thankful that I was so
fortunate as to be able to lie down at all. In my dozing state, I heard
the wagon come, and Miriam ordering a mattress to be put in the room
for me. I could make out, "Very well! you may take that one to Miss
Eliza,[5] but the next one shall be brought to Miss Sarah!" Poor
Miriam! She is always fighting my battles. She and the servants are
always taking my part against the rest of the world.... She and Lucy
made a bed and rolled me in it with no more questions, and left me with
damp eyes at the thought of how good and tender every one is to me.
Poor Lucy picked me a dish of blackberries to await my arrival, and I
was just as grateful for it, though they were eaten by some one else
before I came.

[5] Lilly.

Early yesterday morning, Miriam, Nettie, and Sophie, who did not then
know of their brother's death, went to town in a cart, determined to
save some things, Miriam to save her piano. As soon as they were
halfway, news reached us that any one was allowed to enter, but none
allowed to leave the town, and all vehicles confiscated as soon as they
reached there. Alarmed for their safety, mother started off to find
them, and we have heard of none of them since. What will happen next? I
am not uneasy. They dare not harm them. It is glorious to shell a town
full of women, but to kill four lone ones is not exciting enough.

June 1st, Sunday.

From the news brought by one or two persons who managed to reach here
yesterday, I am more uneasy about mother and the girls. A gentleman
tells me that no one is permitted to leave without a pass, and of
these, only such as are separated from their families, who may have
left before. All families are prohibited to leave, and furniture and
other valuables also. Here is an agreeable arrangement! I saw the
"pass," just such as we give our negroes, signed by a Wisconsin
colonel. Think of being obliged to ask permission from some low plowman
to go in or out of our own house! Cannon are planted as far out as
Colonel Davidson's, six of them at our graveyard, and one or more on
all the other roads. If the guerrillas do not attempt their capture, I
shall take it upon myself to suggest it to the very next one I see.
Even if they cannot use them, it will frighten the Yankees, who are in
a state of constant alarm about them. Their reason for keeping people
in town is that they hope they will not be attacked so long