“'Look out for a great battle soon, and with it you will hear of the fall of Richmond.'
“I thanked him for his confidence in me and left. On arriving at home I found all well and very anxious to see me, as this had been my first absence since the death of my wife and Peter. Henry had seen the notice of Alston's arrest, and when I described him he said he was the right man. I wrote to the President what Henry said, and Alston remained in prison.
“In a short time I heard from Gen. Anderson. He was willing to go East. I telegraphed Gen. Silent and he ordered him to report at once. He came by home on his way and remained over several days. Lieut. Whitcomb was with him. While there I related all that had taken place. He thought Henry should return at once to Canada, leaving Seraine with us. He said it would be dangerous since Alston's arrest to risk writing, so Henry would have to come to my house with any information that he might have. Henry left at once and the General the next day.
“We were alone again. The women and children were weeping over the departure of Henry and the General. Aunt Martha came in and said:
“'Bress de good Laud, chil'n, what is you cryin' 'bout. De Gen! all right; dars no danger 'bout him; he am safe. De Laud protect him. He dun sabe him all dis time for good. Don't you see de Sesh git whip whareber he goes? Dey all done killed down whar he bin, and now dey jest' take him ober by whar Marsa Linkum am, and de Sesh all git smash up ober dar de same way as what dey is down whar he bin afore.'
“Old Ham chimed in: 'Yas, Marfa, dat am de fac\ You see, when I goes wid Marsa Gen'l, he gets shotted nearly ebery time. I not understand dis, but he not git any time hurt when I's away. How is dat, Marfa? Guess it best for me not be wid him. I tell you I guess I see it all now; de Laud want me to stay here wid dese womens and dese chil'ns, and Marsa Gen'l he not t'ink ob dat, so de Laud jes' let him git hurted, so he hab to come and stay wid de folks and hab me heah? Is dat it, Marfa?'
“'Yes, dat am de case; and I 'spec you is glad, kase you is a powerful coward, Ham; you knows you is.'
“'Marfa, you neber see me fightin' dem Sesh. Else you not say dem hard words 'bout Ham. No, indeed, you not know 'bout me.'
“'I 'specs dat's so, Ham. How many of de Sesh does you 'specs you is killed?'
“'Don' know, don' know. I neber counted em; war too busy, Marfa.'