November 25.
We have been evacuating the British with great zest to-day; good weather, clean streets, and many praises for the 22nd, Charley’s regiment, among other battalions–praises, that is, with the exception of some vile youths of the street, near Stuart’s, who shouted “hurrah for the never go ‘ways!” . . . We had a very interesting meeting of the Bible Society last night, second meeting of the army branch, many excellent speeches; Dr. Roswell Hitchcock, of course, who apropos of the slavery question, said, “Patience; we need not be hurrying matters–that cause, like the soul of old John Brown, is ‘marching on,’ and the chorus is ‘Glory, Hallelujah!’” The allusion was charged with electricity, and the audience responded appropriately. A gentleman, I forget his name, had been to visit the Hatteras rebel prisoners and described the scene; a sad, sorry six hundred as you could well find. He made them an address on repentance (of the gospel sort), and begged them to sing, to “start something”– “Pray, sing my brothers; it will do your hearts good.” So some one began “All hail the power of Jesus’ name.” Then followed “Jesus, lover of my soul,” and last “There is rest for the weary.” He said they sang well, and it was a strange and even touching sight. He said they were comfortably cared for, and he saw a lot of underclothes sent them in a wrapper marked, “from a father and mother whose son (a Union soldier) is in prison in Richmond.” . . .
How are you going to spend your Thanksgiving, and what are you going specially to give thanks for? The question will rather be what to leave out, than what to put in the action de grace. Did you read Governor Andrews’ proclamation? if you didn’t, do! It is like a blast out of one of the old trumpets that blew about the walls of the strong city till they tumbled down. Have you read the Confederate President’s message, in which he has contrived to out-Herod Herod? . . .
Tell the girls to get F. L. Olmsted’s “Cotton Kingdom” if they want anything to read. He labors a little with his conscientiously faithful statistics, but when he breaks into his story his style runs smooth and clear, and there are few prettier pieces of travel-telling than his ride through the pine forests with the filly “Jane,” for instance.