Monday, 26th–Today I was one of a detail of two thousand men sent down the river a few miles to repair the break in the levee on the west bank of the river. The break is two hundred feet wide and the water rushes through with terrible force. I was glad when the order came to return to camp, for I would rather risk my life in a battle than to work another day on that break. An increasing number of men still lying in the boats are getting sick from drinking the poor river water; the new recruits just arriving from the North are especially affected.

CHATTANOOGA, Jany. 26th, 1863.

“My dear Wigfall:
“I have asked the government by telegraph if any additional troops, new or old, can be furnished for Bragg’s Army, but have had no reply. Will you suggest to Mr. Seddon that we are in a very critical condition in Tennessee? The enemy has fully supplied his losses, I am officially informed, while our army has received stragglers and exchanged prisoners amounting to about a third of our killed and wounded. Such being the case, if there is any truth in arithmetic, another battle must drive us still farther back. If driven across the Cumberland Mountains we can not hold East Tennessee and once in possession of that country Rosecranz may choose his point on our South Eastern or Eastern frontier from Richmond to Mobile. It is of the utmost importance therefore to reinforce Bragg. The conscription is operating very slowly. Can no mode of expediting its enforcement be adopted? I cannot draw upon Pemberton, for his force is far too small now. I proposed the bringing to him 18,000 or 20,000 troops from Arkansas, none of whom ever came. The enemy is again at Vicksburg, too, in heavier force, and doubtless with a different plan—probably to attempt to attack from below instead of from the Yazoo.
         “Bragg has done wonders, I think—no body of troops has done more in proportion to numbers in the same time. At Murfreesboro’ he killed, wounded and took 17,000 and within the three weeks preceding 7,500. His own loss in all that time about 9,000. My own official position does not improve on acquaintance. It is little, if any, better than being laid on the shelf. I have endeavored to explain this to the President, but he thinks it essential to have one here who can transfer troops from this department to Pemberton’s and vice-versa. That would be extremely well if either department could possibly spare troops, even for a short time, but that is not the case, each having too few for immediate purposes and the distance and character of the intermediate country such as completely prevents them from aiding each other, except an occasional cavalry movement. It is an attempt to join things which cannot be united. It would require at least a month to send 10,000 men from one of the two armies to the other. Each department having its own commander and requiring—indeed having room but for one. You perceive how little occupation I can find. I can not unite the two armies—because they are too far apart, and each is required where it is. Nor can I take command of one because each has its proper commander, and yet the country may hold me responsible for any failure between North Carolina and Georgia and the Mississippi, for I am supposed to be commanding in all that country. After commanding our most important, and I may add, best army for a year, it is hard to lose that command for wounds in battle and to receive a nominal one. I must confess I cannot help repining at this position. The President, however, evidently intends that I shall hold a high position and important one; but I think he mistakes the relation between Tennessee and Mississippi.
         “I flatter myself that I have never been so garrulous before and won’t be so again.
         “We rarely see Richmond papers, so I don’t know what you are doing for us. My cordial regards to Mrs. Wigfall and the young ladies.
         “If you can help me out of my present place I shall love you more than ever. It will require diplomacy and cunning, however, and I don’t think you strong in the latter.

“Yours truly,
“J. E. JOHNSTON.”

JANUARY 26th.—The Northern papers say Hooker’s grand division crossed the Rappahannock, ten miles above Falmouth, several days ago.

Burnside has issued an address to his army, promising them another battle immediately.

Gen. Lee advises the government to buy all the grain in the counties through which the canal runs. He says many farmers are hoarding their provisions, for extortionate prices.

I have no house yet. Dr. Wortham had one; and although I applied first, he let Mr. Reagan, the Postmaster-General, have it. He is a member of President Davis’s cabinet—and receives $6000 salary.

There is much indignation expressed by the street talkers against Mr. Benjamin and Mr. Sanders, in the matter of the intercepted dispatches: against Mr. Benjamin for casting such imputations on Napoleon and his consular agents, and for sending his dispatches by such a messenger, in the absence of the President; against Sanders for not destroying the dispatches. Many think the information was sold to the United States Government.

Col. Wall has made a speech in Philadelphia. He said he should take his seat in the United States Senate as an advocate of peace; and he boldly denounced the Lincoln administration.

