er were even more
disappointed and amazed than the former. This was especially the case
with the senior naval officer, Captain Steedman, a South-Carolinian by
birth, but who had proved himself as patriotic as he was courteous and
able, and whose presence and advice had been of the greatest value
to me. He and all of us felt keenly the wrongfulness of breaking the
pledges which we had been authorized to make to these people, and of
leaving them to the mercy of the Rebels once more. Most of the people
themselves took the same view, and eagerly begged to accompany us on our
departure. They were allowed to bring their clothing and furniture also,
and at once developed that insane mania for aged and valueless trumpery
which always seizes upon the human race, I believe, in moments of
danger. With the greatest difficulty we selected between the essential
and the non-essential, and our few transports were at length loaded to
the very water's edge on the morning of March 29th,--Colonel Montgomery
having by this time returned from up-river, with sixteen prisoners, and
the fruits of foraging in plenty.

And upon that last morning occurred an act on the part of some of the
garrison most deeply to be regretted, and not to be excused by the
natural indignation at their recall,--an act which, through the
unfortunate eloquence of one newspaper correspondent, rang through the
nation,--the attempt to burn the town. I fortunately need not dwell much
upon it, as I was not at the time in command of the post,--as the white
soldiers frankly took upon themselves the whole responsibility,--and
as all the fires were made in the wooden part of the city, which was
occupied by them, while none were made in the brick part, where the
colored soldiers were quartered. It was fortunate for our reputation
that the newspaper accounts generally agreed in exculpating us from all
share in the matter;* and the single exception, which one correspondent
asserted, I could never verify, and do not believe to have existed.
It was stated by Colonel Rust, in his official report, that some
twenty-five buildings in all were burned, and I doubt if the actual
number was greater; but this was probably owing in part to a change of
wind, and did not diminish the discredit of the transaction. It made
our sorrow at departure no less, though it infinitely enhanced the
impressiveness of the scene.

*"The colored regiments had nothing at all to do with it;
they beha