"THE WAILINGS AT FORT DELAWARE."

By B. H. HAYNIE, Surgeon 14th Tennessee Cavalry (Morgan's Division).

Oh! here we are confined at Fort Delaware,

With nothing to drink but a little lager beer,
Infested by vermin as much as we can bear;

Oh Jeff, can't you help us to get away from here?

CHORUS

And it's home, dearest home, the place I ought to be,
Home, sweet home, way down in Tennessee,

Where the ash and the oak and the bonny willow tree,
Are all growing green way down in Tennessee.

The Island itself will do well enough,
But the flat-footed Dutch are filthy and rough,
Oh! take us away from the vandal clan,
Down into Dixie among the gentlemen.

CHORUS-And its home, dearest home, etc.

Spoiled beef and bad soup is our daily fare,
And to complain is more than any dare;

They will buck us and gag us, and cast us in a cell,
There to bear the anguish and torments of hell.

CHORUS

The den for our eating is anything but clean,
And the filth upon the tables is plainly to be seen,

And the smell of putrefaction rises on the air,

"To fill out the bill" of our daily fare.

CHORUS

*The sick are well treated," as Southern surgeons say,
"And the losses by death are scarcely four per day;"

It's diarrhoea mixture for scurvey and small-pox,
And every other disease of Pandora's box!

CHORUS

Oh! look at the graveyard on the Jersey shore,

At the hundreds and the thousands who'll return no more; Oh! could they come back to testify

Against the lying devils, and live to see them die!

CHORUS

*"Our kindness to prisoners you can not deny,

For we have the proof at hand upon which you can rely;
It's no Dutch falsehood, nor a Yankee trick,

But from Southern surgeons who daily see the sick."

CHORUS

Our chaplain, whose heart was filled with heavenly joys,
Asked leave to pray and preach to Southern boys;
"Oh, no!" says the General, "you are not the man,
You are a Southern rebel, the vilest of your clan!"

CHORUS

Oh! speak out, young soldier, and let your country hear,
All about your treatment at Fort Delaware;

How they worked you in their wagons when weary and sad,
With only half rations, when plenty they had.

CHORUS

The barracks were crowded to an overflow,
Without a single comfort on the soldier to bestow;
Oh, there they stood shivering in hopeless despair,
With insufficient diet or clothing to wear!

CHORUS

The mother stood weeping in sorrows of woe,
Mingling her tears with the waters that flow;

Her son was expiring at Fort Delaware,

Which could have been avoided with prudence and care.

CHORUS

Oh! take off my fetters and let me go free,

To roam o'er the mountains of old Tennessee;
To bathe in her waters and breathe her balmy air,
And look upon her daughters so lovely and fair.

CHORUS

Then, cheer up, my brave boys, your country will be free,
Your battles will be fought by Generals Bragg and Lee;
And the Yankees will fly with trembling and fear,
And we'll return to our wives and sweethearts so dear.

CHORUS

And it's home, dearest home, the place where I ought to be,
Home, sweet home way down in Tennessee,

Where the ash and the oak, and the bonny willow tree,
Are all growing green way down in Tennessee.

The fifth and seventh verses are criticisms upon four Southern surgeons, who gave the Federal authorities a certificate that our prisoners were well treated, and our sick well cared for, and that the average loss by death was only four per day.

CHAPTER IX.

THOMIE'S SECOND HOME COMING.

He Leaves for "The Front"-His Christian Labors in CampHe Describes the Battle of New Hope Church-The Great Revival in Johnston's Army.

Early one morning in the February of the winter just referred to (that of 1864), as my sister lay awake, she heard some one step upon the portico and knock. As Toby opened the door, she heard him exclaim: "Why howd'y, Marse Thomie!" Her first thought was, "now he is back just in time to be in the battle!" for a resumption of hostilities was daily looked for near Dalton. We were all greatly surprised at Thomie's arrival on this side of the Mississippi, as only a few days before we had received a letter from him, written, it is true, so long as the November before, saying he had been assigned to duty out in Texas by General Henry McCulloch. But the consolidation of the regiments in Granbury's brigade having been broken up, he had been ordered back to join his old command. He had left Marshall, Texas, the 28th of January, having made the trip in one month, and having walked four hundred miles of the way. Under the circumstances, we were both glad and sorrowful at his return. After a stay of three days, he left us for "the front." In the early morning of February 29th, we went with him to the depot, the last time we four were ever together. Parting from him was a bitter trial to

our mother, who wept silently as we walked back to the desolate home, no longer gladdened by the sunny presence of the only son and brother. Perhaps nothing will give a more graphic impression of some phases of army life at this time, nor a clearer insight into our brother's character, than a few extracts from his letters written at this period to his sister Missouri, and preserved by her to this day:

"Dalton, Ga., March 15th, 1864.— * * * Our regiment takes its old organization as the 10th Texas, and Colonel Young has been dispatched to Texas to gather all the balance, under an order from the war department. We are now in Dalton doing provost duty (our regiment), which is a very unpleasant duty. It is my business to examine all papers whenever the cars arrive, and it is very disagreeable to have to arrest persons who haven't proper papers. The regulations about the town are very strict. No one under a brigadier-general can pass without approval papers. My guard arrested General Johnston himself, day before yesterday. Not knowing him they wouldn't take his word for it, but demanded his papers. The old General, very good-humoredly showed them some orders he had issued himself, and, being satisfied, they let him pass. He took it good-humoredly, while little colonels and majors become very indignant and wrathy under such circumstances. From which we learn, first, the want of good common sense, and, secondly, that a great man is an humble man, and does not look with contempt upon his inferiors in rank, whatsoever that rank may be.

"There is a very interesting meeting in progress here. I get to go every other night. I have seen several bap