_9th._--We all went, thinking to do the whole city in a day, but before
the time of our passes expired, we were glad to drag ourselves back to
the rest and quiet of D.H. During the day we called upon our friend
I.N. in the Patent Office. When he came to see us on the 7th, he stated
he had called upon the President that afternoon to request him to
release us and let us go home to our friends. The President promised to
consider it over-night. Accordingly yesterday morning, as I.N. told us,
he waited upon him again. He found there a woman in the greatest
distress. Her son, only a boy of fifteen years and four months, having
been enticed into the Army, had deserted and been sentenced to be shot
the next day. As the clerks were telling her, the President was in the
War Office and could not be seen, nor did they think he could attend to
her case that day. I.N. found her almost wild with grief. "Do not
despair, my good woman," said he, "I guess the President can be seen
after a bit." He soon presented her case to the President, who exclaimed
at once, "That must not be, I must look into that case, before they
shoot that boy"; and telegraphed at once to have the order suspended.

I.N. judged it was not a fit time to urge our case. We feel we can
afford to wait, that a life may be saved. But we long for release. We do
not feel easy to remain here.

_11th._--Today we attended meeting held in the house of a Friend, Asa
Arnold, living near here. There were but four persons beside ourselves.
E.W.H. and C.L.A. showed their copy of the charges about to have been
preferred against them in court-martial before they left their regiment,
to a lawyer who attended the meeting. He laughed at the Specification of
Mutiny, declaring such a charge could not have been lawfully sustained
against them.