^alt instead of Money. 85 



near our camp in order to sell their chickens or butter. S ilm 

 dined with his officers, and if some fish, bird, or fresh butcher's 

 meat had been procured, it was reserved for our dinner. 



It was a fortunate circumstance that we had plenty of salt, 

 for we could procure as much as we liked above our allowance 

 from the commissariat at Bridgeport for about two cents a 

 pound, and that salt was the article most desired by the rebels 

 around, for they required it very much for their pork, especi- 

 ally^ in warm weather. Before our arrival salt had been sold 

 at one dollar a pound. The news that we had a surplus of 

 this precious article spread, and very soon we saw many rebel 

 women arrive who were eager to exchange their produce for 

 salt. Though they charged exorbitant prices we did not mind 

 it raucli, as we could charge for our salt more than what we 

 paid for it, and still they found it extremely cheap. 



These poor rebel families came frequently from a distance of 

 ten or twenty miles in search of salt. They were generally on 

 horseback, riding miserable animals, as all good horses had 

 been taken for the army. These poor peopPe looked very un- 

 happy, and though we knew well enough that their feelings 

 towards iis were far from being friendly, we could not help 

 pitying them : they were pale and thin, and covered only with 

 rags. Even women who were still well-oft" and ladies, appeared 

 in the most wonderful costumes, for the supplies of goods from 

 the Northern manufactories had not arrived since 'the com- 

 mencement of the war. Those looked best who wore homespun 

 clothes. One could not see anything more melancholy than 

 such a Southern family in our camp. They felt humiliated that 

 necessity compelled them to apply to us, and we never heard 

 one laugh, nor even saw them smile. They all behaved, how- 

 ever, with a certain dignity which did not fail to produce a 

 favourable effect on our soldiers, who generally treated them 

 with kindness. 



Not far froiji our camp a man, of the name of Hill, had a 

 good farm, but as Mrs. Hill had made herself suspicious by 

 saving her brother from the rebel recruiting officer, their house 

 had been destroyed, and the whole family, consisting of six or 

 eight persons, lived in a one-roomed, most miserable log-house, 

 which scarcely afforded any protection agamst the inclemency 

 of the weather. They had, however, succeeded in preserving 

 a few horses and cows, and Mrs. Hill, a rather pretty and 



