“I suppose our campaign will open as soon as the roads are dried up.  The mud in Virginia is much more formidable than at the North, and presents an insuperable, perhaps I should say an unfathomable, obstacle to active operations.  I hope General Grant will succeed in taking Vicksburg.  The loss of that important stronghold would be a great blow to the rebels.

“You ask me, in your last letter, whether I see much of the contrabands.  I have talked with a considerable number.  One, a very intelligent fellow, had been very much trusted by his master, and had accompanied him to various parts of the South.  I asked him the question:  ’Is it true that there are a considerable number of slaves who would prefer to remain in their present condition to becoming free?’

" ‘Nebber see any such niggers, massa,’ he answered, shaking his head decisively.  ’We all want to be free.  My old massa treated me kindly, but I’d a left him any minute to be my own man.’

“I hope the time will soon come, when, from Canada to the Gulf, there will not be a single black who is not his own man.  We in the army are doing what we can, but we must be backed up by those who stay at home.  My own feeling is that slavery has received its death-blow.  It may continue to live for some years, but it has fallen from its pomp and pride of place.  It is tottering to its fall.  What shall be done with the negroes in the transition state will be a problem for statesmen to consider.  I don’t think we need fear the consequences of doing right, and on this subject there can be no doubt of what is right; The apparent insensibility and brutish ignorance which we find among some of the slaves will wear away under happier influences.

“There is a little fellow of perhaps a dozen years who comes into our camp and runs of errands and does little services for the men.  Yesterday morning he came to my tent, and with a grin, said to me, ‘De ol’ man died last night.’

" ‘What, your father?’ I inquired in surprise.

" ‘Yes, massa,’ with another grin:  ‘Goin’ to tote him off dis mornin’.’

“As he only lived a quarter of a mile off, I got permission to go over to the house, or cabin, where Scip’s father had lived.

“The outer door was open, and I entered without knocking.  A woman was bending over a washtub at the back part of the room.  I looked around me for the body, but could see no indication of anything having happened out of the ordinary course.

“I thought it possible that Scip had deceived me, and accordingly spoke to the woman, inquiring if she was Scip’s mother.

“She replied in the affirmative.

" ‘And where is his father?’ I next inquired.

" ‘Oh, he’s done dead,’ she said, continuing her washing.

" ‘When did he die?’

" ‘Las’ night, massa.’

" ‘And where is the body?’

" ‘Toted off, massa, very first t’ing dis mornin’.’