Our official report shows that our military authorities, up to this time, have burnt 100,000 bales of cotton in Arkansas. I have not learned the amount destroyed in other States—but it is large. Gen. Lee thinks the object of the expeditions of the enemy on the Southern coast is to procure cotton, etc. The slaves can do them no good, and the torch will disappoint the marauders.

Strong and belligerent resolutions have been introduced in the United States Congress against France, for her alleged purpose to obtain dominion in Mexico. It is violative of the Monroe doctrine. And Mr. Benjamin’s accusation against the consuls (embracing a French design on Texas) might seem like a covert purpose to unite both the Confederate and the United States against France—and that might resemble premeditated reconstruction. But diplomatists must be busy—always at their webs. President Davis would be the last man to abandon the ship Independence.

Washington Monday Jan’y 26^th 1863

Well, Gen^l Burnside has resigned and “fighting Joe” Hooker is in command of the “Army of the Potomac,” and Gen^ls Sumner & Franklin are relieved of their commands. What this last thing means remains to be seen, Court Martials possibly. I dread the effects which these movements may have upon the Army. Every Gen^l has his favorites and devoted friends who are always ready to Swear by him. Hooker is a gallant officer, he may be the Man for the place, we shall see soon. No other particular news today. Gold 150, the highest yet. The Banks of the Country are likely to defeat the measures for a niform U.S. Currency. Too many truckling M.C.^s looking to a re-election, or interested in Banks at home. It would cut off their sale of exchange and then they could not “burst up” once in awhile and leave their worthless trash in the hands of the Laboring Classes. When will the people learn wisdom and proffit by experience. Little Kate Williams called on me today and staid an hour or two in my office after I had shown her through the Pat office. I called after dinner upon Judge Scott on NY Av^e. Ex Gov Fairwell of Wis. was there. He is in the Pat O as Examiner, did not see Ex Gov Bashford, he being out. On my return called and spent the rest of the evening with Cha^s & Sallie, returned to my room after 10 o’clock. The weather is quite warm and I am writing at this time (near eleven o’clock P.M.) without fire, and am not uncomfortable. Weighed 142 lbs today on the Pa^t office Scales. Am in good health.

Sunday, 25th.—Marched short distance; halted for further orders. 11 A. M., marched to railroad; waiting for train to take us to Vicksburg. Camping near Pearl River.

(Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)

Jan. 25th. Sunday. Met M. at Infant Sunday School. Went to Sunday School with the girls, then to church. Pres. Finney preached. Made some hits about the new chapel. Afternoon sat alone and heard good Dr. Morgan. Minnie at our house to tea. After a nap went over to Mrs. Holtslander’s. Apples, pears and cider. Went home with Minnie. Heard John relate about the Chaplain’s sermons.

Sunday, 25th–We moved up the river today about a mile and disembarked on the Louisiana side, going into camp right on the bank. We are from ten to fifteen feet below the water in the river, while the levee is twenty-five or thirty feet higher than our camp. Company E was to go on picket, but the order was countermanded, and then at dark a detail of one thousand men, I being one, from our division, was chosen to go down the river to work on the canal which is being cut across the point of land opposite Vicksburg. It is a fearful mudhole to work in. A large number of negroes are put on the job. The rebels try to shell the place, but their shells all fall short.

JANUARY 25th.—Gen. Lee mentions, in his recent correspondence, an instance of the barbarity of some of the Yankee soldiers in the Abolition Army of the Potomac. They thrust into the Rappahannock River a poor old negro man, whom they had taken from his master, because he had the smallpox; and he would have been drowned had he not been rescued by our pickets. It is surmised that this dreadful disease prevails to an alarming extent in the Yankee army, and probably embarrasses their operations. Our men have all been vaccinated; and their recklessness of disease and death is perhaps a guarantee of exemption from affliction. Their health, generally, is better than it has ever been before.

The government at Washington has interdicted the usual exchange of newspapers, for the present. This gives rise to conjecture that Lincoln experiences grave difficulties from the adverse sentiment of his people and his armies regarding his Emancipation Proclamation. And it is likely he has met with grave losses at sea, for the invading army in North Carolina has retired back on Newborn. But the season for naval enterprises is not over, and we are prepared to expect some heavy blows before April.

