were told
(by a servant, I think), that the whole division was going to leave
that night. This was true. It was before the articles of the surrender
had been signed, and Logan was in pursuit of General Johnston. It was
a night of such commotion that not one of the family retired to rest.
It was discovered, when too late for redress, that Logan had withdrawn
our safeguards, taken every commanding officer with him, and had left
us to the mercy of his wagon train of bummers and of negroes. That
night of terror terminated in a violent storm, in the midst of which
your grandfather set out for the headquarters in town for the purpose
of demanding a safeguard. With daylight came a greater feeling of
safety, so we separated, the girls going to their rooms, and I to
mine, in order to refresh ourselves and make a fresh toilet. While so
engaged, I kept hearing the bells ringing and tinkling incessantly,
and, while I was hurrying to put on my dress in order to inquire the
meaning of this, Caroline and Adelaide rushed in, exclaiming that men
were climbing the walls of the house, and the tinkling of the bells
was caused by their twisting them off the wires. These women, whose
natural color was bright mulatto, now looked ashy. I do not think that
I spoke a word, but just flew into the nursery, took the children, and
ran up the stairs. As I passed by the sitting, room, I met Kate, all
disheveled, running out and saying that men were climbing into her
window. I just took time to lock the door between her room and the
sitting-room, and then we all ran upstairs, where the Burgwyns and my
other girls were quietly dressing, in entire ignorance of what was
taking place. It seems strange that I should recollect every trifle so
vividly; I remember, even now, that, as I ran up the stair, my throat
and mouth became so dry that I could not speak. From the window at the
head of the stair nothing was visible but a sea of upturned faces; not
just by the house, but away down the slope, as far as the eye could
reach, were men's upturned faces. I can never forget the look upon
Mrs. Burgwyn's face as she whispered, "We can throw ourselves from the
window." My poor, craven heart might have failed me, but I am
convinced that she could have done it. While we thus stood, a poor,
cowering, terror-stricken group, steps were heard approaching, and a
tall figure slowly ascended the stairs, and a grim, saturnine-faced
man stood before us, and said, "I don't know