at a steamer with the Federal flag
coming from that direction. The guns were to be mounted between Sumter
and Charleston at the new Fort Ripley. David said they had made up
their minds to blow up the vessel rather than be taken--they knew they
should have no mercy. I hope the men who stayed were not hung for not
informing. He said Charleston was "very interrupted," not a white
woman left in the town, as they were expecting an attack from the
Federals. He reports coffee at $1.50 a pound, sugar 50 cents there,
but I don't know how much he is to be relied on; he was very quiet and
modest--the fireman; said he used to work in the field here, but would
"go furder" before he ever would do it again.

To-day a quantity of bacon, which was sent from Philadelphia, was
given out to the hands on both the Fripp plantations. There has been
a good deal of trouble about their working Saturday, and the bacon was
only given to those who went into the field to-day, I hope with good
effect. They have not done a third the usual work this year, and it is
hard to bring anything to bear upon them. I hope Captain Saxton, who
we hear is coming out as head of the whole concern, will have
sufficient authority to settle some points which have been left to the
individual superintendents and with regard to which they have not
pursued the same course, making it very hard for some.

Rufus Saxton, Captain in the United States Army, had been a
quartermaster at Hilton Head ever since its capture. On
April 29, 1862, he was assigned, as Brigadier-General of
Volunteers, "to take possession of all the plantations
heretofore occupied by the rebels" in the Department of the
South, "and take charge of the inhabitants remaining thereon
within the department, or which the fortunes of the war may
hereafter bring into it, with authority to take such
measures, make such rules and regulations for the
cultivation of the land and for protection, employment, and
government of the inhabitants as circumstances may seem to
require." He was to act under the orders of the Secretary of
War, and, so far as the persons and purposes specified were
concerned, his action was to be "independent of that of
other military authorities of the department," and in all
other cases "subordinate only to the Major-General
commanding." Many of Saxton's orders are signed
"Brigadier-General and Military Governor," but of