The revelations in the intercepted dispatches captured with Mr. Sanders, whose father is a notorious political adventurer, may be most unfortunate. They not only show that we even were negotiating for six war steamers, but give the names of the firms in Europe that were to furnish them. The project must now be abandoned. And Louis Napoleon will be enraged at the suspicions and imputations of our Secretary of State regarding his occult policy.

Gen. Rains has invented a new primer for shell, which will explode from the slightest pressure. The shell is buried just beneath the surface of the earth, and explodes when a horse or a man treads upon it. He says he would not use such a weapon in ordinary warfare; but has no scruples in resorting to any means of defense against an army of Abolitionists, invading our country for the purpose, avowed, of extermination. He tried a few shell on the Peninsula last spring, and the explosion of only four sufficed to arrest the army of invaders, and compelled them to change their line of march.

Sunday Jan’y 25^th 1863

Attended religious Service in the Senate Chamber this morning, heard Mr Conway from Cincinnati. His Sermon was most excellent till he began to treat upon the subject of Slavery. On that he was most ultra. Altho a Virginian he was fairly driven out of Washington a few years ago for preaching Anti Slavery sermons in the Unitarian Church. He makes Slavery his “hobby,” and vies with Wendal Phillips in his extravagant views. We dine at two on Sundays after which I spent a couple of hours in the Ascension Hospital, and then called upon Mr & Mrs Bemis at the “Herndon House” where I spent an hour. Cap^t Denison and Judge Phelps from Canandagua were there. From there I went down to “Willards” to hear any news which might be stirring. It is reported there tonight that Gen^l Burnside has resigned the command of the “Army of the Potomac.” If it is true, it is well. I do not think he has confidence enough in himself, and I doubt whether the other officers have enough confidence in him. Who is to follow? Joseph Hooker, I think. Conversed awhile with Mr Hatch who has two sons (officers in the Army). He thinks they are the smartest and the bravest in the Army. Saw and talked awhile with Doct Sheldon, of the Medical Directors office. He understands that Doct Taft (Charley) has made out all of Doct Dorr^s reports. Dr D is the Surgeon superintending the “Ascension Gen^l Hospital,” 4 churches formerly, now only two. No War news at all today. We are expecting to hear from our army in N.C. every day now, and also from the south western armies.

Camp Winder, January 25, 1863.

I spent yesterday in bed, and feel to-day like getting back into it. Whilst I have not lost any time from sickness since I last left home, I have been often unwell and compelled to lie in bed for a day or two. A few days’ quiet generally relieves me, but exposure and irregular living generally bring it on again. I never was better than when I came to the army last summer; but about the time of the battle of Cedar Mountain it began, and has continued, making me often hardly fit for duty. It is in some measure owing to a want of vegetables and fruit, and to bad bread. The next opportunity I have, I will send to Richmond and get a stock of crackers, dried peaches, etc.

We have occasionally had an alarm, but generally everything has been quiet. Yesterday morning we had an order to send our extra baggage to the rear, but it arose, I believe, from the accidental bursting of a shell in Fredericksburg, which set the armies on both sides to beating the long roll. My brigade has been rapidly increasing in the last month by the return of sick and absentees. I hope by spring to bring it up to 2200 present, and to have it in a high state of efficiency. Then I expect some good service from it.

You say you have forty-eight barrels of flour at the lumber-house. After saving for your own use what you want, get Wm. White to send off the balance and sell it. Have the balance of the wheat ground, so that you may get the offal, and send off the flour. I wrote you in my last letter a good deal about the farm. Let me hear in your next letter all about them. I have but little time now to think of them, and trust it all to you. If my work here is well done, it will occupy my whole time. I should like to fill my place here, so as to leave it with some credit to myself. To do this will leave me but little time for matters on the farm. So you must be housekeeper, overseer, man of all business, and everything. You may as well learn now, and if you will devote your mind to it you will have no trouble. With such assistance as you can get from Matt and your father, you will be able to get along very well. [continue reading…]

Saturday, 24th.—Passed through Brandon, once the capital of Mississippi, at 10 A. M.

(Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)

24th. Saturday. Spent a portion of the afternoon at Fannie’s. F. Henderson was there and we had a good time. Got home early and read in “Fantine” and visited with Ma. Read some in the February Atlantic.

Saturday, 24th–We had some rain early this morning, followed by a heavy fog which lasted all day. Boats loaded with troops are constantly arriving and landing at different points along the river where the men are going into camp. Some of our boys are quite sick, the result of using the river water on the way down. Accidents are not common here considering the large number of men crowding as they do, but today a private of the First Kansas Infantry fell from the boat and was drowned before help could reach him.

JANUARY 24th.—Gen. Smith writes that he deems Wilmington in a condition to resist any attacks.

The exposition of Mr. Benjamin’s dispatches has created profound mortification in the community.

Another transport has been taken from the enemy in the Cumberland River. No further news from Arkansas.

There is a white flag (small-pox) within seventy yards of our house. But it is probable we must give up the house soon, as the owner is desirous to return to it—being unable to get board in the country.

Gen. Rains, who has been making a certain sort of primer, met with an accident this morning; one of them exploded in his hand, injuring his thumb and finger. He was scarcely able to sign his name to official documents to-day.

Mr. Hunter has brought forward a measure for the funding of Treasury notes, the redundant circulation having contributed to produce the present fabulous prices in the market.

In the New Jersey Legislature petitions are flowing in denunciatory of Lincoln’s Emancipation scheme, which would cast into the free States a large excess of profitless population.

Washington Saturday Jan’y 24^th 1863

Mild and pleasant today, not much like winter. We have passed a quiet day, no Stirring news afloat and no startling rumors. Some successes of our Western gun Boats under the gallant Porter on the White River are published. The news boys cry it as “another Union Victory.” Let us take it as such for we need them badly just now. I cannot imagine where we are drifting to as a Nation. An immense Army and (I may almost say) nobody competent to command it. A country with inexhaustable resources and (I may almost say again) nobody competent to direct and apply its energies. In the present fearful crisis, we have realy no Talented Statesman, no public Men (who are up to the “times”) directing the affairs of the Nation, no Military genius to direct our great “Army of the Potomac,” and the army itself is now melting away by resignations of officers, and desertions, at a fearful rate. When drafting in the States has proved a failure, how is it ever to be recruited or preserved from utter ruin unless it soon wins a victory. I have spent the most of this evening with Vanmaster at his office on the Avenue. Bouge came in (quite sober). He is the pink of assurance and self confidence, but poor and needy. Poor Bouge. Twenty years ago he was the (“nice young man” the Ladies Man in Lyons) now geting old, living as it were by chance, the wreck of his former self, the sad effects of “wine & women.” I have not been interupted by any calls today, have worked some & read a good deal.

Friday night, January 23d.

I am particularly happy to-day, for we have just heard from Brother for the first time since last July. And he is well, and happy, and wants us to come to him in New Orleans so he can take care of us, and no longer be so anxious for our safety. If we only could! –To be sure the letter is from a gentleman who is just out of the city, who says he writes at Brother’s earnest request; still it is something to hear, even indirectly. One hundred and fifty dollars he encloses with the request that mother will draw for any amount she wishes. Dear Brother, money is the least thing we need; first of all, we are dying for want of a home. If we could only see ours once more!

During this time we have heard incidentally of Brother; of his having taken the oath of allegiance – which I am confident he did not do until Butler’s October decree – of his being a prominent Union man, of his being a candidate for the Federal Congress, and of his withdrawal; and finally of his having gone to New York and Washington, from which places he only returned a few weeks since. That is all we ever heard. A very few people have been insolent enough to say to me, “Your brother is as good a Yankee as any.” My blood boils as I answer, “Let him be President Lincoln if he will, and I would love him the same.” And so I would. Politics cannot come between me and my father’s son. What he thinks right, is right, for him, though not for me. If he is for the Union, it is because he believes it to be in the right, and I honor him for acting from conviction, rather than from dread of public opinion. If he were to take up the sword against us to-morrow, Miriam and I, at least, would say, “If he thinks it his duty, he is right; we will not forget he is our father’s child.” And we will not. From that sad day when the sun was setting for the first time on our father’s grave, when the great, strong man sobbed in agony at the thought of what we had lost, and taking us both on his lap put his arms around us and said, “Dear little sisters, don’t cry; I will be father and brother, too, now,” he has been both. He respects our opinions, we shall respect his. I confess myself a rebel, body and soul. Confess? I glory in it! Am proud of being one; would not forego the title for any other earthly one! [continue reading…]

