."

_May 16._ Dr. Wakefield arrived with the news of the rebel
Flag-steamer's having escaped from Charleston through the inside
passages, passed Beaufort and gone to Hilton Head. It was manned by
blacks, who came off at two o'clock night before last with their wives
and children, the officers having all gone ashore. It mounted two
guns, and had four others on board which were to be taken[36]
somewhere, passed Sumter with the right signals, and Beaufort with a
Federal flag, and was sent back there again from Hilton Head. I should
like to have been in Beaufort. It is magnificent.

The sales have been quite large, as Mr. Philbrick's denims[37] have
arrived, and the negroes had yesterday their second payment. The cloth
is sold at the wholesale price, as it was bought. I am afraid they
will never get it as cheap again. Now we can give away the made
clothes with more freedom.

Got old Peter to make me a piggin for fresh water in my chamber; as
they always carry everything on their heads, a pail is no advantage.
It is of a red color, and very nicely made. When I gave it to Flora to
fill, she said, "him name Harriet"--whether intended as a compliment
to me or to the piggin I could not understand. When we told Joe about
the steamer, he exclaimed, "Gracious! 'zackly, that done beautiful,"
and kept exploding through the rest of dinner, "my glory," "gracious,"
"smartest ting done yet."

_May 17._ H. called me out of school this morning to see one of the
crew of the _Planter_, the steamer that ran off from Charleston. He
proved to be a man from McKee's plantation who had a wife and children
at Coffin's Point and had come round in a boat with a crew and pass
from General Stevens[38] to take them to Beaufort. Almost all the men
came from about here; David had two brothers with wives at Coffin's
Point who were afraid to run the risk, and, though they belonged to
the crew, went ashore. The pilot first proposed the plan, and they
arranged a day or two beforehand with the wives they had there, took
them on board in boats I think at two o'clock, passed Fort Sumter with
the signal, two long whistles and a short, and came round inside the
islands so that they did not encounter any of our blockading fleet
till they came off Otter Island, where there is a vessel lying within
sight of Coffin's Point. Then they raised the Federal flag which was
on board, were boarded by our men and _cheered_ as they passed on
their way. Beaufort was amazed