" All able-bodied men had long ago
gone to the front. The "home-guard," who were doing their best to keep
watch and ward over helpless women and children, were only boys, full
of ardor and courage, but too young to join the army, or men who from
age or disability were also ineligible. These knew every inch of
ground, every hiding-place for many miles. At every plantation they
were expected and welcome, whenever they could find an opportunity to
dash in, dismount, report the state of matters outside, and hastily
swallow the "snack" always kept ready and set before them without loss
of time, quite as a matter of course.
The news brought by these scouts, far from quieting apprehension,
tended to increase and deepen it. The old man who, time out of mind,
had managed the little ferry fifteen miles away, had been shot for
refusing to ferry over some Federal soldiers. The bright light so
anxiously watched one dark night proved to have been a fire, which had
consumed the dwelling, gin-house, stables, etc., of a widowed cousin.
Her cows had been slaughtered, her horses stolen, her garden and
"truck-patch" ploughed all over in the search for hidden silver.
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