Said the captain, "You won't allow such things as these to break your
heart, after being in the army a little while and seeing our soldiers
buried in a ditch, with no other coffin or winding sheet than the
soldier's dress. For the time being we bury hundreds just in that way;
and when from five to fifteen die in one day, as sometimes is the case
in these large camps, we can not make coffins for them, but we roll
them up in whatever they have. If we can get a piece of board to lay
them on when we put them in their graves we do well." "But here you
have lumber and plenty of carpenters, and you can have a plain coffin
for the dead, and I do hope one will be made for this child. As I told
the mother I would see that a coffin was made for her child and have
it buried this afternoon, I will do it." He called the sergeant and
gave the order for a carpenter among the soldiers to make it, and I
saw the pine board coffin go to the burying ground with the child just
before sunset.

Colonel Thomas and the captain doubted whether I could secure
transportation from General Taliaferro, who was in charge of that
post. They said he was a cross old bachelor, and had said he would not
give another woman transportation to go into the army. "But," said
Colonel Thomas to the captain, "she will be more likely to succeed if
she goes herself without any word from us."

On the following day my car-load of supplies arrived, and I began to
regret that I had not waited a day or two longer at home for the one
hundred dollars that could have been placed in my hands, so that I
could use it in an emergency if I should be refused transportation.
With some misgivings I entered the general's office and requested an
interview. I introduced myself by handing him my papers, which he
looked over, and pleasantly asked what I wished.