w how the news reached Beaufort.

"'FEBRUARY 23, 1864.

"'There was a sound of revelry by night at a ball in
Beaufort last night, in a new large building beautifully
decorated. All the collected flags of the garrison hung
round and over us, as if the stars and stripes were devised
for an ornament alone. The array of uniforms was such, that
a civilian became a distinguished object, much more a lady.
All would have gone according to the proverbial marriage
bell, I suppose, had there not been a slight palpable shadow
over all of us from hearing vague stories of a lost battle
in Florida, and from the thought that perhaps the very
ambulances in which we rode to the ball were ours only until
the wounded or the dead might tenant them.

"'General Gillmore only came, I supposed, to put a good face
upon the matter. He went away soon, and General Saxton went;
then came a rumor that the Cosmopolitan had actually arrived
with wounded, but still the dance went on. There was nothing
unfeeling about it--one gets used to things,--when suddenly,
in the midst of the 'Lancers,' there came a perfect hush,
the music ceasing, a few surgeons went hastily to and fro,
as if conscience stricken (I should think they might have
been),--and then there 'waved a mighty shadow in,' as in
Uhland's 'Black Knight,' and as we all stood wondering we
were aware of General Saxton who strode hastily down the
hall, his pale face very resolute, and looking almost sick
with anxiety. He had just been on board the steamer; there
were two hundred and fifty wounded men just arrived, and the
ball must end. Not that there was anything for us to do, but
the revel was mis-timed, and must be ended; it was wicked to
be dancing with such a scene of suffering near by.

[Illustration: PHALANX RIVER PICKETS DEFENDING THEMSELVES.

Federal picket boat near Fernandina, Fla., attacked by Confederate
sharpshooters stationed in the trees on the banks.]

"'Of course the ball was instantly broken up, though with
some murmurings and some longings of appetite, on the part
of some, toward the wasted supper.

"'Later, I went on board the boat. Among the long lines of
wounded, black and white intermingled, there was the
wonderful quiet which usually prevails on such occasions