July 30.—Yesterday Miss E. and myself visited Rome, for the purpose of doing some shopping for the hospitals and ourselves.
I was very much pleased with the appearance of Rome. Like the renowned city, the name of which it bears, it is built on several hills. It has some very handsome buildings; the principal streets are broad and clean. It resembles ancient Rome in another respect, that of having had a conquering hero march into it in triumph; although not a Caesar in name, yet equal to any of them in bravery.
I am told that when Forrest entered Rome with his prisoners, he was met by the ladies and presented with a wreath of flowers, and the pathway of his gallant army was strewn with them. They were the heartfelt offerings of a truly grateful people to their deliverers for freeing them from the ruthless invader. The people at present are in daily expectation of another raid; and, as there are very few troops there to defend the place, they expect to be left to the mercy of the foe.
Many persons think that a military necessity may force General Bragg down here, and that Kingston will be his head-quarters. No movement astonishes me now, and, like a true soldier, I obey orders, and try to ask no questions.
There are many handsome store buildings, and they were pretty well supplied with goods, and cheaper than I have seen any place in the Confederacy. I bought a very pretty calico dress for three dollars per yard, and a pretty gray homespun for one dollar and seventy-five cents per yard.
I searched the whole place for a whitewash brush, but failed in getting one.
I have heard much of the kindness of the people here to strangers, and that the society is of the very best.
We took dinner, and were kindly entertained at the house of a very nice lady, a relative of Miss E. There we met an old lady who had been in the Quintard Hospital, in this place, and to judge from her conversation I should think that the ladies and surgeons did not get along very well together. From what I have experienced and seen, I expect there are faults on both sides.
There are a number of hospitals in Rome, which are being broken up. As they seem to be very fine ones, and it is a healthy locality, I am always suspicious of some new movement taking place in the army when I hear of such things.
Rome is in Floyd County, Georgia, at the confluence of the Etowah and Ostenaola rivers, which forms the Coosa River. Steamboats of moderate size navigate the Coosa River, and can ascend as far as this place. Thousands of bales of cotton are annually exported from this point.
