When I reached Petersburg I heard that the canal was frozen over between Richmond and New Canton. I therefore went from Petersburg to Farmville by rail, and thence horseback to New Canton, hiring a negro boy to bring the horses back. Near Buckingham Courthouse we had to ford Slate River. Some men were working in the low ground, and I asked them where to ford, as the river was much swollen. They pointed to a place above, and in my horse went; down the stream he swam, and I clinging to him. I got pretty wet, and as it was a very cold day I rode to the town for some stimulants. I got a small glass of whisky, for which I paid one dollar, and I said to the landlord: “It tastes like turpentine.” He said: “It is pine top.” They cut off the boughs of pine and put them into the whisky to color it and give it strength; hence the name “pine top.” I reached my destination without further mishap, and after a few days’ rest carried my piece of jeans to the tailor at Columbia, and soon I was the best-dressed soldier in Buckingham county. The night for the wedding soon drew near, and what a repast there was! There were on the table all shapes of cake—tea, pound, and sponge cake—but all made of the same ingredients, flour and sorghum. The coffee was made of parched rye mixed with parched sweet potato peelings and sweetened with sorghum. I do not believe that, in January, 1864, there were more than five bags of coffee in Virginia. Nearly all the saddles had been denuded of their skirts to make soles for shoes; and when leather gave out, the farmers blocked out of hickory or dogwood solid soles and heels. By taking sheepskin for uppers, it gave a solid hair shoe, comfortable to ride in but very hard on the feet and limbs in walking. The negro boy who made my fire woke me up by his tramping upstairs like a horse. Of course in riding horseback the wooden shoes were all right. I was struck with the absence of young men. They were all at the front with General Lee. The old men and women, the girls and boys, were at home, and the slaves watched over and guarded those girls as if they were their own children. I never heard of an improper act committed anywhere in old Virginia by any of the old-time slaves. All honor to these old trusted servants, many of whom sleep in the sacred dust of old Virginia! Another thing that impressed me was the devotion of the Southern women to the boys in the army. They would deny themselves any little delicacy they could get to send to the boys, and they would knit and knit, sew and sew from morning till night; and as scarce as was cotton goods in 1864. I have seen the women tear up their skirts and make them into bandages and send them to our wounded in hospitals in Richmond.