A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital Part 85

Troops are pa.s.sing northward every night. The carnage and carnival of death will soon begin!

APRIL 17TH.--Rained until bedtime--then cleared off quite cold. This morning it is cold, with occasional suns.h.i.+ne.

Gen. Beauregard's instructions to Major-Gen. Anderson in Florida, who has but 8000 men, opposed by 15,000, were referred by the Secretary of War to Gen. Bragg, who returned them with the following snappish indors.e.m.e.nt: "The enemy's strength seems greatly exaggerated, and the instructions too much on the defensive."

APRIL 18TH.--Cleared away in the night--frost. To-day it clouded up again!

We have an account from the West, to the effect that Forrest _stormed_ Fort Pillow, putting all the garrison, but one hundred, to the sword; there being 700 in the fort--400 negroes.

APRIL 19TH.--Cloudy and cold.

We have no authentic war news, but are on the tip-toe of expectation.

The city is in some commotion on a rumor that the non combating population will be required to leave, to avoid transportation of food to the city. Corn is selling at $1.25 per bushel in Georgia and Alabama; here, at $40--such is the deplorable condition of the railroads, or rather of the management of them. Col. Northrop, Commissary-General, said to-day that Gen. Lee and the Secretary of War were responsible for the precarious state of affairs, in not taking all the means of transportation for the use of the army; and that our fate was suspended by a hair.

The President returned the paper to-day, relating to the matter of etiquette between Col. Northrop and Gen. Bragg's military secretary. The President says that Gen. B. certainly has the right to give orders--being a.s.signed to duty here, and, I presume, representing the President himself; but that any one of his staff, unless directing those of inferior rank, ought to give commands "by order" of Gen. Bragg. Col. N.

says that don't satisfy him; and that no general has a right to issue orders to him!

The famine is becoming more terrible daily; and soon no salary will suffice to support one's family.

The 1st and 2d Auditors and their clerks (several hundred, male and female) have been ordered to proceed to Montgomery, Ala. Perhaps the government will soon remove thither entirely. This is ill-timed, as the enemy will accept it as an indication of an abandonment of the capital; and many of our people will regard it as a preliminary to the evacuation of Richmond. It is more the effect of extortion and high prices, than apprehension of the city being taken by the enemy.

APRIL 20TH.--A clear morning, but a cold, cloudy day.

The following dispatch from Gen. Forrest shows that the b.l.o.o.d.y work has commenced in earnest:

"DEMOPOLIS, ALA., April 19th.

"TO GEN. S. COOPER.

"The following dispatch has just been received from Gen. Forrest, dated Jackson, Tenn., April 15th.

"L. POLK, _Lieut.-General_.

"I attacked Fort Pillow on the morning of the 12th inst., with a part of Bell's and McCulloch's brigades, numbering ----, under Brig.-Gen. J. R. Chalmers. After a short fight we drove the enemy, seven hundred strong, into the fort, under cover of their gun-boats, and demanded a surrender, which was declined by Major L.

W. Booth, commanding United States forces. I stormed the fort, and after a contest of thirty minutes captured the entire garrison, killing 500 and taking 100 prisoners, and a large amount of quartermaster stores. The officers in the fort were killed, including Major Booth. I sustained a loss of 20 killed and 60 wounded. The Confederate flag now floats over the fort.

"(Signed) N. B. FORREST, _Major-General_."

There is a rumor that Grant's army is falling back toward Centreville.

It is supposed by many that all the departments will follow the Auditor to Montgomery soon.

APRIL 21ST.--Bright suns.h.i.+ne all day, but cool.

Gen. Bragg received a dispatch to-day from Gen. Hoke, of Plymouth, N. C., stating that he had (yesterday) _stormed_ Plymouth, taking 1600 prisoners, 25 cannon, stores, etc. etc. This put the city in as good spirits as possible.

But the excitement from Hoke's victory was supplanted by an excitement of another kind. A report was circulated and believed that the President resolved yesterday to remove the government to South Carolina or Alabama; and the commotion was very great. The President's salary is insufficient to meet his housekeeping expenditures; and Mrs. D. has become, very naturally, somewhat indignant at the conduct of the extortioners, and, of course, the President himself partook of the indignation.

