_March 11, 1862_.--The serpent has entered our Eden. The rancor and
excitement of New Orleans have invaded this place. If an incautious word
betrays any want of sympathy with popular plans, one is "traitorous,"
"ungrateful," "crazy." If one remains silent, and controlled, then one is
"phlegmatic," "cool-blooded," "unpatriotic." Cool-blooded! Heavens! if
they only knew. It is very painful to see lovable and intelligent women
rave till the blood mounts to face and brain. The immediate cause of this
access of war fever has been the battle of Pea Ridge. They scout the idea
that Price and Van Dorn have been completely worsted. Those who brought
the news were speedily told what they ought to say. "No, it is only a
serious check; they must have more men sent forward at once. This country
must do its duty." So the women say another company _must_ be raised.
We were guests at a dinner-party yesterday. Mrs. A. was very talkative.
"Now, ladies, you must all join in with a vim and help equip another
company."
"Mrs. L.," she said, turning to me, "are you not going to send your
husband? Now use a young bride's influence and persuade him; he would be
elected one of the officers." "Mrs. A.," I replied, longing to spring up
and throttle her, "the Bible says, 'When a man hath married a new wife, he
shall not go to war for one year, but remain at home and cheer up his
wife.'" ...
"Well, H.," I questioned, as we walked home after crossing the lake, "can
you stand the pressure, or shall you be forced into volunteering?"
"Indeed," he replied, "I will not be bullied into enlisting by women, or
by men. I will sooner take my chance of conscription and feel honest about
it. You know my attachments, my interests are here; these are my people.
I could never fight against them; but my judgment disapproves their
course, and the result will inevitably be against us."
This morning the only Irishman left in the village presented himself to H.
He has been our woodsawyer, gardener, and factotum, but having joined the
new company, his time recently has been taken up with drilling. H. and Mr.
R. feel that an extensive vegetable garden must be prepared while he is
here to assist or we shall be short of food, and they sent for him
yesterday.
"So, Mike, you are really going to be a soldier?"
"Yes, sor; but faith, Mr. L., I don't see the use of me going to shtop a
bullet when sure an' I'm willin' for it to go where it plazes."
_March 18, 1862._--There has been unusual gayety in this little village
the past few days. The ladies from the surrounding plantations went to
work to get up a festival to equip the new company. As Annie and myself
are both brides recently from the city, requisition was made upon us for
engravings, costumes, music, garlands, and so forth. Annie's heart was in
the work; not so with me. Nevertheless, my pretty things were captured,
and shone with just as good a grace last evening as if willingly lent. The
ball was a merry one. One of the songs sung was "Nellie Gray," in which
the most distressing feature of slavery is bewailed so pitifully. To sing
this at a festival for raising money to clothe soldiers fighting to
perpetuate that very thing was strange.
_March 20, 1862._--A man professing to act by General Hindman's orders is
going through the country impressing horses and mules. The overseer of a
certain estate came to inquire of H. if he had not a legal right to
protect the property from seizure. Mr. L. said yes, unless the agent could
show some better credentials than his bare word. This answer soon spread
about, and the overseer returned to report that it excited great
indignation, especially among the company of new volunteers. H. was
pronounced a traitor, and they declared that no one so untrue to the
Confederacy should live there. When H. related the circumstance at dinner,
his partner, Mr. R., became very angry, being ignorant of H.'s real
opinions. He jumped up in a rage and marched away to the village
thoroughfare. There he met a batch of the volunteers, and said, "We know
what you have said of us, and I have come to tell you that you are liars,
and you know where to find us."
Of course I expected a difficulty; but the evening passed, and we retired
undisturbed. Not long afterward a series of indescribable sounds broke the
stillness of the night, and the tramp of feet was heard outside the house.
Mr. R. called out, "It's a serenade, H. Get up and bring out all the wine
you have." Annie and I peeped through the parlor window, and lo! it was
the company of volunteers and a diabolical band composed of bones and
broken-winded brass instruments. They piped and clattered and whined for
some time, and then swarmed in, while we ladies retreated and listened to
the clink of glasses.
_March 22, 1862_.--H., Mr. R., and Mike have been very busy the last few
days getting the acre of kitchen-garden plowed and planted. The stay-law
has stopped all legal business, and they have welcomed this work. But
to-day a thunderbolt fell in our household. Mr. R. came in and announced
that he has agreed to join the company of volunteers. Annie's Confederate
principles would not permit her to make much resistance, and she has been
sewing and mending as fast as possible to get his clothes ready, stopping
now and then to wipe her eyes. Poor Annie! She and Max have been married
only a few months longer than we have; but a noble sense of duty animates
and sustains her.