kindness. There is such a thing as
being too kind. Yesterday General Williams sent a barrel of flour to
mother, accompanied by a note begging her to accept it "in
consideration of the present condition of the circulating currency,"
and the intention was so kind, the way it was done so delicate, that
there was no refusing it. I had to write her thanks, and got in a
violent fit of the "trembles" at the idea of writing to a stranger. One
consolation is, that I am not a very big fool, for it took only three
lines to prove myself one. If I had been a thundering big one, I would
have occupied two pages to show myself fully. And to think it is out of
our power to prove them our appreciation of the kindness we have
universally met with! Many officers were in church this morning, and as
they passed us while we waited for the door to be opened, General
Williams bowed profoundly, another followed his example; we returned
the salute, of course. But by to-morrow, those he did not bow to will
cry treason against us. Let them howl. I am tired of lies, scandal, and
deceit. All the loudest gossips have been frightened into the country,
but enough remain to keep them well supplied with town talk.... It is
such a consolation to turn to the dear good people of the world after
coming in contact with such cattle. Here, for instance, is Mr.
Bonnecase on whom we have not the slightest claims. Every day since we
have been here, he has sent a great pitcher of milk, knowing our cow is
out; one day he sent rice, the next sardines, yesterday two bottles of
Port and Madeira, which cannot be purchased in the whole South. What a
duck of an old man! That is only one instance.

June 10th.

This morning while I was attending to my flowers ... several soldiers
stopped in front of me, and holding on the fence, commenced to talk
about some brave Colonel, and a shooting affair last night. When all
had gone except one who was watching me attentively, as he seemed to
wish to tell me, I let him go ahead. The story was that Colonel
McMillan was shot through the shoulder, breast, and liver, by three
guerrillas while four miles from town last night, on a scout. He was a
quarter of a mile from his own men at the time, killed one who shot
him, took the other two prisoners, and fell from his horse himself,
when he got within the lines. The soldier said these two guerrillas
would probably be hanged, while th