d
many probably got away under this pretext; but to provide against
mistakes the name of each negro (with that of his former owner) was
registered, and also such facts as would fix his value, in case
compensation were allowed. In this, as in the whole ordering of the
evacuation, which was more than the work of a day, General Carleton must
have credit for humanity and a disposition to pursue a fair and
honorable course, which, under the extraordinary difficulties of the
situation, required rare tact and discretion. Of course he was blamed
for much when he was not responsible (natural enough in those who
suffered grievances), and especially for the great delay in giving up
the City, which bore hard on virtuous citizens who had sacrificed
opulence and ease at the shrine of liberty, and had now thrown
themselves out of homes and business in the expectation of an early
return to the City. Yet Carleton's fidelity to the various trusts
committed to him, making one delay after another unavoidable, it may be
doubted whether he could have surrendered the City at an earlier date.

Closing up the affairs of the army was truly a Herculean task. The
shipment of the troops began early in the season. A portion of the army
was disbanded to reduce it to a peace establishment pursuant to orders
from England. Then there was the settlement of innumerable accounts,
pertaining to every department, and the sale and disposal of surplus
army property, as horses, wagons, harness and military stores, with
several thousand cords of fire wood, which was sold off at half its
cost. Even the prisonships were set up at auction. A sale of draft
horses was begun, October 2d, at the Artillery Stables near St. Paul's
church.

Auctions on private account were rife; daily, in every street, the red
flag was seen hanging out. And it was alleged that a great deal of
furniture was sold to which the venders had no good title; much of it
being newly painted or otherwise disguised, that its proper owner might
never know and reclaim it! We need not doubt it, for it seemed as if the
refugees would strip the City of every portable article, even to the
buildings, or the brick and lumber composing them; insomuch that the
authorities, in formal orders, forbade the removal or demolition of any
house till the right to do so was shown.

These irregularities, with the brag and bluster of the enraged tories,
was enough to keep society in a broil. The uppermost themes were t