the steamer, I referred to the old woman I had seen, when one of the
men turned to his comrade and said, "That's the same strange-appearing
old woman we brought over," and he repeated the same story she related
to me. Said one, "Such people ought to be made to bite the dust. Her
master took the oath of allegiance to save his property; but he has no
more principle than a hyena to turn out such an old white-headed woman
as that to die like a brute."

Such are some of the incidents that gradually changed the politics of
the army. They made our Butlers and Hunters by scores. They saw that
man's inhumanity to man was the outgrowth of slavery. They clearly
perceived that the iron rod of oppression must be broken, or the
unholy rebellion would succeed.

At four P. M. I embarked for another field. On board the steamer were
a number of officers and soldiers, and three women who were ex-slave
owners. They had quietly listened to the conversation of the officers
on establishing schools among the freed men, and taking them into the
army as soldiers. I, too, had been a silent listener. After the
officers had left the cabin, one of the women drew her chair near me,
and in a subdued tone said:

"Do you believe it is right to set up schools among niggers?"

"Certainly I do," was my reply, "as they have as good a right to
become intelligent as any other class of people."

"Do you think that it is right to make soldiers out of niggers?"

"Certainly, if it is right for any class of people."