"Gentlemen," she said, "we have no corn or fodder, only what we buy and pay the money for. We did not raise any this year; our crop failing entirely. If we let you take what we have on hand we will have to pay out more money to replace it, and that would be rather hard, you know."
"O, yes, madam;" was the reply, "we know that; but you might as well let us have it as the Yankees. They will be along here to-morrow and take every thing from you they can find."
This was news to me—just what I wanted to learn.
"Are the Yankees that near?" asked the woman.
"Yes, madam; they are not more than two miles in the rear of our army now, and will be along here sure, to-morrow."
"Why, I thought they were away the other side of Columbia," responded the woman.
"O, no; they captured Columbia day before yesterday," said one of the party.
"Well, if that is the case," she answered, "you can take all the corn and fodder we have got. You will find it down at the barn."
Now the barn was almost behind me; and when the woman told them where the forage was they started instantly for it. Just on my right hand was a low shed, that had been built to shelter sweet potatoes, which had been buried under it; and the hills were covered with pine boughs, which made it very dark under the roof; and as it looked like a good hiding-place, I dodged down there, but fell headlong on an old sow with a litter of young pigs, and some half a dozen full-grown shoats. Here was a rather unpleasant situation! The hogs, alarmed and indignant at the unceremonious intrusion, made a great noise, of course; and, as they rushed out, they threw down a part of the shanty on my head.