Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Poetry and Incidents., Volume 1.
Frank Moore, Ed.

“ While in Maryland, I wandered off one day, and came to a farm-house, where I saw a party of Rhode Island boys talking with a woman who was greatly frightened. They tried in vain to quiet her apprehensions. They asked for food, and she cried, ‘ Oh, take all I have, take every thing, but spare my sick husband.’ ‘Oh,’ said one of the men, ‘we ain't going to hurt you; we want something to eat.’ But the woman persisted in being frightened in spite of all efforts to reassure her, and hurried whatever food she had on the table. When, however, she saw this company stand about the table with bared heads, and a tall, gaunt man raise his hand and invoke God's blessing on the bounties spread before them, the poor woman broke down with a fit of sobbing and crying. She had no longer any fears, but bade them wait, and in a few moments had made hot coffee in abundance. She then emptied their canteens of the muddy water they contained, and filled them with coffee. Her astonishment increased when they insisted upon paying her.” --National Intelligencer, May 9.