ST. STEPHEN'S PARISH. 



73 



find their way into the pages of history. No pen 

 can adequately describe the anguish of mind con- 

 stantly endured for the fate of husbands and sons, 

 exposed not merely to the dangers of the tented 

 field, but to all the horrors of a civil war, in which 

 life was every moment in peril from every quarter. 

 It would be an endless tale to recount the instances 

 of barbarous rudeness which they experienced from 

 a remorseless and an exasperated soldiery, whose 

 discipline was purposely relaxed by the stern policy 

 of our unrelenting foe. No one can adequately 

 portray those heartrending troubles which afflicted 

 the lonely and isolated mothers with their tender 

 offspring to support, not secure that even the meal 

 in actual preparation would appease their craving 

 appetites, for even this was often the prey of the 

 robber soldier. Even the aid of servants was un- 

 certain ; for no one could foresee the moment when 

 it would be necessary to conceal them from his 

 avaricious grasp. All these trials were endured 

 with fortitude which none but women can exhibit. 

 Often in childhood have I hung upon a mother's 

 lap and listened with astonished wonder to the 

 recital of tales of misery like these. Information 

 from the camp was seldom received, and was always 

 uncertain. The ladies adopted a system of tele- 

 graphing, by which it was extended as soon as it 

 reached one of them. Flags were raised upon a 

 pole, which by their shape and color indicated the 



