The reports of the Confederate Committees were made long before the blackest hours of the Confederacy—long before the “march to the sea.” There is far more behind; more than can ever be told. Far be it from any of us to indict a whole people, or condemn every Northern soldier. There were, indeed, shining instances of kindness and even gentleness. But the incongruous character of the elements of which the Northern army was composed must be taken into account. It was not, perhaps, reasonable to ex

“That night, when her voice rang out the stanzas, the refrain rolled forth from every throat present without pause or preparation, and the enthusiasm communicated itself with such effect to the crowd assembled beneath our open windows as to endanger seriously the liberties of the party. “A few weeks later it had become impossible to forward the supplies, of which we had still on hand several large trunksful. “My brother was about to leave for the army and I concluded to risk running the blockade

“My brother cut a pole, we raised the banner aloft, and, perched upon our trunks, jolted up and down hill to Stratford in the early dawn of that fair 4th of July, making the Virginia woods ring with ‘Maryland, my Maryland!’ “The story of our adventures soon reached home; the ‘aid and comfort’ given to the enemy were greatly magnified, and my family received notification from Washington that we should not be permitted to return. “We were living in Virginia in exile, when, soon after Manassas, Gen

“The night of our arrival we were serenaded by the band of the famous Washington Artillery of New Orleans and all the fine voices within reach. Capt. Sterrett expressed our thanks, and asked if there were any service we might render in return. ‘Let us hear a woman’s voice!’ was the cry which arose in response—and standing in a tent door, under cover of the darkness, my sister sang, ‘Maryland, my Maryland.’ “This was, I believe, the birth of the song in the army. The refrain was speedily caught u