if it is delayed much
longer. If we could only get home, it would be another thing; but
boarding, how long will mother's two hundred and fifty last? And that
is all the money she has. As to the claims, amounting to a small
fortune, she might as well burn them. They will never be paid. But if
we get home, what will we do for bedding? The Yankees did not leave us
a single comfort, and only two old bars and a pair of ragged sheets,
which articles are not to be replaced at any price in the Confederacy,
so we must go without. How glad I am that we gave all our blankets to
our soldiers last summer! So much saved from the Yankees!

Poor Lavinia! She fancies us comfortably settled at home; I dare say
she spends all her time in picturing to herself what we may be doing,
and recalling each piece of furniture the rooms contained. Wonder if
she would not be shocked if the real scene were suddenly revealed to
her, and she should see the desolated house and see us fugitives in a
strange town. Wonder how the cry of "Where are those three damned
Secesh women?" would have struck her, had she heard the strange oaths
and seen the eager search which followed? I dare say it would have
frightened her more than it did me when I was told of it. William
Waller says it is God's mercy that we had escaped already, for we
certainly would have suffered. I hardly think we could have been
harmed, though, and shall always regret that we did not return
immediately after the battle. It took them from that day to the
evacuation to finish the work; and I rather think that our presence
would have protected the house.

Our servants they kindly made free, and told them they must follow them
(the officers). Margret was boasting the other day of her answer, "I
don't want to be any free-er than I is now--I'll stay with my
mistress," when Tiche shrewdly remarked, "Pshaw! Don't you know that if
I had gone, you'd have followed me?" The conduct of all our servants is
beyond praise. Five thousand negroes followed their Yankee brothers
from the town and neighborhood; but ours remained. During the fight, or
flight, rather, a fleeing officer stopped to throw a musket in Charles
Barker's hands, and bade him fight for his liberty. Charles drew
himself up, saying, "I am only a slave, but I am a Secesh nigger, and
won't fight in such a d---- crew!" Exit Yankee, continuing his flight
down to the riverside.

September