April 11th, 1865.—McCook’s men got us after all. About twelve o’clock today they came in sight, a long line of blue. I don’t see how I could ever have thought the blue uniform was pretty, and yet, when we were at Fortress Monroe, and I was a small girl, I admired the officers so much, when they came to the Hygeia Hotel to dance. They look ugly enough today. Mother has never taken her treasures out of hiding and now she is feeling so safe about them, but I do not feel safe about myself or anything else.
April 11th, 1865.—At bed-time. Terrible as this is, I just had to laugh today, when Adeline walked up to six or seven Yankee officers, who were asking for the owner of the premises and said, “I’ll show you where de silver an’ de pictures an’ de likenesses uv ole Mistess an’ ole Marster is hid; me an’ Colonel Ashe is got ’em in uses house.”
A stern-faced officer answered her, “You surely do not know the war is over and we have our orders to protect personal rights wherever we go. I want to see the owner of this place now to buy feed for our horses.”
Adeline went away abashed and we have not seen her since though she is in the habit of coming to help Emeline with the dishes at night, while Aunt Morea is sick.
