husband joined me, and soon after many friends. They
were all ragged, mud-stained, and altogether unlovely, but seemed to
me most desirable and welcome visitors.

One of my boxes being opened, I proceeded to do the honors. My guests
having eaten very heartily, filled their haversacks, and, putting "_a
sup_" in their canteens, returned to camp to send out a fresh squad.
The next that came brought in extra haversacks and canteens "for some
of the boys who couldn't get off," and these also were provided for.

With the last squad my husband was compelled to go back to camp, as
just then military rules were severe, and very strictly enforced. I
passed the night in an old, broken arm-chair, Tempe lying at my feet,
and slept so soundly that I heard not a sound of shot or shell. Very
early next morning, however, we were awakened by a terrible explosion
near us, and directly afterwards heard that within a hundred yards of
our place of refuge a shell had exploded, tearing away the upper part
of a house, killing a man and his three children, who were sleeping in
one of the rooms. This made me very uneasy, and increased Tempe's
terror to such an extent that she became almost unmanageable. During
the next day I actually became accustomed to the noise and danger, and
"with a heart for any fate" passed the day. At night my levee was
larger than before; among them I had the satisfaction of seeing and
supplying some Alabama, South Carolina, and Tennessee soldiers. That
night the bombardment was terrific. Anxiety for my husband, combined
with a shuddering terror, made sleep impossible.

The next morning, my husband having obtained a few hours' leave of
absence, joined me in my shattered retreat. The day was darkened by
the agony of parting. It seemed to me _impossible_ to leave him under
such circumstances, and really required more courage than to face the
shot and shell. But I could easily see that anxiety for me interfered
with his duty as a soldier, so--we must part. On the same evening I
returned to Newnan, where my friends were so overjoyed at my safe
return that they forbore to upbraid. Soon afterward the battle of
Jonesboro' again filled our wards with shattered wrecks. As I have
already stated, my husband then came for the first time to claim my
care. Before he was quite able to return to duty, the post was ordered
to Fort Valley, Georgia, a pleasant and very hospitable town, where
new and excellent hospital buildings had been