January 23.—The gentlemen had their friend, General Lovell, to spend last night with them. I was sorry not to be able to see more of him, as I was too sick to remain in the parlour, having been occupied night and day with my dear B., who has been again very dangerously ill, with erysipelas in his wound. We are troubled about our son J., who has just been ordered to North Carolina; but we have no right to complain, as his health is good, and his position has hitherto been very pleasant.

23rd. Friday. Minnie came down and played chess. In the evening met the boys at Fred’s and had a very sociable time. Went to church and heard Fred play on the organ–good.

Friday, 23d–We continued our journey again at daylight and by evening reached a point about ten miles above Vicksburg, where we drove our fleet ashore and remained on the boats all night. Fully seventy-five boats loaded with troops are assembled here, while the fleet of gunboats is lying in the river two miles below us. The country is very low here, the land on either side of the river being about twenty feet below the water in the river, which is kept within its banks by levees. The river is rising, and about three miles below us the levee on the Louisiana side has broken, and the land is being flooded.

JANUARY 23d.—The Northern papers are filled with what purports to be the intercepted correspondence of Mr. Benjamin with Messrs. Mason and Slidell. Lord John Russell is berated. The Emperor of France is charged with a design to seize Mexico as a colony, and to recognize Texas separately, making that State in effect a dependency, from which cotton may be procured as an offset to British India. He says the French Consuls in Texas are endeavoring to detach Texas from the Confederacy. If this be a genuine correspondence, it will injure the South; if it be false (if the allegations be false), it will still injure us. I have no doubt of its genuineness; and that Mr. Sanders, once the correspondent of the New York Tribune, was the bearer. If Texas leaves us, so may Louisiana—and the gigantic Houmas speculation may turn out well at last.

Mr. Curry has brought forward a copyright bill; Mr. Foster, of Alabama, has introduced a bill to abolish the passport system—leaving the matter to railroad conductors.

A dispatch from Gen. Bragg assures us that our cavalry are still capturing and destroying large amounts of Rosecrans’s stores on the Cumberland River.

Col. Wall has been elected Senator from New Jersey. They say he is still pale and ill from his imprisonment, for opinion sake. I hope he will speak as boldly in the Senate as out of it.

I met Gen. Davis to-day (the President’s nephew), just from Goldsborough, where his brigade is stationed. He is in fine plumage—and I hope he will prove a game-cock.

Major-Gen. French, in command at Petersburg, is a Northern man. Our native generals are brigadiers. It is amazing that all the superior officers in command near the capital should be Northern men. Can this be the influence of Gen. Cooper? It may prove disastrous!

Friday Jan’y 23^rd 1863

It has been quite pleasant today overhead but muddy and bad at the crossings of the streets. No particular news from the Army or from any other quarter. Congress seems disposed to meet Mr Chase^s views and I think that his financial scheme will be adopted in the main. That is for the Gov’^t to furnish the circulation for the whole country to give a uniform currency, and tax the present Bank circulation (Bills) out of existence. The Gov’^t would gain the interest on such circulation as it would be equivalent to a loan without interest. The people would gain from it the enormous am^t now paid for exchange, as the Gov^t Bills would be current everywhere and a legal tender, and to prevent any redu[n]dancy of circulation any surplus could be converted into 6 pr cent twenty year Gov^t Bonds. These Bonds would act like a Safty Valve to the circulation. I spent and hour or two at Doct Munsons with Mr & Mrs Bemis of Canandagua. Her husband is Lieut and stationed at one of the Forts near the City. His wife (Kate Adams) is on a visit to him. She is a very lovely woman, as she was an amiable girl. They endeavor to flatter me very much at Doct Munsons by speaking in very high terms of me almost before my face. Perhaps they feel all they say. They are certainly very good friends to me. Their company is rather more after my style than that which I am in – in this English house. But the people here do all they can to please me, and know how to set a good table. Met G W Scott of Newark NY today. He is in the State Department. Boards on NY Av^e. I must call there soon.