At 2 P.M. to-day the President's papers came in. Among them was one from the Commissary-General, stating that the present management of railroad transportation would not suffice to subsist the army. This had been referred to Gen. Bragg yesterday (who seems to _rank_ the Secretary of War), and he made an elaborate indors.e.m.e.nt thereon. He recommended that all pa.s.senger trains be discontinued, except one daily, and on this that government agents, soldiers, etc. have preference; that arrangements be made at once to hasten on the freight trains (taking military possession of the roads) without breaking bulk; and finally to reduce consumers here as much as possible by a reduction of civil officers, etc. etc. in the departments--that is, sending to other places such as can perform their duties at distant points. On this the President indorsed a reference to the Secretary of War, requiring his opinion in writing, etc. Since then, the President and cabinet have been in consultation, and we shall probably know the result to-morrow.

If the departments are sent South, it will cause a prodigious outburst from the press here, and may have a bad, blundering effect on the army in Virginia, composed mostly of Virginians; and Gen. Bragg will have to bear the brunt of it, although the government will be solely responsible.

Gov. Vance recommended the suspension of conscription in the eastern counties of North Carolina the other day. This paper was referred by the Secretary to the President, by the President to Gen. B. (who is a native of North Carolina), and, seeing what was desired, Gen. B. recommended that the conscription be proceeded with. This may cause Gov. V. to be defeated at the election, and Gen. B. will be roundly abused. He will be unpopular still.

APRIL 22D.--A bright day and warmer. Cherry-trees in blossom. We have the following war news:

"PLYMOUTH, N. C., April 20th.

"TO GEN. BRAGG.

"I have stormed and captured this place, capturing 1 brigadier, 1600 men, stores, and 25 pieces of artillery.

"R. F. HOKE, _Brig.-General_."

The President has changed his mind since the reception of the news from North Carolina, and has determined that _all_ the government shall not leave Richmond until further orders. All that can be spared will go, however, at once. The War and Navy Departments will remain for the present. The news is said to have had a wonderful effect on the President's mind; and he hopes we may derive considerable supplies from Eastern North Carolina. So do I.

Gov. Watts writes to the Secretary that commissary agents, who ought to be in the ranks, are making unnecessary impressments, leaving to each negro only four ounces of bacon per day. He says the government has already some 10,000,000 pounds of bacon in Alabama; and that if the other States, east of the Mississippi, furnish a proportional amount, there will be 60,000,000 pounds--enough to feed our armies twelve months.

The Commissary-General's estimates for the next six months are for 400,000 men.

APRIL 23D.--A bright day, with southern breezes.

It is rumored and believed that Gen. Lee's army is in motion. If this be so, we shall soon hear of a "fight, or a foot race." And how can Grant run away, when Mr. Chase, the Federal Secretary of the Treasury, openly proclaims ruin to the finances unless they speedily achieve success in the field? I think he must fight; and I am sure he will be beaten, for Lee's strength is probably underestimated.

We are also looking to hear more news from North Carolina; and Newbern will probably be stormed next, since storming is now the order of the day.

APRIL 24TH.--Cloudy and windy, but warm.

We have none of the details yet of the storming of Plymouth, except the brief dispatches in the newspapers; nor any reliable accounts of subsequent movements. But a letter from Gen. Whiting indicates that all his troops had been taken northward, and we may expect something further of interest.

It is still believed that Lee's and Grant's armies are in motion on the Rappahannock; but whether going North or coming South, no one seems to know. Our people unanimously look for a victory.

I bought a black coat at auction yesterday (short swallow-tailed) for $12. It is fine cloth, not much worn--its owner going into the army, probably--but out of _fas.h.i.+on_. If it had been a frock-coat, it would have brought $100. It is no time for _fas.h.i.+on_ now.

Gen. Johnston's Chief Commissary offers to send some bacon to Lee's army. A short time since, it was said, Johnston was prevented from _advancing_ for want of rations.

APRIL 25TH.--A bright and beautiful day; southern breezes.

No reliable war news; but there are rumors that our victory at Shreveport was a great one. Nothing additional from North Carolina, though something further must soon occur there. It is said the enemy's killed and wounded at Plymouth amounted to only 100: ours 300; but we got 2500 prisoners.

President Lincoln has made a speech at Baltimore, threatening retaliation for the slaughter at Fort Pillow--which was _stormed_.

Lieut.-Gen. Polk telegraphs that our forces have captured and burnt one of the enemy's gun-boats at Yazoo City--first taking out her guns, eight rifled 24-pounders.

To-day Mr. Memminger, in behalf of the ladies in his department, presented a battle-flag to the Department Battalion for its gallant conduct in the repulse of Dahlgren's raid. But the ladies leave early in the morning for South Carolina.

The President still says that many of the government officers and employees must be sent away, if transportation cannot be had to feed them here as well as the armies.