War diary and letters of Stephen Minot Weld.

Saturday, November 16. — I have nothing to tell except an account of my expedition to Scull Creek. We started Tuesday, November 12, and came back Wednesday. We went on the steamer Parkersburg, to get corn from Seabrook’s plantation, and any other things which might fall in our way. We had 25 soldiers to help us. We found Seabrook’s plantation did not amount to much in its buildings. May the Lord preserve me from living in any such house! A miserable white-washed concern, set up on piles, which no white man would live in up North. Everything had been plundered by the negroes and soldiers, and not much remained but corn, which we set to work to get as fast as we could. I thought I would walk up to Pope’s plantation about three miles from here. This was the best house I saw, but everything was taken away, or smashed up. I took a piece of a clock as a memento, and went to the negro quarters, where a great many of them were living. I picked a bunch of castor-oil beans here, which I shall take home as a curiosity. I found some very good springs of water on this side of the island, which were quite agreeable to me as I had not had any good water for some days. I saw any number of palmetto trees, and did not think them a very handsome tree. They look like a cabbage stuck on a pole. We returned to the steamer Parkersburg and spent the night on board. The next day we went up Scull Creek in a row-boat to try and dig out a sloop which was on the beach. While we were endeavoring to get her out, a boat came from the Ottawa and took possession of her. I only hope they had a good time digging her out. In the afternoon we went over to Pinckney Island, where we found a bale of cotton which we appropriated and took on board the steamer. This was the first bale to reach New York. I also bought some peanuts of the negroes. I saw a great quantity of meadow larks on this island.