A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital Part 80

"TO GEN. S. COOPER.

"The latest reports from Gen. Finnegan give no particulars of the victory at Occ.u.m Pond, except that he has taken all of the enemy's artillery, some 500 or 600 stand of small arms already collected, and that the roads for three miles are strewn with the enemy's dead and wounded.

"(Signed) G. T. BEAUREGARD."

The _Examiner_ has the following remarks on the appointment of Bragg:

"The judicious and opportune appointment of Gen. Bragg to the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Confederate Armies, will be appreciated as an ill.u.s.tration of that strong common sense which forms the basis of the President's character, that regard for the opinions and feelings of the country, that respect for the Senate, which are the keys to all that is mysterious in the conduct of our public affairs. The Confederate armies cannot fail to be well pleased. Every soldier's heart feels that merit is the true t.i.tle to promotion, and that glorious service should insure a splendid reward. From Lookout Mountain, a step to the highest military honor and power is natural and inevitable. Johnston, Lee, and Beauregard learn with grateful emotions that the conqueror of Kentucky and Tennessee has been elevated to a position which his superiority deserves. Finally this happy announcement should enliven the fires of confidence and enthusiasm, reviving among the people like a bucket of water on a newly kindled grate."

The day before his appointment, the _Enquirer_ had a long editorial article denouncing in advance his a.s.signment to any prominent position, and severely criticised his conduct in the West. To-day _it hails his appointment as Commander-in-Chief with joy and enthusiasm_! This reminds one of the _Moniteur_ when Napoleon was returning from Elba. The _Enquirer's_ notion is to prevent discord--and hence it is patriotic.

The weather is still bright, pleasant, but dusty. We have had only one rain since the 18th of December, and one light snow. My garden is too dry for planting.

We have not only the negroes arrayed against as, but it appears that recruiting for the Federal army from Ireland has been carried on to a large extent.

FEBRUARY 26TH.--Cool, bright, but windy and dusty.

Dispatches announce heavy skirmis.h.i.+ng in the vicinity of Dalton--and Gen. Johnston's army was in line of battle. It may be merely a feint of the enemy to aid in the extrication of Sherman.

Gen. Lee is here in consultation with the President. They decided that over 1000 men be transferred from the army to the navy--so that something may be soon heard from our iron-clads.

Pork is selling at $3 per pound to-day.

Writings upon the walls of the houses at the corners of the streets were observed this morning, indicating a riot, if there be no amelioration of the famine.

FEBRUARY 27TH.--Bright and pleasant--dusty. But one rain during the winter!

The "a.s.sociated press" publishes an unofficial dispatch, giving almost incredible accounts of Gen. Forrest's defeat of Grierson's cavalry, 10,000 strong, with only 2000. It is said the enemy were cut up and routed, losing all his guns, etc.

Sugar is $20 per pound; new bacon, $8; and chickens, $12 per pair. Soon we look for a money panic, when a few hundred millions of the paper money is funded, and as many more collected by the tax collectors.

Congress struck the speculators a hard blow. One man, eager to invest his money, gave $100,000 for a house and lot, and he now pays $5000 tax on it; the interest is $6000 more--$11,000 total. His next door neighbor, who bought his house in 1860 for $10,000, similar in every respect, pays $500 tax (valued at date of sale), interest $600; total, $1100 per annum. The speculator pays $10,000 per annum more than his patriotic neighbor, who refused to sell his house for $100,000.

FEBRUARY 28TH.--Bright, cool, and dusty. No war news; nor denial or confirmation of the wonderful victory of Forrest in Mississippi. That he captured the enemy's artillery and drove them back, is official.

Longstreet has retired from before Knoxville; perhaps to a.s.sault Nashville, or to penetrate Kentucky.

Yesterday the Secretary ordered Col. Northrop to allow full rations of meal to the engineer corps; to-day he returns the order, saying: "There is not sufficient transportation for full rations to the troops in the field."

