It was after this date that Grant, on reflection, turned around and informed the President that the paroles he gave at Appomattox should not be broken; that he would defend them. All honor to him for this! And greater honor to Gen. Ord, who pledged his life for the honor of the Southern men who were paroled!
The first matter to claim consideration was money. I had in gold a five-dollar piece and in Confederate notes a few thousand dollars. The purchasing power of the latter may be ascertained from a bill made by Miss Abercrombie, now my wife, of which the following is a true copy:
Miss Abercrombie,
To Goodrich & Co.
| September 23. | ½ yd. Crape | $ 20 00 |
| October 7. | 1 Hoop Skirt | 100 00 |
| October 7. | 14 yds. French Merino (Blk.) @ $87.50 | 1,225 00 |
| October 7. | 14 yds. Blk. Rep @ $25 | 350 00 |
| October 14. | 20 Blk. Calico @ $10 | 200 00 |
| 1 Blk. Crape | 40 00 | |
| Total | $1,935 00 | |
| Columbus, Ga., October 14, 1864. | ||
As I had no means to purchase tickets over the railroads, I applied to the Quartermaster, U. S. A., for transportation for myself, two servants, and two horses, which was furnished me. It was sometime in May that we started for home via Montgomery, Mobile, and New Orleans. As I had to call at the headquarters of the commanders in these cities for passes and permits, I will here remark in regard to my reception by these my late enemies: Gen. A. J. Smith was crabbed and petulant when I showed him the order for transportation for the negroes. Gen. Sturgis was kind and did all that was desirable for our comfort. In New Orleans Gen. Canby was very polite to us, as he was to every one. He sent me up the Mississippi river on a chartered steamer. The trip up the river was pleasant. There were only two other passengers—Father Livingston, a priest, and a sick boy. Livingston—may God bless him!—had but one change of linen, and he gave that to the sick boy, who was a stranger to him, and nursed the lad attentively.
I was forcibly struck with the amount of the most costly second-hand furniture sent by express to small towns in Illinois and Ohio, put up in oat sacks.[44] But furniture in New Orleans, you know, like "Butler's" spoons, belonged to the victors. The captain of the steamer put me on shore at Argyle Landing, near my home. I mounted my horse, and the first man I saw was "Tom Shelby" sitting on the fence looking at some negro men plowing a large field of corn. He hailed me, but I paid no attention to him. He was a "rampant" war man before the war began, but he stayed at home. Indeed, every one of my immediate neighbors—ten in number—were not in the army; and all, except one, able-bodied men and younger than I was. The Scott boys and Calhoun Hale and his brother were good and faithful soldiers, living outside the belt around me.
When I dismounted at my door, God only knows my agony of heart. None to welcome me, none to greet me!
"Desolate the hearth,
And wild weeds gathering on the wall."