heir wrongs; and when one considers the numbers of
officers and soldiers with this army who have been totally ruined by the
devastations of Northern troops, one cannot be much surprised at this
feeling.

I went into Chambersburg again, and witnessed the singularly good
behaviour of the troops towards the citizens. I heard soldiers saying to
one another, that they did not like being in a town in which they were
very naturally detested. To any one who has seen _as I have_ the ravages
of the Northern troops in Southern towns, this forbearance seems most
commendable and surprising. Yet these Pennsylvanian Dutch[55] don't seem
the least thankful, and really appear to be unaware that their own
troops have been for two years treating Southern towns with ten times
more harshness. They are the most unpatriotic people I ever saw, and
openly state that they don't care which side wins provided they are left
alone. They abuse Lincoln tremendously.

Of course, in such a large army as this there must be many instances of
bad characters, who are always ready to plunder and pillage whenever
they can do so without being caught: the stragglers, also, who remain
behind when the army has left, will doubtless do much harm. It is
impossible to prevent this; but everything that can be done is done to
protect private property and non-combatants, and I can say, from my own
observation, with wonderful success. I hear instances, however, in which
soldiers meeting well-dressed citizens have made a "long arm" and
changed hats, much to the disgust of the latter, who are still more
annoyed when an exchange of boots is also proposed: their superfine
broadcloth is never in any danger.

General Longstreet is generally a particularly taciturn man; but this
evening he and I had a long talk about Texas, where he had been
quartered a long time. He remembered many people whom I had met quite
well, and was much amused by the description of my travels through that
country. I complimented him upon the manner in which the Confederate
sentries do their duty, and said they were quite as strict as, and ten
times more polite than, regular soldiers. He replied, laughing, that a
sentry, after refusing you leave to enter a camp, might very likely, if
properly asked, show you another way in, by which you might avoid
meeting a sentry at all.

I saw General Pendleton and General Pickett to-day. Pendleton is Chief
of Artillery to the army, and was a West Pointer; but in