Thursday, 22.—Crossed another swamp one and one-half miles wide.

(Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)

Camp Reed, Jackson, Tenn.,
January 22, 1863.

I received your four-volume letter of the 5th, 12th, 13th inst. last night, and return you my sincere thanks for the time and writing material you expended in my behalf. I suppose that you now understand why you did not receive my letters.

You ask me how I like the news from Vicksburg. All right. That was only a little reconnoisance in force, which paid its way by gobbling up Arkansas post. We want to get these seceshers all together at Vicksburg and then close the war in this country. Wait about a month, if you want to hear a call for bombazine, etc. We’ll have that little town then, or a very large portion of the loyal people of Illinois will go to make that a very fertile point. By the way, aren’t you afraid that Rosecrans will get his hands full if it be true that Longstreet with 13 brigades has arrived at Chattanooga? Guess those Eastern Rebels must know better how to fight than Bragg, Price, Van Dorn, etc., at any rate I’m a little suspicious of that Longstreet and wish that one or two of these divisions here could be sent to oppose. Believe I would rather we would be whipped here than see “Rosy” beaten. There will be somebody awfully hurt though, before that latter item takes place, and Rosecrans himself will never live to read an account of it.

Staff appointments are nicer than the line business, but chance for promotion is not so great nor so honorable in my opinion. Although one does get more credit in reports, and has more influence. Anyway the chances for a captain to be detached on staff duty are very limited, and nearly always matters of outside influence. A first lieutenant’s chance on his merits are much better for several reasons. Officers are beginning to resign in a very lively manner in our regiment. Am satisfied that of the original captains, only Sid., Frank Post and myself will be left in two months from now, and I can see that both Sid. and Frank would not object to being let out gently and [continue reading…]

Thursday, 22d January.

What a rush of visitors last night! One would imagine they had all come by appointment, expressly to have an impromptu dance, which they certainly enjoyed, by the way. There was little Captain C––, the Susceptible and Simple, who so innocently says “I seen” and “I done it,” without the faintest suspicion of the peculiarity, and looks so sweet, and guileless, and amiable, and soft, that I can’t help wondering if he would be sticky if I touch him. Indeed, I think his hands stick, at least; for when he told me good-bye, it was with the greatest difficulty that I extracted mine from his grasp (he having forgotten to return it during a long farewell address), and even when I succeeded in recovering it, by being almost rude, it was not released without a very sensible pressure from the putty, or whatever it is that is so tenacious. I am afraid it is rather a habit of his, which has lost all force or meaning by being too frequently repeated. Then there was a horrid little wretch, vulgar and underbred (to my idea), to whom I was introduced as Mr. G––. . . . But here is Lieutenant Dupré, whom I have not yet introduced, though we have met before. Tall, good-looking, a fine form, and not a sparkling face, I am inclined to believe that his chief merit lies in his legs. Certainly when he dances he puts his best foot forward, and knows it, too. Miriam, who adores dancing, is flirting openly with this divinity of the “Deux Temps” and polka, and skims around with his arm about her (position sanctified by the lively air Lydia is dashing off on the piano) with a grace and lightness only equaled by his own. And Lieutenant Duggan, with his good, honest, clever face which so unmistakably proclaims him “Tom,” we know already, so no further description is needed. Captain Fenner, too, is well known, with his short, though graceful figure, his good-humored, intelligent face, irresistible imperial, and that roguish expression about that large mouth which displays such handsome teeth, and seems to say, “Don’t trust me too far.”

Little Captain C–– tells me a long story about how Colonel Steadman had come to him and asked if he believed it possible that Miss Morgan had put her life and happiness in the hands of a homoeopathic physician; how he considered her fate sealed; and what a shame it was to trifle with such a sad affair, at my age, too, ruined for life! It was dreadful! Too sad! Hereupon, as continuing the story, he remarks that being asked his opinion by the Colonel, he agreed perfectly and thought with him it was an appalling sacrifice, and oh, all sorts of things! Anything, just to make me miserable and unhappy! [continue reading…]