110 Ten Years of my Life. 



occurred the next second ; but he was a brave and cool-headed 

 man ; instead of leaping off tRe locomotive and leaving me to 

 my fate, as many others would perhaps have done, he at once 

 backed to a safe distance. There was only one line of rails, 

 and General Judah, who ^yas on the locomotive meeting us, 

 was polite enough to return with us to Cleveland. I found 

 my sister better, but it was resolved that she should engage a 

 negro nurse, and that I should take her and the baby with me 

 to Dalton. 



I was extremely happy to have at last a baby, and it became 

 the centre around which everything turned — even my pet 

 Jimmy was neglected. Little Felix was a most beautiful child, 

 and the black nurse felt very proud, as black nurses of white 

 children always do. It was quite amusing to hear her breaking 

 out in ecstasies about her nursling, and preferring him much 

 to her own child, which she contemptuously called a black 

 brat. 



When I returned home I found that Felix had received 

 marching orders. His brigade had to advance to Atlanta, 

 whilst General Steedman went to Augusta. 



The country was in a fearful state. There was nothing to 

 be had, and it had been extremely difficult for me to procure 

 even the most necessary articles or household things in Dalton. 

 In Atlanta I knew it was still worse, and when we started on 

 July 7 for that city, I took with me everything collected with 

 so much trouble. 



Twelve miles before Atlanta our train ran off the track, and 

 it required much time and work to set things right. We ar- 

 rived at last at the city of Atlanta, or rather at a place where 

 it once had been. 



Before the war, Atlanta had been only an insignificant place, 

 not being older than about twenty years, but during this war 

 it had become of very great importance, not only on account 

 of the several railroad junctions there, but still more because 

 there had been established the most important mills, factories, 

 and Government stores, providing the Southern army with all 

 requirements. Sherman wanted to finish the war, and calcu- 

 lated that this might be done best by unstringing or cutting 

 the sinews of war. After having destroyed all the factories 

 along the Chattahooche river and its neighbourhood, he deci- 

 ded on taking Atlanta, which he therefore besieged. The 