Last night the Secretary sent for Mr. Ould, exchange agent, and it is thought an exchange of prisoners will be effected, and with Butler. A confidential communication _may_ have been received from Butler, who is a politician, and it may be that he has offered _secret_ inducements, etc. He would like to establish a _trade_ with us for tobacco, as he did for cotton and sugar when he was in New Orleans. No doubt some of the high officials at Was.h.i.+ngton would _wink_ at it for a share of the profits.

The Southern Express Company (Yankee) has made an arrangement with the Quartermaster-General to transport private contributions of supplies to the army--anything to monopolize the railroads, and make private fortunes. Well, "all's well that ends well,"--and our armies may be _forced_ to forage on the enemy.

I copy this advertis.e.m.e.nt from a morning paper:

"NOTICE.--Owing to the heavy advance of feed, we are compelled to charge the following rates for boarding horses on and after the 1st of March:

Board per month $300.00 " " day 15.00 Single feed 5.00

"_Virginia Stables._ JAMES C. JOHNSON, W. H. SUTHERLAND, B. W. GREEN."

Congress and the President parted at the adjournment in bad temper. It is true everything was pa.s.sed by Congress asked for by the Executive as necessary in the present exigency--a new military bill, putting into the service several hundred thousand more men, comprising the entire male population between the ages of 17 and 50; the tax and currency bills, calculated to realize $600,000,000 or $800,000,000; and the suspension of the writ of _habeas corpus_. These were conceded, say the members, for the sake of the country, and not as concessions to the Executive.

But the Commissary-General's nomination, and hundreds of others, were not sent into the Senate, in derogation of the Const.i.tution; and hundreds that were sent in, have not been acted on by the Senate, and such officers now act in violation of the Const.i.tution.

Dill's Government Bakery, Clay Street, is now in flames--supposed to be the work of an incendiary. Loss not likely to be heavy.

FEBRUARY 29TH.--Raining moderately.

There is a rumor that Frederick's Hall, between this city and Fredericksburg, was taken to-day by a detachment of the enemy's cavalry, an hour after Gen. Lee pa.s.sed on his way to the army. This is only rumor, however.

A dispatch from Gen. Lee's Chief Commissary, received to-day, says the army has only bread enough to last till the 1st of March, to-morrow! and that meat is getting scarce again. Col. Northrop, the Commissary-General, indorses on this, that he _foresaw_ and frequently _foretold_ that such a crisis would come. He says transportation sufficient cannot be had, and that he has just heard of an accident to the Wilmington Railroad, which will diminish the transportation of corn one-half; and he says a similar accident to the Charlotte Road would be fatal. Comfortable! And when I saw him afterward, his face was lit up with triumph, as if he had gained a victory! He _predicted_ it, because they would not let him impress all the food in the country. And now he has no remedy for the pressing need. But the soldiers won't starve, in spite of him.

CHAPTER x.x.xVI

Attempt to capture Richmond.--Governor Vance and Judge Pearson-- Preparations to blow up the "Libby" prisoners.--Letter from General Lee.--Proposal to execute Dahlgren's raiders.--General Butler on the Eastern Sh.o.r.e.--Colonel Dahlgren's body.--Dest.i.tution of the army.-- Strength of the Southwestern army.--Dest.i.tution of my family.-- Protest from South Carolina.--Difficulty with P. Milmo & Co.--Hon.

J. W. Wall.

MARCH 1ST.--Dark and raining.

As the morning progressed, the city was a little startled by the sound of artillery in a northern direction, and not very distant. Couriers and hors.e.m.e.n from the country announced the approach of the enemy _within_ the outer fortifications; a column of 5000 cavalry. Then Hon. James Lyons came in, reporting that the enemy were sh.e.l.ling his house, one and a half miles from the city. And Gen. Elzey (in command) said, at the department, that a fight was in progress; and that Brig.-Gen. Custis Lee was directing it in person. But an hour or so after the report of artillery ceased, and the excitement died away. Yet the local troops and militia are marching out as I write; and a caisson that came in an hour ago has just pa.s.sed our door, returning to the field. Of course the city is full of rumors, and no one yet knows what has occurred. I presume it was only distant sh.e.l.ling, as no wounded men have been brought in.

