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was not allowed to reach its destination, although directed to the care of Lieut. General Scott. Among the pettier annoyances we underwent, the trouble we had about our washing may b« mentioned. At first, we were allowed to send our clothes over to Long Island, where they were well enough washed, but for some reason best known to himself, Lieutenant Wood interfered, and determined to have the washing done inside of the Fort, under his own supervision. It must have been a very fair speculation for him, for his charges were high, and the work was so carelessly performed, that he must have employed the fewest hands possible to do it. What he charged me by the piece, I cannot say, for he helped himself to his bill before he handed over my money to the officer who escorted us to Fort Warren. Probably it would not have been altogether safe to have demanded an account, for one of the Sergeants was put under arrest for complaining, as he stated to the prisoners, of Lieutenant Wood's prices for washing. On one occasion, Lieutenant Wood, in full view of the prisoners, kicked one of his boat's crew from the door of his own quarters, and continued the assault until the man had retreated almost the whole length of the balcony upon that side of the Fort. I mention this as an illustration of his mode of dealing with his subordinates. Of the propriety and manliness of such a proceeding, on the part of the Commanding Officer, others can judge for themselves.
Many of the prisoners had friends and acquaintances in New York, but most of these were either afraid, or did not care to show any kindness or attention to parties who were under the ban of a suspicious and tyrannical Government. Some few people in that city, had the courage and inclination to render us any service in their power, and prominent among these was Mr. Cranston, of the New York Hotel; but the number of those who thus acted was singularly small.
I cannot take leave of this portion of my narrative without recording the obligations under which the prisoners in Fort La Fayette must ever remain, to Mrs. Geo. S. Gelston and Mr. Francis Hopkins, who lived on Long Island just oppo-
