Soon  after  this,  in  the  early  spring  of  '62,  the  General  di-
rected us  to  have  a  large  number  of  flannel  powder  bags
made  up,  a  few  for  the  heavy  guns,  but  most  of  them  of  a
size  suited  to  our  field  pieces,  and  gave  such  additional
orders  as  satisfied  me  that  the  army  was  about  to  abandon  its
present  lines  and  take  position  somewhere  in  the  low  coun-
try near  Richmond.  The  young  ladies  of  Leesburg  had  of-
fered repeatedly  to  do  anything  they  could  for  us,  and  so
we  held,  for  several  successive  nights,  a  regular  sewing  bee
over  these  powder  bags,  which,  as  fast  as  made,  were  taken
up  to  Fort  Johnston  and  filled  in  the  magazine  there.  We
had  a  lively,  lovely  time,  making  the  bags,  but  I  felt  all  the
while  as  if  I  were  guilty  of  the  vilest  deception;  for  of
course  these  sweet  girls  were  led  to  believe  these  powder


72  FOUR   YEARS   UNDER   MARSE   ROBERT

bags  were  to  be  used  in  their  defense,  while  I  well  knew  we
would  abandon  them  to  their  fate  about  as  soon  as  the  bags
were  finished,  filled,  and  packed  for  transport.  At  last  the
time  for  our  departure  actually  came,  and  a  sad  leave-taking
it  was,  for  some  of  these  dear  people  had  treated  us  as  no
strangers  were  ever  treated  before;  and  besides,  we  all  felt
not  only  the  pain  of  parting  but  also  something  akin  to  the
disgrace  of  desertion.
