Last night there was a crowd of men to see us and they were
so markedly critical. I made a futile effort to record their sayings, but sleep
and heat overcame me. To-day I can not remember a word. One of Mr. Mason's
stories relates to our sources of trustworthy information. A man of very
respectable appearance standing on the platform at the depot, announced, “I am
just from the seat of war.” Out came pencil and paper from the newspaper men on
the qui vive. “Is
Fairfax Court House burned?” they asked. “Yes, burned yesterday.” “But I am
just from there,” said another; “left it standing there all right an hour or so
ago.” “Oh! But I must do them justice to say they burned only the tavern, for
they did not want to tear up and burn anything else after the railroad.” “There
is no railroad at Fairfax Court House,” objected the man just from Fairfax. “Oh!
Indeed!” said the seat-of-war man, “I did not know that; is that so?” And
he coolly seated himself and began talking of something else.
Our people are lashing themselves into a fury against the
prisoners. Only the mob in any country would do that. But I am told to be
quiet. Decency and propriety will not be forgotten, and the prisoners will be
treated as prisoners of war ought to be in a civilized country.
SOURCE: Mary Boykin Chesnut, Edited by Isabella D. Martin
and Myrta Lockett Avary, A Diary From Dixie, p. 104-5
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