_July 17._ Do people look with any interest toward this Department,
either for military achievement or civil improvement? The former
require better men--generals--than we are blessed with; the latter may
come,--after the war.
Do people expect much of the negro of Port Royal? Let them expect. It
is amusing to hear M. W.[171] She understands all the peculiarities of
affairs down here with wonderful quickness and penetration; I have
learned to respect her judgment and opinion. To hear her rail at these
people, and slip out sly hints about the conduct of the "friends of
the freedman" is a treat.
Rose was sitting disconsolately on the wood-box the other evening; I
began chaffing her about her melancholy looks. She did not say much,
but presently she asked if I had heard from Miss Harriet again; I told
her no, and she heaved a big sigh, and asked when she would come
back. "Mass' Charlie, no one _know_ how I miss Miss Hayyut. If my own
_mudder_ go Nort', I no miss her mo'." I asked her if she missed Miss
Harriet more than I missed my "farmly," whom I hadn't seen for so many
months. She couldn't tell. "Ebry man hab e own feelin'."
_Aug. 17._ The unexpected opportunity to send off my letter was the
visit of one Lewis Keller, from the provost marshal's office at Hilton
Head; he came down to make inquiries concerning deserters, able-bodied
men, etc., etc. He also obtained a map of the island, with plantations
marked thereon. The provost marshal, I am sorry to say, is conceited,
opinionated, and wanting in common sense and discretion. He has ideas
which, if founded on anything, rest on reports only, and very vague
reports too. He thinks, or rather (as the notion, once in his head,
must stick there) he is certain, that there is communication between
the negroes who buy at our stores and the rebels; that there is a camp
of deserters (black and white) on Hunting Island, and that these
deserters are employed in carrying supplies to the main; that the
proximity of our stores to the rebel country is a dangerous state of
things, not only inciting the rebels to come over, but likely to
supply them with all they want if they do come. Also he thinks that
the negroes have no business to have guns. Also he does not see what
they can want with all the stuff sent on the _Kelley_. Now the
_Kelley_ arrived just before the regulations which allowed plantation
supplies to enter insurrectionary districts. The treasury agent at
once offered to permit the _Kelley's_ cargo to come on shore. The
provost marshal, who by this time appeared to be very willing to
"help us all he could," took the invoice to General Foster, and came
back with permission to land all of some things, one half the dry
goods, one third only of the grocery supplies, flour, bacon, etc. We
shall probably have to sell the rest at Hilton Head. Very provoking.
Some of the supplies were small enough as they were; what is left will
be about a mouthful apiece all around; _e. g._, one hundred and eighty
barrels of flour came; my share would be about thirty-five. I could
have sold twenty-five whole barrels, and peddled out the rest in six
weeks. My share of sixty barrels will be about twelve! The provost
marshal could not see what the people wanted of so much provision. Yet
he has at his office the census of all these plantations, besides a
written statement prepared by Mr. Soule of the amount bought at these
stores within the last six months and the lists of purchases over five
dollars at a time (we have to keep these lists, as one condition of
keeping store).
Besides restricting the quantity of goods, all the stores are to be
closed except those at R.'s and Folsom's. I may sell what I have on
hand, but not take in anything more. Ignorance, stupidity, and
conceit.