MARCH 10th.—No war news of importance. Just at this time there is a large number of persons passing to and from the North. They are ostensibly blockade-runners, and they do succeed in bringing from the enemy’s country a large amount of goods, on which an enormous profit is realized. The Assistant Secretary of War, his [...]
MARCH 9th.—We have no news to-day. But the next act of this terrible drama is near at hand. The Northern papers have reports of the fall of Vicksburg and Charleston. Unfounded. They also say 22,000 men have deserted from the Army of the Potomac. This is probably true. There is much denunciation of the recent [...]
MARCH 8th.— Judge Meredith’s opinion, that foreigners, Marylanders, and others, who have served in the army, have become domiciled, and are liable to conscription, has produced a prodigious commotion. Gen. Winder’s door is beset with crowds of eager seekers of passports to leave the Confederacy; and as these people are converting their Confederate money into [...]
MARCH 7th.—The President is sick, and has not been in the Executive Office for three days. Gen. Toombs, resigned, has published a farewell address to his brigade. He does not specify of what his grievance consists; but he says he cannot longer hold his commission with honor. The President must be aware of his perilous [...]
MARCH 6th.—I have meditated on this day, as the anniversary of my birth, and the shortening lapse of time between me and eternity. I am now fifty-three years of age. Hitherto I have dismissed from my mind, if not with actual indifference, yet with far more unconcern than at present, the recurring birthdays which plunged [...]
MARCH 5th.—Yesterday the government seized the flour in the mills and warehouses; and now the price has risen from $30 to $40 per barrel. I wrote to the Commissary, in view of the dissatisfaction of the people, and to prevent disturbances, advising him to seize the 5000 barrels in the hands of the small speculators, [...]
MARCH 4th.—The enemy bombarded Fort McAlister again yesterday, several gun-boats opening fire on it. It lasted all day; during which one of the iron-clads retired, perhaps injured. We had only two men wounded and one gun (8 in. columbiad) dismounted. The fort was but little injured. Recent Northern papers assert that their gun-boats have all [...]
MARCH 3d.—We like our new quarters—and the three Samaritan widows, without children. They lend us many articles indispensable for our comfort. It is probable they will leave us soon in the sole occupancy of the house. There is ground enough for a good many vegetables—and meat is likely to be scarce enough. Bacon is now [...]
MARCH 2d.—The enemy burnt the steamship Nashville on Saturday near Savannah. She was employed taking provisions to Fort McAlister. I think it was destroyed by an incendiary shell. There is a rumor to-day of the burning of railroad bridges between this and Fredericksburg. I signed an agreement to-day with Mr. Malsby to publish my new [...]
MARCH 1st.—To-morrow we remove to new quarters. The lady’s husband, owning cottage, and who was confined for seven months among lunatics, has returned, and there is not room for two families. Besides, Mrs. G. thinks she can do better taking boarders, than by letting the house. What a mistake! Beef sold yesterday for $1.25 per [...]
FEBRUARY 27th.—No news from any quarter to-day. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston is discontented with his command in the West. The armies are too far asunder for co-operative action; and, when separated, too weak for decisive operations. There is no field there for him, and he desires to be relieved, and assigned to some other command. [...]
FEBRUARY 26th.—We have good news from Vicksburg to-day. The Queen of the West, lately captured by us, and another gun-boat, attacked the Indianola, the iron-clad Federal gun-boat which got past our batteries the other day, and, after an engagement, sunk her. We captured all the officers and men.
FEBRUARY 25th.—On the 18th inst. the enemy’s battery on the opposite side of the Mississippi River opened on Vicksburg. The damage was not great; but the front of the town is considered untenable. The Conscription bill has passed the United States Senate, which will empower the President to call for 3,000,000 men. “Will they come, [...]
FEBRUARY 24th.—Gen. Longstreet is now in command of Gen. Smith’s late department, besides his own corps. Richmond is safe. Our papers contain a most astonishing speech purporting to have been delivered by Mr. Conway, in the United States Congress. Mr. C. is from Kansas, that hot-bed of Abolitionism. He is an avowed Abolitionist; and yet [...]
FEBRUARY 23d.—I saw a letter from Gen. Lee to day, suggesting to the government on appeal to the Governors of the States to aid more directly in recruiting the armies. He says the people habitually expect too much from the troops now in the field; that because we have gained many victories, it does not [...]
FEBRUARY 22d.—This is the anniversary of the birth of Washington, and of the inauguration of President Davis, upon the installation of the permanent government of the Confederate States. It is the ugliest day I ever saw. Snow fell all night, and was falling fast all day, with a northwest wind howling furiously. The snow is [...]
FEBRUARY 21st.—Major-Gen. Hood’s division passed through the city today, and crossed over the river. I hope an attack will be made at Suffolk. It is too menacing a position to allow the invader to occupy it longer. No attack on Charleston yet, and there is a rumor that the command of the expedition is disputed [...]
FEBRUARY 20th.—We have exciting news from the West. The iron-shod gunboat, Queen of the West, which run past Pemberton’s batteries some time since, captured, it appears, one of our steamers in Red River, and then compelled our pilot to steer the Queen of the West farther up the river. The heroic pilot ran the boat [...]
FEBRUARY 19th.—The resignation of Gen. Gustavus W. Smith has been accepted by the President. It was well done—the acceptance, I mean. Who will Gen. Winder report to now? Gen. Winder has learned that I am keeping a diary, and that some space in it may be devoted to the history of martial law. He said [...]
FEBRUARY 18th.—Mr. H_____s, another of Gen. Winder’s detectives, has gone over to the enemy. He went on a privateering cruise from Wilmington; the vessel he sailed in captured a brig, and H_____s was put in command of the prize, to sail into a Confederate port. Instead of this, however, H_____s sailed away for one of [...]
FEBRUARY 17th.—Gen. Lee is not sending troops to Charleston. He is sending them here for the defense of Richmond, which is now supposed to be the point of attack, by land and by water, and on both sides of the James River. Well, they have striven to capture this city from every point of the [...]
FEBRUARY 16th.—Another gun-boat has got past Vicksburg. But three British steamers have run into Charleston with valuable cargoes. Gem Lee is now sending troops to Charleston, and this strengthens the report that Hooker’s army is leaving the Rappahannock. They are probably crumbling to pieces, under the influence of the peace party growing up in the [...]
FEBRUARY 15th.—Already, as if quite certain that the great Northwest would speedily withdraw from the Eastern United States, our people are discussing the eventualities of such a momentous occurrence. The most vehement opposition to the admission of any of the non-slaveholding States, whose people have invaded our country and shed the blood of our people, [...]
FEBRUARY 14th.—A beautiful day. Yet Gen. Lee is giving furloughs, two to each company. If the weather should be dry, perhaps Hooker will advance: a thing desired by our people, being confident of his destruction. The papers issued extras to-day with news from the Northwest, based upon the account of a “reliable gentleman,” who has [...]
FEBRUARY 13th.—There is a rumor in the papers that something like a revolution is occurring, or has occurred, in the West; and it is stated that the Federal troops demand the recall of the Emancipation Proclamation. They also object to serving with negro troops. But we ought to look for news of terrific fighting at [...]