as our own
friends remain; thereby placing us above themselves in the scale of
humanity, since they acknowledge we are not brute enough to kill women
and children as they did not hesitate to do.

Farragut pleads that he could not restrain his men, they were so
enraged when the order was once given to fire, and says they _would_
strike a few houses, though he ordered them to fire solely at horses,
and the clouds of dust in the street, where guerrillas were supposed to
be. The dust was by no means thick enough to conceal that these
"guerrillas" were women, carrying babies instead of guns, and the
horses were drawing buggies in which many a sick woman was lying.

A young lady who applied to the Yankee general for a pass to come out
here, having doubtless spoken of the number of women here who had fled,
and the position of the place, was advised to remain in town and write
to the ladies to return immediately, and assure them that they would be
respected and protected, etc., but that it was madness to remain at
Greenwell, for a terrific battle would be fought there in a few days,
and they would be exposed to the greatest danger. The girl wrote the
letter, but, Mr. Fox, we are not quite such fools as to return there to
afford you the protection our petticoats would secure to you, thereby
preventing you from receiving condign punishment for the injuries and
loss of property already inflicted upon us by you. No! we remain
_here_; and if you are not laid low before you pass the Comite Bridge,
we can take to the woods again, and camp out, as many a poor woman is
doing now, a few miles from town. Many citizens have been arrested, and
after being confined a while, and closely questioned, have been
released, if the information is satisfactory. A negro man is informing
on all cotton burners and violent Secessionists, etc.

Sunday night.

The girls have just got back, riding in a mule team, on top of baggage,
but without either mother or any of our affairs. Our condition is
perfectly desperate. Miriam had an interview with General Williams,
which was by no means satisfactory. He gave her a pass to leave, and
bring us back, for he says there is no safety here for us; he will
restrain his men in town, and protect the women, but once outside, he
will answer neither for his men, nor the women and children. As soon as
he gets horses enough, he passes this road, going to Camp Moore