The drink we mixed in two horse buckets cleaned up for the occasion; a dozen or so of claret, a couple of bottles of brandy, and half a dozen of soda water, the whole cooled with two or three lumps of ice (of which article, as if in mockery, the Southerners had heaps).  All these good things were duly appreciated, not only by our new friends, who for months past had tasted nothing but coarse rye-bread and pork washed down with water, but also by well-shaken travellers like ourselves.  Lying on the grass in that lovely spot, it seemed as if the war and all its horrors were for the moment forgotten.  There were several Englishmen among the officers composing the staff, who had (they said) come out here to see active service, which they unquestionably had found to their hearts’ content.  They seemed the sort of men who would do credit to their country.  I often wonder what has become of them; in one of them I was particularly interested.  He said his name was Cavendish, but it may have been a nom de guerre.

While we were in the camp a picket came in, whose officer reported having had a skirmish with the enemy, in which the Northerners had been whipped.  The way the cavalry outposts engaged with each other was curious enough.  The ground they met on did not admit of cavalry charges being made, as thick underwood covered the country for miles round.  So, when they were inclined for a brush, they dismounted, tied their horses to trees, and skirmished in very open lines, every man picking out his special enemy.  When they had had enough of it, they picked up their killed and wounded, and, mounting their horses, rode away.

After passing four or five hours with our cavalry friends we bade them good-bye, and started (still accompanied by our valuable companion, the young general) on our way to the headquarters of the army, where we were to pass the night.  It was well for us that we travelled in such good company, for having to pass all along the outskirts of the Southern army, we were constantly stopped and interrogated by patrols and pickets.  Besides which we were sometimes disagreeably near to the outposts of the ‘boys in blue,’ as Grant’s men were called.  Having arrived very late in the evening at our destination, we bivouacked under the trees close to the headquarters of the general commanding, who was away at the front, and not expected back till the next evening.  The rattle of musketry and the boom of heavy guns all through the night reminded us of our vicinity to the theatre of war, and somewhat disturbed our rest.  But if we were a little nervous, we took care not to show it.  In the morning we started in our waggons, and, after travelling a few miles across the country, came to the railway that connected the camp with Richmond.  A train shortly afterwards picked us up and landed us at the capital of Virginia, where we took up our quarters at a comfortable-looking hotel.  There was more to drink and eat here than at Charleston, consequently people had cheerful countenances.  Liquor was, however, dear, brandy being sold at twenty-five shillings per bottle, it having to be run through the blockade.  Here we found that the people had that wonderful blind confidence in the Southern cause which had mainly supported them through all difficulties.