurance both gave way.

South Carolina had gone into the war with her eyes wider open than
those of her sisters; and while she had yet time, was straining every
nerve to utilize all her available resources and to make new ones. Her
factories, tanneries and foundries were all in constant and active
operation; she was making bountiful prepara