March 17.
We are fairly at
work at our legitimate business. The John Adams brought down, last evening,
thirty contrabands, ten horses, and quantities of corn, hogs, cotton etc. Today
the Burnside is off on a similar errand. Meanwhile our boys have had a smart
skirmish about a mile and a half out and burned several houses occupied by the
rebel advance pickets. As we are not here to act aggressively against Camp
Finnegan, but simply to hold this town for headquarters, while making such
advances from other points on the river as may seem best, it seems as if the
enemy must have reached the conclusion, ere this, that we have means of
defence. It is a mystery that they do not contrive some way to burn us out.
Women and children are permitted to go and come without hindrance and they
could do us the greatest damage by going back to their friends by the light of
the town. I trust they will not think of it.
SOURCE: Proceedings
of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Volume 43, October, 1909—June,
1910: February 1910. p. 376
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