t sang
"John Brown" with much spirit. After the meeting we saw the
dress-parade, a brilliant and beautiful sight. An officer told us that
the men went through the drill remarkably well,--that the ease and
rapidity with which they learned the movements were wonderful. To us it
seemed strange as a miracle,--this black regiment, the first mustered
into the service of the United States, doing itself honor in the sight
of the officers of other regiments, many of whom, doubtless, "came to
scoff." The men afterwards had a great feast, ten oxen having been
roasted whole for their especial benefit.

We went to the landing, intending to take the next boat for Beaufort;
but finding it very much crowded, waited for another. It was the
softest, loveliest moonlight; we seated ourselves on the ruined wall of
the old fort; and when the boat had got a short distance from the shore
the band in it commenced playing "Sweet Home." The moonlight on the
water, the perfect stillness around, the wildness and solitude of the
ruins, all seemed to give new pathos to that ever dear and beautiful old
song. It came very near to all of us,--strangers in that strange
Southern land. After a while we retired to one of the tents,--for the
night-air, as usual, grew dangerously damp,--and, sitting around the
bright wood-fire, enjoyed the brilliant and entertaining conversation.
Very unwilling were we to go home; for, besides the attractive society,
we knew that the soldiers were to have grand shouts and a general
jubilee that night. But the Flora was coming, and we were obliged to say
a reluctant farewell to Camp Saxton and the hospitable dwellers therein,
and hasten to the landing. We promenaded the deck of the steamer, sang
patriotic songs, and agreed that moonlight and water had never looked so
beautiful as on that night. At Beaufort we took the row-boat for St.
Helena; and the boatmen, as they rowed, sang some of their sweetest,
wildest hymns. It was a fitting close to such a day. Our hearts were
filled with an exceeding great gladness; for, although the Government
had left much undone, we knew that Freedom was surely born in our land
that day. It seemed too glorious a good to realize,--this beginning of
the great work we had so longed and prayed for.

* * * * *

L. and I had one day an interesting visit to a plantation about six
miles from ours. The house is beautifully situated in the midst of noble
pine-trees, on the