, making thirty-six in all.

When it arrived in Goldsboro it was fat, ragged and saucy, having
wanted for nothing but shoes. To get refitted, cleaned up and rested,
were treats after the first order of things.

Before closing this chapter we will give an incident of the mode in
which foraging was carried on during these great raids.

On every day's march, a detail was made from each company in our
division to go in advance of the main column and forage for it. These
men might be seen stringing out of camps long before the column was set
in motion, and were, of course, the first to visit the plantations. The
first things they would make a rush for, were the mules and horses, in
order to carry a load away with them. Then, going to the houses, they
would secure what provisions they wanted, and loading them into a cart,
would set a negro to work hitching up a horse or mule to it, then
putting him on the load to drive, leave a soldier with him to see
things well done. After this was done, some few of them would go back
to the houses and rummage them from bottom to top, ransacking every
nook and corner for all kinds of precious things. Trunks, boxes, beds
and such, never escaped notice, their contents being thrown out on the
floor and scattered to the four winds.

The same was the case with the fine libraries: books that were not
wanted, were sent whirling on the floor. It was a caution to see them
go in, paying no respect for anybody or anything. Beautiful damsels and
affectionate dames stood around with eyes suffused with tears, pleading
in vain. Negro houses met the same fate, for they too were turned
topsy-turvy from one room to another. There was always some mean enough
to do it, in the hope to find a fortune, and often his hopes were
fulfilled, as the whites sometimes hid their money with the negroes, in
the belief it would not be disturbed. Out of one fine dwelling, on the
Broad river, a soldier took eighteen thousand dollars in gold, and
thinking that was all, set it on fire. After it had burned down and the
fire died away, other curious soldiers took long poles and raking among
the embers brought to light a large bucket of molten silver.

Though nearly every house on the line of march was rummaged for gold
and silver, it was done by a few unprincipled men, who must needs
accompany an army under all circumstances, ready for any dirty work to
which their evil propensities may lead them.

After these foragers had