opinions, simply because they are no longer freemen. The freedom of speech, the freedom of the press, the freedom of action, are all suppressed; and men who once boasted of their freedom and bravery now quail and writhe under the lash of military despotism. How are the mighty fallen, and the strong made to tremble! This is no fiction. Stern realities stare us full in the face, and we must meet them, whether we wish to do so or not.

Families are no longer happy. Husbands are torn from their wives, fathers from their children, and sons from their fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and homes. The once peaceful, quiet, and happy homes of thousands are either forsaken and left desolate, or changed into habitations of weeping, mourning, and deep lamentation. The homesteads and churches of thousands, and the groves, are no longer vocal with the praises of God. The millennium, or reign of Christ a thousand years with his people on earth, is no longer immediately anticipated. A nation's heart is made to bleed.

CHAPTER VII.

A WORD OF ADMONITION TO THE CITIZENS OF FREDERICKSBURG.

THE pall of death seems to have fallen on our entire community, embracing all classes within its encircling folds. If the destroying angel had passed over our city and had smitten the first-born of every family, a

more gloomy appearance of things could hardly be presented. Places of business, with few exceptions, are everywhere closed up, and men walk about the streets as if in constant expectation of hearing the last shrill note of Gabriel's awful trump. Many private residences are closed and forsaken, and families have deserted their quiet, peaceful homes, to become refugees and sufferers among strangers in other parts of our country.

Horticulture, to a great extent, is neglected; while all are reposing in a state of idleness and inexplicable suspense, wondering when, and where, and how the scene will end. An indescribable panic has seized all classes of our once brave, happy, industrious, and prosperous people. What must be the end of all this? There can be but one answer to this question if things continue thus, and that is, starvation and death will be the inevitable result.

Hence we would say to one and all of our fellowcitizens, go to work! Up and at it! Attend more strictly to business than ever, because there is greater need than there has ever been at any former period of our lives. What is the use for men to become disheartened, and give up the ghost, and die before the time comes? If men refuse to work, nothing can be produced; and if nothing be produced, people must starve.

Gazing at soldiers, listening to martial music, and following the army about will never make the "pot boil." The duty and business of soldiers is one thing, and the duty and business of citizens is another thing. Soldiers consume, and citizens produce; if, therefore, the citizens neglect to produce, both citizens and sol

diers must ultimately starve. Soldiers, however, have this decided advantage over citizens: the former are fed and clothed from the public crib, while the latter have to look after their own food and raiment. Armies must and will be supported, provided the produce is to be had, and citizens can only get the excess after armies are supplied. This fact, of itself, is sufficient to rouse every one to action, and stimulate all to do their utmost. Then we would admonish all, old and young, male and female, high and low, rich and poor, bond and free, to go to work, and work for life, or famine and death will be the result,

CHAPTER VIII.

THE CONFEDERATE ARMY LEAVES FREDERICKSBURG.

On the morning of the 18th of April, 1862, the Confederate Army evacuated the town of Fredericksburg, leaving the citizens to share whatever fate might chance to befall them. Never, perhaps, did any army leave a place with greater expedition than did our army leave the venerable old town of Fredericksburg. Before leaving, however, they set fire to Falmouth, Scott's, and the railroad bridges; also to the following vessels:

Steamer Virginia, Captain Fairbank; steamer Saint Nicholas, Captain Lewis, of the Confederate Army; schooner May, owned by McConkey, Parr & Co., Baltimore City, Md., and Henry Armstrong, valued at

$4500; schooner Ada, owned by Samuel G. Miles, of Baltimore City, Md., valued at $3500; schooner Northern Light, Captain Thomas Pritchett, Lancaster county, Va., valued at $2000; Reindeer, Captain Job Moore, Middlesex county, Va., valued at $1500; Decapolis, Captain John Evans, Fredericksburg, Va., valued at $700; Mary Pierce, owned by R. W. Adams and L. B. Eddens, Fredericksburg, Va., valued at $5500; Helen, Captain Solomon Philips, Essex county, Va., valued at $2000; William T. Valliant, Captain B. George, Lancaster county, Va., valued at $1500; Anglo-Saxon, owned by Segar & Purkins, Middlesex county, Va., valued at $1600; Dazzling Orb, Captain A. Jenkins, Fredericksburg, Va., valued at $600; Puteola, owned by A. Williams and B. Walker, Lancaster county, Va., valued at $1500; James Henry, owned by Captains Mullin and Dickinson, Richmond county, Va., valued at $400; J. Wagner, Captain Toleman, Lancaster county, Va., valued at $2250; Active, Captain Henry Taylor, Richmond county, Va., valued at $2000; Sea-Breeze, owned by Miles, of Baltimore, Crabb & Scrimger, of Richmond county, Va., valued at $2000; Mary Miller, owned by C. Burgess, of Northumberland county, Va., and Miller, of Middlesex county, Va., valued at $4000; Nancy Sprewell, owned by E. Mann, of North Carolina, valued at $2500; Lucy Penn, owned by Seirs, of Gloucester county, Va., valued at $1600; Hiawatha, owned by Mr. Garland, Richmond county, Va., valued at $2500; sloop Amethyst, Captain Charles Gutridge, Fredericksburg, Va., valued at $900.

Including the value of the steamer Virginia and the Saint Nicholas, it will be discovered that more

than one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars' worth of vessels was destroyed, to say nothing about the vast amount of grain and other property consumed in them, all of which will, probably, prove in the end a total loss to the owners.

Admitting the fact that the burning of the bridges was "a military necessity," which we very much question, we utterly ignore the idea that the burning of the vessels was; and, while no good to the Southern Confederacy, and but little if any injury to the enemy, could possibly result from an act so outrageously cruel, it has reduced at least some of the owners of the vessels to a state of almost total bankruptcy. Some of these men have labored and toiled for years, and by rigid economy had succeeded in accumulating sufficient amounts to purchase vessels, and their all of earthly goods was invested in them, and in a single hour they behold the hard earnings of many years reduced to ashes. What a pity! What a shame!

In connection with the burning of the bridges and vessels, we would state that from fifteen to twenty thousand dollars' worth of cotton was also burnt, which might have been saved, had not such a terrible panic seized the managers of the cars.

We witnessed the burning of the bridges and vessels, and, truly, the scene was one of melancholy sublimity. May we never again witness such reckless, wanton, wicked destruction of property! On the 18th day of April, 1861, the Virginia Convention passed the ordinance of secession, and on the 18th of April, 1862, the Federal authorities took possession of Fredericksburg.