Standing on the piazza the whole of the estate is in view here were 156 negroes, brought about 250 miles from where they were "born and raised," as the saying is here, having left their cows, and poultry, and pigs behind, and deprived of many little comforts, yet not a word of murmur. As for work, all their daily tasks were finished by 3 P.M., and then they had the rest of the day to themselves; boys and girls between fifteen and twenty-one years of age doing half-tasks. As there were not enough huts for all, the single men had tents, and each man his tent. The white canvas tents, pitched among the trees, had a pretty effect, like a little encampment. In a few hours the object of my journey (viz., to give an account of the estate and of the welfare of the negroes thereon to my sister at Conwayboro') was accomplished, and amid cries of " much huddy"* to massa, "much huddy" to missus, much huddy to the people all, I bid farewell to the warm-hearted colony at "The Retreat." On my return to Winsboro' Station I found every car was crowded with wounded officers and soldiers going home on furlough from Richmond, and I was obliged to put up with a stand in a baggage car. I find in my diary, on returning to Columbia, I wrote a reverie on the unity

*

"Huddy" is, I fancy, derived from "How-do-ye."

H

of Christendom without unity of denomination, but it is too long to insert here. I was led into it by seeing here people in high position, united in business and friendship, attending various churches, and then again their families subdivided ad infinitum, and no controversy dividing their "peace" or hindering their "good-will.”

The Anabaptists, so called from ava, thoroughly, or baptizing by immersion, generally claim the negroes as of their denomination, they having a great inclination to outward visible signs, and especially the forcible one of immersion; but I heard of clergy of the Anglo-American Church not hesitating to carry out this form, as indeed it is ordered in our Liturgy. One of the negro carpenters on plantation was asked by a Baptist minister why he joined the socalled Episcopal Church: his answer was, "Why, sir, I am a carpenter, and like to see all things done by rule, and here I find in the Episcopal Church it is so." It is to be remarked, while on this subject, that the Roman, the Anglican, and the Scotch modes of worship are all represented by the great chiefs of the Confederate army; e.g., Beauregard of the Roman Church, Lee of the English, and Jackson of the (Scotch) Presbyterian, and all devout members of their several churches. It was by the summons of the

first-named general that the church bells of all denominations were martyred in will, though not in deed, to the cause of liberty.

I met several at Columbia who thought the blockade was “not only cruel and impolitic to the South, showing the Northerners in their true character, reckless and cruel-driving Unionists to be disunionists-but downright bullying to England and France, who they said could break it up in a week with no more ships than they had now on their stations; for the blockading squadron was only composed of old passenger-ships, with a few guns placed on them.”

Although it is warmish here I sleep without dropping the mosquito curtains. A clergyman called who was bound for the mountains, his description of which made me long to breathe their air; but they lay in a contrary direction to the devoirs of my errand, and I felt I had no business there, little thinking how soon I was to be obliged to visit them.

How diversified are the notes of the Muse! Colonel Paul Hayne gave me a copy of his lines, first on Morgan, the Cavalier of the South, and then on Butler, the enemy to the human race. I know he will allow me to reprint them for my

English friends; so here they are to enliven my prosy dullness:

'Neath the mystic starlight,
'Neath the glare of day,
Harass, sting, affright them,
Scatter them, and slay:

Beard, who durst, our chieftain !
Bind him-if ye can!

But woe worth the Hessian thief
Who meets him, man to man!

III.

There's a lurid purpose
Brooding in his breast,
Born of solemn passion,
And a deep unrest:

For our ruined homesteads,
And our ravaged land,
For our women outraged

By the dastard hand,
For our thousand sorrows
And our untold shame,
For our blighted harvests,
For our towns aflame-

He has sworn (and recks not
Who may cross his path)

That the foe shall feel him

In his torrid wrath

That, while will and spirit

Hold one spark of life,

Blood shall stain his broadsword,

Blood shall wet his knife.

On, ye Hessian horsemen !

Crush him-if ye can!

But woe worth your stanchest slave
Who meets him, man to man!