a

"We visit the Post Office daily, hoping for some word, and now a week has passed away without line. Bear in mind that weeks and days are very long to us when from home, and that your silence unsettles our plans.

66

We have been very busy using the contents of your great box. How kind in Robert and George Haydock to send such valuable stores! I hope thou wilt drop in and tell them how useful we have found all the good things. The gin was a perfect blessing and flavors our gelatine, serving at the same time as a most valuable stimulant.

"It is raining very hard and I am waiting for it to hold up, while Sally has gone with her kettles well filled to make her usual round. To-morrow, we shall pass the entire day at the Academy Hospital, where there are over 200 patients, and where I should be glad to meet you, my Julia and Lucy. It is splendidly located on a very high hill, overlooking green fields and beautiful gardens, and, in the distance, we have the Blue Ridge Mountains, the whole presenting a grand and picturesque view of the surrounding country.

"Our wounded men at the ' Seminary' are doing wonderfully well, and one after another going home -most of them crippled for life. Many of them are well educated men, full of the spirit of liberty, and know just what they are fighting for.

"Tell Uncle John I was delighted that he sent Archy Moore. It was just the book for Zenophon Wheeler, a bright, intelligent, earnest young man, who is wanting something to read all of the time; and so full of Anti-Slavery, that he seized upon the book with great delight.

"I am continually surprised to find how familiar they are with Grandfather's Biography. Friends have seized upon it, and take great comfort in reading and talking about it. I mean, the patients in the hospital seem to know all about grandfather, and were perfectly delighted to find his kindred in us. While our number of wounded men grows smaller, those with camp fever are greatly on the increase. Eighteen were brought from Strasburg on 7th day, thirty on 1st day, and the same number on 2nd day. Very many are sent home as soon as able.

“Poor fellows! many are going home to die, and they know it. I have been working hard to be able to return to you. We have now a Society, mainly of Friends, who will begin their work in a very few days. I hope they may be helped, for in many cases, they have lost their all, and while struggling for bread to eat, are ready to divide their loaf with the sick and wounded. I find Friends are the only people here who sympathize with the colored people, and Friends are the only people in whom the colored people have perfect

trust.

"Mrs. Craven left with her sick son on Second day. She took with her James Strange, a colored

man, who lives opposite to us. I longed to bear them company, but could not feel quite ready, for there seems no one to fill our places exactly. The Surgeons give us more privileges than others, and seem to think we know just what to do and when."

"We had our one trunk packed ready for Strasburg, expecting to leave on Second day morning. Dr. Francis came in the evening previous, saying a rumor was afloat that General Banks had fallen back several miles and it was not safe to go. He declared that he would send an ambulance for us the next day at 12, when we must be ready to go to the Academy Hospital, to make such a visit as would enable us to inspect his hospital thoroughly. We decided to go inasmuch as we could not help ourselves, and at half past five, when the Maine Ioth appeared on his grounds in dress parade, we felt richly repaid. The effect on the patients was such, that I invited the 10th to attend the Services next day at two o'clock. They came, and it was a rich treat for the brave boys. The music was grand. The grounds are beautiful and green and the whole performance imposing and truly magnificent.

"At four o'clock, surgeons and all of us went to an appointed Meeting of Friends. It was held in the Methodist Church, Friends' Meeting House being occupied by soldiers, Samuel M. Janney

Nothing very re

and a woman Friend held forth. markable. We returned to the Academy to tea and afterwards visited Bob Robinson's family, where we met a concourse of colored brothers and sisters. We had a full, free, private conversation concerning their condition and prospects, which I am happy to say are hopeful, and that they mean to enjoy liberty in the larger sense.

"To-morrow we go to Strasburg, leaving here at eight o'clock. Dr. King, Medical Director, has come in from there; says all is safe and implores us to go; that there are a thousand sick and the suffering terrible. We go in his two-horse fourwheeled ambulance, taking our stores. Bedticks, bedding, etc. will follow in another vehicle. I will write from Strasburg next."

CHAPTER XXI.

1862.

BANKS' RETREAT FROM STRASBURG.

WE

E took an ambulance, a second following with stores; and, after travelling nineteen miles, arrived at Strasburg. Here, Dr. Lincoln Stone, of Salem, Mass., became our staff and stay. He was diligent in his efforts to secure quarters for us. A Rebel woman took us in finally, but much against her will, and we remained until May 24th, 1862.

We retired that night at ten o'clock, and after putting out the candle, I took a survey (as is my custom) of the surrounding country, from both windows, and soon called Sally's attention to the Signal lights in the distance. I was thoughtful about them, but concluded, as we were in communication with General Banks' headquarters, it was safe to go to bed and to sleep.

Soon after midnight, a terrific knocking at the front door below, took me to the hall, where I found all had assembled. We heard the drums beating the "long roll," a sign of danger. The Colonel of the 1st Michigan Reg. had come to notify Lieut.-Colonel Copeland, that we were cut off from everything,"-" completely surrounded."