We called first at Mrs. Carmichael's, and got two boys, aged, respectively, fifteen and seventeen. Mrs. Carmichael begged, and, finally, wept quite bitterly at the prospect of losing her boys--said those were all she had left--(she had sent the others South). She plead with us not to take "them boys"--said "they wern't no account--couldn't do nothing nohow." But the _mother_ of these boys told our men a different story, and begged us to take the boys, "For," said she, "dey does all de plantin' corn and tendin' in de feel. Dey's my chill'n, and if I never sees 'em agin, I want de satisfaction of knowin' _dey is free_!" Mrs. Carmichael's supplications for the negroes not to be taken from her were quite pitiful. She said they had been _allers_ raised _jest_ like as they were her own flesh and blood, and she just _keered_ for 'em the same. But, as Mrs. Carmichael had two sons in the rebel army, the boys were taken. Upon the first order to come with us they seemed delighted, which caused the mistress to become very wrathy. I told the boys to go to their cabin and get their blankets, as they would need them. Judge my surprise when this _kind-hearted_ woman, who had just informed me that she had "allers treated them boys as if they were her own flesh and blood"--this woman seized the blankets from the half-naked boys, and fairly shrieked at them: "You nasty, dirty little nigger thieves! if them Yankees want to steal you, let 'em find you in blankets; _I'm not a-going to do it!_" I merely inquired if that was the way in which she treated _her other children_--those in the REBEL _army_? From thence we went to Mrs. Kidd's, who had a husband and two sons in the rebel service. On our approach she endeavored to secrete some of the blacks, _but they_ wouldn't "_stay hid_." The cause of the visit was explained. The rebels had been driving most of the likely negroes South. They were using them against the Government; and it was thought, by some, that they might as well work for as _against_ the UNION. They were raising their crops, running their mills, manufacturing their army-wagons, etc., besides supporting the families of the rebels, thus placing every able-bodied white man of the South in the hands of the government. The Federal service needed teamsters and hospital nurses and cooks. Mrs. Kidd seemed quite a reasonable woman--said she thought she understood the policy of the North, and that the South knew that _slavery_ was their strength. I made the remark, that, probably, if her husband knew she would be left without help, perhaps he would be induced to return and respect the old flag that had at all times, while he was loyal to it, defended him. This little speech on my part elicited a rejoinder from a young miss, a daughter of Mrs. Kidd, sixteen or seventeen years of age, who flirted around, and with a nose that reached the altitude of at least "eighty-seven" degrees, exclaimed--