Trying to brave it out. They have plenty, yet let our men
freeze and starve in their prisons. Would you be willing to be as wicked as
they are? A thousand times, no! But we must feed our army first — if we can do
so much as that. Our captives need not starve if Lincoln would consent to
exchange prisoners; but men are nothing to the United States — things to throw
away. If they send our men back they strengthen our army, and so again their
policy is to keep everybody and everything here in order to help starve us out.
That, too, is what Sherman 's destruction means — to starve us out.
Young Brevard asked me to play accompaniments for him. The
guitar is my instrument, or was; so I sang and played, to my own great delight.
It was a distraction. Then I made egg-nog for the soldier boys below and came
home. Have spent a very pleasant evening. Begone, dull care; you and I never
agree.
Ellen and I are shut up here. It is rain, rain, everlasting
rain. As our money is worthless, are we not to starve? Heavens! how grateful I
was to-day when Mrs. McLean sent me a piece of chicken. I think the emptiness
of my larder has leaked out. To-day Mrs. Munroe sent me hot cakes and eggs for
my breakfast.
SOURCES: Mary Boykin Chesnut, Edited by Isabella D. Martin
and Myrta Lockett Avary, A Diary From Dixie, p. 357
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