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of battle, and under a shower of shot and shell, I set out with my
family to seek a safe retreat at a distance from the then seat of
war. In Demopolis, Alabama, it was my good fortun to meet with
a most cordial welcome under the roof of a good friend and former
pupil from North Carolina, Mrs. Gains Whitfield. From her and
her equally kind husband my family recieved every attention that
a warm heart and a true hospitality knew how to bestow. May God's
blessing rest on that house, a house which has daily poured out its varied stored of plenty on the hungry and way-worn soldier, as
well as on the homeless refugee, ever since the war began.

Thursday, October 15th, I went to Jackson to gather togther
the remnant of my furniture saved from the rapacity of the enemy.

November 18th, passed up to Holly Springs. Five days were
spent in this Parish among the remnant of a lately prosperous peo-
ple. The footsteps of a barbarous foe might be traced in almost
every dwellling, as wellas in the resorts of business and in the
instituions of learning. Amidst these marks of a more than sav-
age warfare it was hardly to be expected that the most sacred
things or places would escape their violence. I was not, there-
fore, surprised to find that our place of worship had shared large-
ly in the general ruin. Although much had been done before my ar-
rival to cleanse it from the pollutions of the enemy and to place
it in a serviceable condition, it was still a place of small com-
fort to the little flock that clung to its Altar and hovered around
their faithful Pastor. On Sunday, 22d, I preached, confirmed
fourteen persons, and administered the Holy Communion.

From Holly Springs I passed over to La Grange, Tenn., to vis-
it a beloved sister; and I would here acknowledge the courtesy and
even the kindness of the Federal Commander in charge of that place.
Not only was free ingress and egress tendered to me, but permission
was granted to visit any of out Parishes within the bounds of his com-
mand.

I had made a conditional appointment to be at Early Grove on
the following Sunday, the 29th, but owing to the number and the
lawless charcter of the enemy's troops in that immediate neighbor-
hood, I relectantly yielded to the advice of friends and declined
to meet it.

Having been favored by the Commander of the enemy's forces
then in possession of Vicksburg with permission to visit any of
the Parishes within the Federal lines, I set out on Saturday the
6th of February (1864), to make my annual visitation of the counties
lying on the river. On reaching Meridian I learned that the ene-