judged
of by comparison. We all went ashore soon after sunrise and walked
about the town, which is laid out in rectangular streets, lined with
pleasant but weedy orange-gardens and often shaded by live-oak and
sycamore trees, _i. e._, when the latter leave out, as they will soon.
The soil is a fine sand, very like ashes, and the streets are
ankle-deep with it already, wherever the grass doesn't grow.
Dilapidated fences, tumble-down outbuildings, untrimmed trees with
lots of dead branches, weedy walks and gardens and a general
appearance of _un_thrift attendant upon the best of slaveholding
towns, was aggravated here by the desolated houses, surrounded by
heaps of broken furniture and broken wine and beer bottles which the
army had left about after their pillage. Quantities of negro children
lay basking in the morning sun, grinning at us as we passed. We saw a
chain-pump in a yard and walked in to wash our faces, there having
been no chance on the steamer, and were waited upon by an old negro,
who brought us bowls, soap, and towels. Mr. Pierce succeeded in
getting us some bread and coffee from one of the regiments, having no
time to go to headquarters. They were carried to an old negro cabin in
the remotest corner of the town, where the coffee was made and served
up in the poultry-yard in our tin mugs.

Our quarters are in a very fine house in the east end of the town,
bordering on the river, against which is a garden wall, built of
oyster-shells and mortar, there being no stone to be had here.

We are to wait here till our positions are assigned to us by Mr.
Pierce, which will be done in a few days. He told me he wanted me to
take the most important one, which I suppose means Coffin's.[11] I am
to have W---- G---- for my clerk and assistant. He is a very
agreeable, quiet fellow, and works like a beaver, but like several
others, is too young to take charge of the organization of the labor
to good advantage.

There is something very sad about these fine deserted houses. Ours has
Egyptian marble mantels, gilt cornice and centre-piece in parlor, and
bath-room, with several wash-bowls set in different rooms. The
force-pump is broken and all the bowls and their marble slabs smashed
to get out the plated cocks, which the negroes thought pure silver.
Bureaus, commodes, and wardrobes are smashed in, as well as
door-panels, to get out the contents of the drawers and lockers, which
I suppose contained some wine and ale, judgi