en characterized by nothing but what should excite revenge, and
move to action, every man possessing a true Southern spirit. Our aged
citizens, who have banded together for mutual protection, have been
treated as bushwackers--have been driven from their homes, and their
property confiscated. Our hounds, always true to the interests of the
South, have been shot down by the road-side for no other reason than
that they were used in tracking escaped prisoners--'

"Interrupting me here, the lady remarked, much to my surprise, that she
could not see that the Yankees were much worse than the Confederates,
after all. She added: "'When the Yankee army passed through this State,
they took from the rich the supplies necessary for their sustenance; and
when our cavalry followed they took nearly all that was left, seeming to
care but little for our wants, and often depriving defenceless women
and children of their last morsel of bread.'

"'I regret, madam, that the conduct of our troops has been such as to
give you reason for complaint.'

"'I, too, regret that our men have not proved themselves worthy of a
cause which they appear so willing to defend.'

"'Remember,' I continued, 'that our commissary department has been
completely wrecked, and that we are entirely dependent upon the people
for the subsistence of a large army.'

"By the sad expression of her countenance, which accompanied and
followed this remark, I saw clearly that she felt we had reached a
crisis in the war, when Providence was turning the tables, and she
accordingly interrogated:

"'And what do you think of present prospects?'

"I quickly responded, 'Our future looks dark--our cause appears almost
hopeless, but the sacrifices of our gallant dead remain unavenged.
Therefore, we must fight while there is a man left, and die in the last
ditch.'

"'If there be no longer any hope of success, sir, I should say that it
would be better to lay down our arms at once, and go back under the old
flag.'

"'Madam, we must fight, we _must fight_!'

"'But it is wickedness and worse than madness to continue this awful
massacre of human beings, without some prospect of ultimate success.'

"'Very true; but we have lost all in this struggle, and must sell our
lives as dearly as possible.'

"By this time the good lady seemed to have waxed enthusiastic, and
warm as the fire over which the servant was preparing my supper, and she
answered:

"'My husband is a captain in th