March 19.
The provost marshal
and major have been very busy today, escorting the rebel women and children to
their friends. Major Strong told me that while the teams were unloading, the
marshal sat on his pony whistling the John Brown hymn. As James was not
permitted to talk, I suppose he had to whistle in self defense. I very much
wanted to go, but could not get permission. I suppose the Colonel is afraid I
shall, sometime, go over to the rebels. About one hundred and fifty have gone
out today, leaving about two hundred here. The Colonel is under no obligation
to force civilians out of town without positive notification from the enemy
that he intends to attack.
SOURCE: Proceedings
of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Volume 43, October, 1909—June,
1910: February 1910. p. 377
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