July 5th [1863]

Yankees & Confederates
fill the streets, but
seem to understand the
necessity for it and do
not molest one another.

Many of the negroes
have left their homes,
and the enemy sends
round a guard through
the streets to apprehend
those unwilling to go
with them -- these they
put in corrals & camps
and it seems to be
their intention to make
soldiers of them. All
our servants have left
save one, and we are
sloshing along as best
we may under the cir-
cumstances -- service in
the steamboats seems to
attract some of them &
two from us have I think
gone aboard a transport--

Few of us of the garrison
who wouldn't prefer to
have taken the chances
of cutting out & lose two
thirds of our forces rather
than to have suffered
the humility and indig-
nity we are now subject
to, a the hands of these
miserable miscreants,
whose pleasure we must
await as to our leaving
their despised & detested
presence. They are stealing
everything they can lay
their hands on -- will take
your horse from under you
if you permit it, and
from your stable or your
yard if you haven't a
watch over him; and yet
there's no redress for us -
fair promises of preventing
recurrences of insults &
thefts; and that our ser-
vants be allowed to go
with us if they desire -- &
yet nothing done toward
the former, and less than
nothing in compliance
with the latter; for our
boys are forcibly taken
in the streets against their
will and marched off --
Two of our servants at
the other house taken in
this way sent word to
their masters "For God's
sake to come and get
them out" -- This
is the freedom the abo-
litionist gives the negro--