ON the first day of December, early in the morning, I started for Fortress Monroe, under the charge of Captain Mix and an orderly-sergeant. It was my poor father's intention to have accompanied me as far as Baltimore, and beyond, if he could get the necessary permission. Just before I left, however, a message was brought to me stating that my father, though not dangerously ill, was confined to the house by severe indisposition.

When I heard that I could not see my fond parent, it distressed me greatly; but I was powerless to act in the matter; and, though I entreated them to let me go to him, if but for a moment, it was refused.

After being subjected to the annoying and ungentlemanly conduct of Captain Mix, who seemed to exert himself especially to make everything as disagreeable as he possibly could for me, I arrived in Fortress Monroe about 9 a.m. on Wednesday morning. Captain Mix immediately went on shore to report to Captain Cassels, the Provost-Marshal and aide-de-camp to Butler, to whose care I was to be committed until the “exchange boat” should start for Richmond.

Meanwhile all the passengers had landed, and I was left in the charge of the orderly- sergeant. Major (now General) Mulford, the exchange officer, returned on board with Captain Mix, and was introduced to me. I found him an elegant and courteous gentleman. In a short time I was escorted from the boat to the Provost-Marshal's office, passing between a company of negro soldiers, who were filed on each side. Thence I was taken into the fortress, to Butler's head-quarters, and, after waiting a short time, I was conducted into his august presence.

He was seated near a table, and, upon my entrance, he looked up and said, “Ah, so this is Miss Boyd, the famous rebel spy. Pray be seated.”

“Thank you, General Butler, but I prefer to stand.

I was very much agitated, and trembled greatly. This he noticed, and remarked, “Pray be seated. But why do you tremble so? Are you frightened?”

“No; ah! that is, yes, General Butler; I must acknowledge that I do feel frightened in the presence of a man of such world-wide reputation as yourself.”

This seemed to please him immensely, and, rubbing his hands together and smiling most benignly, he said, “Oh, pray do be seated, Miss Boyd. But what do you mean when you say that I am widely known?”

“I mean, General Butler,” I said, “that you are a man whose atrocious conduct and brutality, especially to Southern ladies, is so infamous that even the English Parliament commented upon it. I naturally feel alarmed at being in your presence.”

He had evidently expected a compliment when I commenced to reply to his inquiry, but, at the close of my remarks, he rose, and, with rage depicted upon every lineament of his features, he ordered me out of his presence.

I was conducted to the hotel, and felt for the time being exceedingly uneasy lest by my Parthian shot at an enemy whom I thoroughly detested, I should have laid myself open to his petty spirit of revenge. I feared that I should be remanded to a dreary prison cell; for General Butler was all-powerful in the North about this period.

Events have since clearly proved this man, even to the Yankees themselves, to be but a meretricious hero and a political charlatan. Like others who render themselves rather notorious than great, he first pleased a fickle populace by his acts of brutality, then disgusted his contemporaries, who feared that he might become to America what Robespierre had been to France. The tyrant of New Orleans, having failed most signally at Wilmington, was discovered to be a coward, and suspected of being a rogue. Well might the baffled New England attorney exclaim, “Facilis descensus Averni!” In the hope of being styled a modern Cincinnatus, he retired to Lowell, to live upon the ill-gotten gains extorted by threats or force from Southern people.

But to resume the thread of my story. I was obliged to give my parole that I would not leave the house until permitted to do so. Here I found the Misses Lomax, sisters of the Confederate General Lomax, and a Miss Goldsborough, of Baltimore, who were to be sent south. These ladies, however, were not the only Confederate sympathizers in the hotel; there were others whose names I dare not mention.

On Wednesday evening the order came for Miss Goldsborough and myself to be in readiness to start that same night for Richmond. The Misses Lomax, for some reason, were not allowed to proceed, but were sent back to Baltimore. When the time arrived for our departure, we were taken back to the Provost-Marshal's office; and here I found my luggage, consisting of two Saratoga trunks and a bonnet-box. The keys were demanded of me, and I complied with the request.

A man and two women immediately set to work to ransack my boxes, although I assured them that they need not search, as I had just come from prison. This appeal, however, was ineffectual, and they still continued their examination. Imagine their astonishment and my chagrin when they pulled from the bottom of one of my trunks two suits of private clothes, a uniform for Major-General W-- , a dozen linen shirts, &c. These things I had succeeded in smuggling into prison by means of an underground railway, of which Superintendent Wood, sharp as he imagined himself to be, was little aware. I was interrogated as to how I had obtained the articles in question, but they did not succeed in eliciting anything by their queries.

All the goods considered contraband, including several pairs of army gauntlets and felt hats, with a pair of field-glasses which had formerly belonged to General Jackson, and which I greatly prized, together with much clothing, were taken from me. I entreated them to let me retain the glasses; but this was flatly refused; and they were, to my mortification, given to General Butler.

When I saw how these Vandals were robbing me of nearly everything, I strove in vain to restrain my tears; and my trunks having been thoroughly ransacked, I was informed that I must undergo a personal search. At this turn of affairs I began to feel very nervous, for I had concealed about me twenty thousand dollars in Confederate notes, five thousand in green-backs and nearly one thousand in gold, as well as the letters of introduction which I have previously mentioned. I earnestly appealed to their forbearance, assuring them that I had nothing contraband; for I did not consider my money contraband.

As it was getting late, the captain said, “Well, if you will take an oath to the effect that you have nothing contraband upon you - no letters or papers - you shall not be searched.”

As this was impossible, I told him that I could not make such a declaration, handing him my letters at the same time. He then asked if I had any money about me. To this I replied by giving him a roll of two or three thousand dollars in Confederate money, which I had placed in my pocket. This he regarded as valueless, and sneeringly informed me that I might keep “that stuff.”

Upon opening my letters and finding mention of “my immense services to my country,” “my kindness towards prisoners,” “my devotion to the Southern cause,” &c., he became very angry, and said, “I shall send this to General Butler in the morning. I would do so now, but it is after office hours.”

Miss Goldsborough sat by meanwhile, a quiet spectator of the whole affair, she having undergone the ordeal of search in the morning. We were then conducted to the wharf, placed on board a tug, and sent off to the exchange boat, the City of New York, which lay at anchor in the stream. Upon our arrival on board we were kindly received by Major Mulford, who conducted us to the saloon and introduced us to his wife, a very charming, lady-like woman. Here we remained all night, and next morning, about seven o'clock, got under way. Shortly afterwards we ran aground, and it was not until 8 a.m. that we succeeded in getting the vessel off again. Then, under a full head of steam we steered for City Point.

About this time the little steam-tug that had brought us alongside the City of New York quitted the wharf, apparently in chase of us. My heart sank, for I felt intuitively that this pursuit had something to do with me, and that General Butler must have given an order for my detention. But the larger steamer had already waited so long that Major Mulford, angry and impatient at the delay, took no notice of our pursuers, and, to my great joy and relief, kept steadily on our course.

I afterwards learnt that my fears upon this occasion were not unfounded. When General Butler, smarting with the remembrance of my farewell sarcasm, had beheld the letters that Captain Cassels had taken from me, he commanded that I should be followed, and, if re-captured, should be sent at once to Fort Warren, in Massachusetts Bay. As he issued this order he remarked to those who surrounded him that he would take “a leading character in 'Beauty and the Beast.' ” When the tug returned from her fruitless chase, he was almost beside himself with rage at being thwarted in his revenge. This I had from such good authority that I am confident the General will not feel it worth his while to contradict the statement.