sident Davis's house that
the end was so near.

I was anxious before my return to see something of the army that had so
long defended Richmond. So I only remained a few days at the capital,
after which I left it and its, alas! too confiding inhabitants, and made
my way as best I could to the headquarters of the commander-in-chief.
There I presented my letters of introduction to General Lee.

It would perhaps be impertinence on my part to attempt to eulogise the
character of this excellent man and good soldier, who, most thoroughly
believing in the justice of the Southern cause, had sacrificed
everything he possessed in its behalf, and had thrown all his energy and
talent into the scale in its favour. Many who knew him well have done
and will continue to do justice to his patriotism and self-denial. I had
a very long conversation with him, which I wish I could repeat without
being guilty of a breach of confidence, as evidence of the sensible
notions he had formed of the state of affairs in the South. He was the
only man I met during my travels who took a somewhat gloomy view of the
military prospects of the country--of which, as a soldier, there could
be no better judge.

After spending twenty-four hours in the camp, we went to the railway
station to see if we could get places for Wilmington. We found that the
line was in the hands of the Southerners, and that although the 'boys in
blue' had a vulgar habit of firing into the carriages as they passed,
the trains were running each night. But a train running and a
non-combatant passenger getting a place in a carriage were widely
different things, every available seat being taken up by sick and
wounded soldiers. I made a frantic effort to get into the train somehow,
and after a severe struggle succeeded in scrambling into a sort of
horse-box and sat me down on a long deal box, which seemed rather a
comfortable place to sleep on. It was pitch dark when I got into the
train, and we were obliged to keep in the dark until we had run the
gauntlet of the Northern pickets, who favoured us with a volley or two
at a long range from the hills overlooking the railway. When we were
clear of them I lighted a match, and to my horror found that I was
comfortably lounging on a coffin. I wished I had not thrown a light on
the subject, but by degrees, becoming accustomed I suppose to my
position, I sank into a comfortable sleep and was really quite sorry
when, on arriving at some station j