Excerpt from by Douglas
French Forrest, CSN, Assistant Paymaster, C.S.S. Rappahannock Edited by
William N. Still, Jr., Virginia State Library, 1979.
page 292-294: repaired with my funds & papers to
Captn. B's office.... Finding that the Captain was engrossingly occupied with
affairs that grew out of the approaching departure of Commodore Barron, I sat
down and tranquilly awaited the return of his clerk, Mr. Robertson. Two hours
were spent en attendant, and when he came in, he was besieged by wives and
sweethearts of our tars with their allotment tickets, letters of the Captain
were to be copied &c. About three o'clock, when I ventured to suggest to the
Captain that it was very important to me that I should have my vouchers checked
off in order that he might become the custodian of them and receipt in due form
to me, he informed me that, inasmuch as Dick Taylor was absent on his bridal
tour, and his clerk was immersed in business of very great importance, I had
better return in two or three days, when I might arrange my matters
satisfactorily. I replied that if I did not get my receipts &c. to-night I
should fail in an object very dear to my heart and for which I had labored
exhaustingly for days past: that the steamer left Southampton on Monday and
if I should be compelled to remain abroad another month I should be disappointed
beyond measure... To all this the Captain replied expressing his appreciation
of my motives, but declaring it quite impossible for me to get off by this
steamer. My chagrin was so great that I felt like blubbering and Mr. Robertson
who felt for me, most kindly volunteered to forego his dinner and do what was
necessary in the premises.....
And so: we labored away until nearly eight o'clock. When he had written the
certificate which was necessary to secure the receipt of the Captain, it was
discovered that he had entirely forgotten me and my anxieties and had gone out to
his home at Waterloo, a suburb of Liverpool, and about five miles distant.
Thither I repaired without any more delay than necessary to secure a very
important letter from Fraser, Trenholm & Co., containing a statement of my
account with them, from which it appears that there are 46 pounds still in
their hands unapplied under the terms of my allotment. The communication is
by railway, and in about fifteen minutes I was in Mrs. B.'s parlor talking
very cosily with her & her sister, awaiting the return of the Captain from a
visit he was making the widow of poor Charlie Hobson. He made his appearance
about ten o'clock & I secured his signature. Making my excuses for running
away just as soon as I had transacted my business I bade them "goodbye," and
took a train for Liverpool, which just gave me time to catch the Express for
London."
"Odyssey in Gray, A Diary of Confederate Service
1863-1865,"
"Saturday, April 1 [1865]
Arrived in Liverpool I called at Captn. Bullock's office, and asked his
clerk, Mr. Robertson to inform him that I w'd call again on the morrow.....
I arose bright & early this morning...
