te what and
how much they have learned the last two years.

[_Dec. 11._] Over seventy children at Sunday School. I had a very nice
time with them indeed, and was much struck with their progress in
general intelligence. Their eager, intelligent faces and earnest
attention and interest in all I said to them were a great contrast to
anything they would have manifested two years ago. Indeed, I could not
have talked to them, and they would not have understood me if I had,
in anything like the same way that I did to-day.

_Nov. 23._ We saw Mrs. Vaughn, who seems to find life here very hard,
and repeats the inevitable experience of all those who have ever had
anything to do with the blacks previously, that these are the most
degraded and barbarous of their race in the country.

We met C. Soule and Captain Crane,[176] with their two servants,
coming down to spend Thanksgiving. We had a right pleasant evening.
Captain Crane played and sung, and we were very glad to hear the
piano, and he to touch one.

FROM W. C. G.

_Nov. 27._ On Thanksgiving Day we gathered together all our
friends,--all our "set," at least,--and sat down, twenty-six of us,
together, to eat turkeys and pies. It was a rather formidable thing to
attempt, with negro servants and St. Helena supplies, but we had quite
a good time, and have done our duty in giving the party. It is
probably the last time that we'll all meet together. Those who are to
stay next year are all bemoaning their fate; together we have had a
very courteous and friendly circle,--rather peculiarly so for such a
rough kind of life and surroundings,--and the loss of so many as will
go will probably rob the work here of much of its pleasantness.

War, in the person of the triumphant Sherman, was again
drawing near, and the two young officers of the Fifty-Fifth
had barely celebrated Thanksgiving with the people from home
when they were summoned to take their part.

FROM H. W.

_Nov. 28._ C. brought word that all the troops had been sent to
Savannah to meet Sherman, and that citizens were on guard at Beaufort.

_Dec. 1._ To-night comes C. from Beaufort with news of the Grahamville
fight.[177] It is said we have been twice repulsed, and the fight is
not over.

_Dec. 2._ A cart came down from R.'s and brought a note from him to
the effect that Captain Crane, who was with us such a short time ago,
has been killed in the fight at Grahamville, but that C. Soule was
unhu