mum per-centage of the best regulated hospitals; a
new and better camping ground was obtained, and buildings erected for
shelter; a school for the children was established, and the women taught
how to cut and make garments, and advised and instructed how to live and
be useful to themselves and their families. Material for clothing was
furnished them, which they made up for themselves. As the season of
spring came, the able-bodied men were enlisted as soldiers, by a new
order of the Government; those who were not fit for the military service
were hired by the new lessees of the plantations, and the condition of
the colored people was changed from one of utter misery and despair, to
one of thrift, improvement and comparative happiness.

In all these changes Miss Mann was a moving spirit, and with the
co-operation of the chaplains, and the friendly sanction and aid of
Major-General Prentiss--who on his arrival in February, 1863, introduced
a more humane treatment of the freed people--she was able to fulfil her
benevolent mission, and remained till the month of August of that year.

The heroism of Miss Mann during the winter season at Helena, was a
marvel to us all. It was an exceedingly rainy winter, and the streets
were often knee deep with mud. The town is built on a level, marshy
region of bottom land, and for weeks the roads became almost impassable,
and had to be waded on horseback, or the levee followed, and causeways
had to be built by the military. But Miss Mann was not to be prevented
by these difficulties from visiting the "Contraband Hospital," as it was
called, and from going her rounds to the families of the poor colored
people who needed her advice and assistance. I have often taken her
myself in an open wagon with which we carried the mail bags to and from
the steamers--having charge of the military post-office--and conveyed
her from place to place, when the wheels would sink almost to the hubs,
and returned with her to her quarters; and on several occasions when she
had gone on foot when the side-walks were dry, and she came to a
crossing that required deep wading, I have known her to call some stout
black man to her aid, to carry her across, and set her down on the
opposite sidewalk. In these cases the service was rendered with true
politeness and gallantry, and with the remark, "Bress the Lord, missus,
it's no trouble to carry you troo de mud, and keep your feet dry, you
who does so much for us black folk