The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-08-21

Passing by our own beautiful Capital
Square, the tenderness welled up iron
my heart and well nigh overlowed in
tears as l thought how dear WAS that spot
to every Eirginian, our pride as well as
orr joy, how her young men and maid
shaded walks, their merry laughter ri.
which was wont to enliven the scene, o,
the old, old story seeming all the sweeter
as the gentle maiden listened to it min.
gled with the plash of the fountain in
the summer moonlight. Spring had
just spread her first fresh carpet Of green
over tho sward which we had deemed
almost too sacred to be pressed even by
the dainty foot of childhood; but now
with Indignation akin to disgust we be-
held there groups of negro soldiers, the
blackest, it appeared to me, / had ever
seen, looking all the blacker, l suppose
from contrast with their bright blue uni.
form. These were lolliug lazily on our
beautiful grass, many of them cooking
their dinners there, as we saw BY the iron
pot swinging from a tripod and the
smoke curling up through the tender
young leaves of the graceful elms, while
their mules were browsing near and
profaning the spot with their coarse
hoofs. But without trusting ourselves
for one word of comment, we silently
pressed on to the provost marshal's office
at the corner of Capitol and' Eleventh
streets.
AT THE FEDERAL HEADQUARTERS.
Here we found the portico and halls
densely crowded with soldiers hurrying
to and fro. and to our surprise and relief
many other ladies were there, but on tho
same errand as ourselves. Here. as
everywhere else, we were treated with
the utmost courtesy. Between two files
of soldiers with fixed hayonets to pre-.
serve order, we were politely conducted
by an officer to the official who wGs bust.
ly engaged in making out such papers as
We were in quest of. There We had to
await our turn, and meanwhile, turning
to an officer writing at table, asked Il
he would be kind enough to inform me
how long it would be before postal com.
munication with the North world be
open TO the public, as was very anxious
to communicate with friends there.
at will probably be four or five days,
but take your seat here, Miss" Offering
me chair, pen and paper, "and writo
your letter, and will not only sec that
it is sent Immediately, but you shall re-.
ceiye the reply promptly. Tell your
correspondent to direct to care OF Major
With sincere gratitude l accepted his
kind offer, and wrote my letter, which
remember was in these words:
Fannie is very ill, but we are NOR
comfortable than we could have expected
under the circumstances. Write imme.
diately, care of f."
Then handing the pen to my gallant
enemy ~ I asked him: "Will you be
kind enough to read that letter aud add
your address9" He took the letter, but
without reading it wrote his address and
sealed it. l have always been sorry that
in the excitement Of the moment, fail.
ed to take particular note of his namo,
and only y remember that it struck me 40
icing German; but should this by chance
ever meet his eye he will please hereby
accept my grateful acknowledgment Of
the courtesy and of the true gentlemanly
delicacy with which it was extended-au
acknowledgment not the less sincere that
1t has been eighteen years delayed il the
expression. But should my friend, Ma
Jor -, never see this, yet if it ever
happens to como under the notice of any
other Federal officer or soldier who did
one deed of kindness to any Virginia
woman in that her dark hour of need,
beg that be will accept my thanks in her
behalf. Here let me say, and be it ever
spoken to the honor Of the American
flag, that, 30 far as know, the triumphal
entry of the Federal army into Rich.
mond was not disgraced by one deed of
insult or oppression to any woman, or
indeed to any citizen. All their efforts
seem to have been directed toward con
ciliation. and to bringing order out of
chaos, affording protection to person and
property, and endeayoring to relieve, as
far as possible, the want and suffering
which they found here; and have never
heard an opinion contrary to this ex-
pressed by single person who remained
in the city after they came. -
But to return to the provost marshal's
office. In a short time our protection
paper was handed us, which forbid any
one entering the premises on pain Of
des,h;" saa cusho.:siHg :iie guard 70
shoot any person thus trespassing. Seiz.
ing the precious document we hastened
home, feeliLS muck relieved that we had
succeeded in "belling the cat," though
the sequel led us to think there had
really been no need for any such precau.
ton. n 'su..1
Immediately on the occupation of the
city rations were issued by the Federal
commander to such as needed them, and
few there were who did not. Most per.
SONS had invested all their available
means in Confederate bonds. My sister
and then had our little all lying in our
trunks in Confederate "promises to pay"
representing ostensibly. many thousands
Of dollars. but now worthless as 80 much
waste paper, and onr only available cash
q silver half dime, worn for many years
as memepto, which we now spent for
medicine. In this state of things it is
not surprising that even ladies reared in
ease and luxury now .crowieQ to the
ration Office to get their allotted portion
Of Goldfish, fat pork and yellow meal, for
this was all there was between them and
| starvation. The scene which the artist
Rogers has pernetuated in marble of
drawing rations" 10 no fancy sketch, for
l saw the counterpart Of 1t when, with
little Lettie to carry the basket, 1. made
my way through the hungry throng with
mingled feelings Of fgratitude and hunilia.
ton to receive our share. Though we
knew our army had been defeated and
was fetreatiDg we knew not whittier,
yet hope still flickered in our hearts, for
We thought possibly Gen. Lee might be
| able 10 make stand at some point
further South, and our Confederacy yet
take place among the nations OF the
earth. m..