ded. Besides, although I do not anticipate that after
the way they have been hurled back the Northerners will try again for
some time, now they are in possession of Harrison's Landing they can at
any moment advance. Besides, it is not pleasant being obliged to turn
out of one's house and leave everything to their mercy. I wrote
yesterday to Pearson to bring the slaves back at once and take up the
work, and I shall go over occasionally to see that everything is in
order; but at any rate for a time we will stop here."

"I think that is best, mother. Certainly I should feel more comfortable
knowing that you are all at Richmond than alone out there."

"We should be no worse off than thousands of ladies all over the State,
Vincent. There are whole districts where every white capable of using a
gun has gone to the war, leaving nothing but women and slaves behind,
and we have not heard of a single case in which there has been trouble."

"Certainly there is no chance of trouble with your slaves, mother; but
in some of the other plantations it may not be so. At any rate the quiet
conduct of the slaves everywhere is the very best answer that could be
given to the accusations that have been made as to their cruel
treatment. At present the whole of the property of the slave-owners
throughout the Southern States is at their mercy, and they might burn,
kill, and destroy; and yet in no single instance have they risen against
what are called their oppressors, even when the Federals have been close
at hand.

"Please keep your eye on Dinah, mother. I distrust that fellow Jackson
so thoroughly that I believe him capable of having her carried off and
smuggled away somewhere down south, and sold there if he saw a chance. I
wish, instead of sending her to the Orangery, you would keep her as one
of your servants here."

"I will if you wish it, Vincent; but I cannot believe for a moment that
Jackson or anyone else would venture to meddle with any of my slaves."

"Perhaps not, mother; but it is best to be on the safe side. Anyhow, I
shall be glad to know that she is with you. Young Jackson will be away,
for I know he is in one of Stuart's troops of horse, though I have never
happened to run against him since the war began."

The firing had hardly ceased before Harrison's Landing, when General
Jackson, with a force of about 15,000 men, composed of his own division,
now commanded by General Winder, General Ewell's division, and a portion
o