It is reported that the enemy captured Mr. Seddon's family twenty-five miles distant,--also Gen. Wise's. To-morrow we shall know more; but no _uneasiness_ is felt as to the result. In a few hours we can muster men enough to defend the city against 25,000.

A letter from Gen. Whiting suggests that martial law be proclaimed in North Carolina, as a Judge Pearson--a traitor, he thinks--is discharging men who have in conscripts as subst.i.tutes, on the ground that the act of Congress is unconst.i.tutional. The President suggest a General Order, etc., complying with Gen. W.'s request.

Col. A. C. Myers, late Quartermaster-General, writes again, indignantly resenting the President's indors.e.m.e.nt, etc. as unfounded and injurious, etc.

The President indorses this letter as follows: "Unless this letter is designed to ask whether Col. M. is still in the army, or discharged by the appointment of a successor, I find nothing which changes the case since my indors.e.m.e.nt referred to, as causing resentment and calling for vindication. Your orders were certainly official communications. Not having seen them, I can express no opinion upon their terms.--JEFFERSON DAVIS."

MARCH 2D.--A slight snow on the ground this morning--but bright and cool. Last night, after I had retired to bed, we heard a brisk cannonading, and volleys of musketry, a few miles distant.

This morning an excitement, but no alarm, pervaded the city. It was certainly a formidable attempt to take the city by surprise. From the number of disgraceful failures heretofore, the last very recently, the enemy must have come to the desperate resolution to storm the city this time at all hazards. And indeed the coming upon it was sudden, and if there had been a column of 15,000 bold men in the a.s.sault, they might have penetrated it. But now, twenty-four hours subsequently, 30,000 would fail in the attempt.

The Department Clerks were in action in the evening in five minutes after they were formed in line. Capt. Ellery, Chief Clerk of 2d Auditor, was killed, and several were wounded. It rained fast all the time, and it was very dark. The enemy's cavalry charged upon them, firing as they came; they were ordered to lie flat on the ground. This they did, until the enemy came within fifteen yards of them, when they rose and fired, sending the a.s.sailants to the right and left, helter-skelter. How many fell is not yet known.

To-day Gen. Hampton sent in 77 prisoners, taken six miles above town--one lieutenant-colonel among them; and Yankee horses, etc. are coming in every hour.

Gov. Vance writes that inasmuch as Judge Pearson still grants the writ of _habeas corpus_, and discharges all who have put subst.i.tutes in the army, on the ground of the unconst.i.tutionality of the act of Congress, he is bound by his oath to sustain the judge, even to the summoning the military force of the State to resist the Confederate States authorities. But to avoid such a fatal collision, he is willing to abide the decision of the Supreme Court, to a.s.semble in June; the subst.i.tute men, meantime, to be left unmolested. We shall soon see the President's decision, which will probably be martial law.

Last night, when it was supposed probable that the prisoners of war at the Libby might attempt to break out, Gen. Winder ordered that a large amount of powder be placed under the building, with instructions to blow them up, if the attempt were made. He was persuaded, however, to consult the Secretary of War first, and get his approbation. The Secretary would give no such order, but said the prisoners must not be permitted to escape under any circ.u.mstances, which was considered sanction enough.

Capt. ---- obtained an order for, and procured several hundred pounds of gunpowder, which were placed in readiness. Whether the prisoners were advised of this I know not; but I told Capt. ---- it could not be justifiable to spring such a mine in the absence of their knowledge of the fate awaiting them, in the event of their attempt to break out,--because such prisoners are not to be condemned for striving to regain their liberty. Indeed, it is the _duty_ of a prisoner of war to escape if he can.

Gen. Winder addressed me in a friendly manner to-day, the first time in two years.

The President was in a bad humor yesterday, when the enemy's guns were heard even in his office.