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         17.
our return heard again the same tale, that
our little army had been driven back, and were
retreating in confusion, but we had had so much
experience of the falsehood and fabrications of the
Yankees, that we doubt everything they say.
Monday March 24th. - Oh. this day of horror. We were
roused this morning by Mrs Barton rushing into our
room in a frantic state, telling us to wake up and
nerve ourselves to hear the worst, that Jackson had
been defeated and driven back with fearful loss,
that the town was filled with wounded and
dying, the jail and churches with prisoners, and
that she was just sending out for Tom Marshall's
dead body. We were so stunned at first that
we could not remember how excitable Mrs Barton
is, and how apt to believe the worst. We dressed
as rapidly as possible and went down the street to
try to find what was the real truth. The streets were
thronged with men and women on the same errand
as ourselves.. Everyone was denied admission to the
prisoners, and we could hear nothing of Bob or our
friends. We were told that the prisoners were suffering
for food. and hurried home to prepare it. Before
we reached here we met some one who told us that
Bob and Ronnie Barton, and Willis Barton and Robert Bell
were among the prisoners. It seems strange