A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital Part 96

A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital Part 96

The Secretary of War intimates that these clerks are kept out by Gen. R.

B. Lee.

The superintendent of the Central Railroad informed the Secretary of War to-day that the road would be reopened to Staunton on Thursday (day after to-morrow), such is the slight damage done by the enemy. He asks that the bridge near Hanover Junction be defended, that being the only part of the road that can be much injured by a small raiding party. And he don't want the papers to say anything about the reopening of the road.

The news from the North, that Congress has refused to repeal the $300 clause in their military bill--allowing drafted men to buy out at $300 each--and the rise of gold to $2.30 for $1--together with the apparent or real _inertia_ of Grant, seem to inspire great confidence in our people to-day. They think the worst is really over, and so do I.

My little garden, during the month of June, has saved me $150. A single cabbage head to-day in market was sold for $10. Although the joint salaries of Custis and myself amount now to $8000 per annum, we have the greatest difficulty to subsist. I hope we shall speedily have better times, and I think, unless some terrible misfortune happens to our arms, the invader will surely be soon hurled from our soil. What President Lincoln came to Grant for is merely conjecture--unquestionably _he_ could not suggest any military enterprise more to our detriment than would occur to his generals.

JUNE 29TH.--Clear and cool--afterward hazy.

"MARIETTA, June 27th.

"GENERAL BRAXTON BRAGG.

"The enemy advanced on our whole line to-day. They a.s.saulted French, Cheatham, Cleburn, Stevenson, and Quarles, by whom they were repulsed.

"On the rest of the line the skirmishing was severe.

"Their loss is supposed to be great. Ours is known to be small. J. E. JOHNSTON, _General_."

The dispatch from Gen. Johnston gives an encouraging account of the fight in Georgia. But a dispatch from the West states that reinforcements (20,000) for Sherman's army are marching from La Grange.

It is reported and believed that Gen. Early, at the head of 25,000 men, marched out of Staunton on Monday _toward the North_. I hope it may not prove a recruiting measure for Lincoln!

A good deal of firing (cannon) was heard down the river this morning.

Judge Campbell is again "allowing" many persons to pa.s.s into the United States.

JUNE 30TH.--Clear and cool--afterward warm and cloudy.

Our people are made wild with joy to-day, upon hearing of the capture of a whole brigade of the raiders on the south side, the same that have been tearing up the Danville Road. The details, with Gen. Lee's dispatch, will be in the paper to-morrow. It is said we have the general commanding the raid, etc.

Judge Reagan said to me to-day, when I told him the news, his dark eye flashing, that sooner or later, but inevitably, these raiders must be _killed_, and not captured. And Mr. Seddon says he was always in favor of fighting under the black flag; but, I believe, he never proposed it.

CHAPTER XL.

Gen. Lee's dispatch announcing Gen. Hampton's victory.--Cost of a cup of coffee.--From Gens. Johnston and S. D. Lee.--Gen. Early in Maryland.

Rumored capture of Baltimore.--Letter from Gen. Lee.--Dispatch from Gen. Hood.--Status of the local troops.

JULY 1ST.--Clear, hot, and dry; my snap beans, corn, etc. burning up.

The papers this morning fail to confirm the capture of as many prisoners, near Petersburg, as were reported yesterday. But the dispatch (subjoined) of Gen. Lee renders it certain that the enemy was routed.

There is a suspicion that our exasperated men _refused quarter_ to some hundreds of the raiders, on the plea that they ravish, murder, burn, pillage, etc. It may be so.

"HEADQUARTERS ARMY NORTHERN VIRGINIA,

"June 29th, 1864--8.30 P.M.

"HON. SECRETARY OF WAR.

"SIR:--Gen. Hampton reports that he attacked the enemy's cavalry yesterday afternoon, on their return from Staunton River bridge, this side of Sappony Church, and drove them beyond that point.

"The fight continued during the night, and at daylight this morning he turned their left and routed them.

"When they reached Ream's Station, they were confronted by a portion of Mahone's division, who attacked them in front, while their left flank was turned by Gen. Fitz Lee's cavalry.

"The enemy was completely routed, and several pieces of artillery, with a number of prisoners, wagons, ambulances, etc., captured. The cavalry are in pursuit.

"R. E. LEE, _General_."

Gen. Early, with perhaps 10,000 men, is believed to be in Winchester to-day. He will probably be soon playing havoc with the enemy's railroads, stores, etc., and perhaps may threaten Washington or Harrisburg, or both; and so have Grant called off from his "siege of Richmond."

We were paid our salaries yesterday, and Custis, after his campaign and his sickness, resolved on a little indulgence. So he had a couple of small saucers of ice-cream--one for his mother, costing $6; quarter pound of coffee and two pounds of sugar, $25; and to-day a rice pudding, two pounds of rice, $5; one pound of sugar, $10; two quarts of milk, $5; total, $51!

Col. Shields, Commandant of Conscripts, etc., informed me to-day that he received only yesterday the order to proceed to the enrollment of Maryland and foreign residents. Thus the express orders of the President are delayed in the execution, and in such an exigency as this! I know Judge Campbell, a.s.sistant Secretary of War, more than a year ago, attempted to interpose grave const.i.tutional obstacles; but surely he can hardly have had the temerity to thwart the President's wishes, so plainly expressed. Nevertheless, the delay has been caused by some one; and Col. S. has apprehensions that some wheel within a wheel will even now embarra.s.s or defeat the effective execution of the order.

Brig.-Gen. Gardner, successor of Brig.-Gen. Winder, has not yet a.s.sumed supervision of the pa.s.sport business, and it remains in the hands of Judge Campbell and Provost Marshal Carrington. Very many persons are going to the United States via the Potomac.

JULY 2D.--Hot and dry.

A dispatch from Gen. Lee (will be published on Monday) says Gen.

Beauregard reports the number of prisoners taken from Wilson's south side raiding party about 1000, besides the killed and wounded, and several hundred negroes recaptured, 13 guns, many small arms, wagons, etc. It is said the killed and wounded amount to 1500, of whom there are not exceeding 300 of the latter, _leaving_ 1200 _killed_.

Gen. Morgan has got back to Western Virginia with 1800 men, having lost but 200. He did not fight a battle with Gen. Burbridge at all; hence the Federal account of Morgan's defeat was without foundation. Morgan will probably soon be in Maryland and Pennsylvania, attending to the enemy's railroads, bridges, mills, etc.

The President said (so reported) to Dr. Garnett, yesterday, he hoped to hear of no more raids, since the last fared so badly.

I drank two cups of coffee this morning, which seem to have had an extraordinary effect upon my strength, activity, and spirits; and indeed the belief that the discontinuance of the use of this beverage, about two years ago, may have caused the diminution of all. I am; and have long been, as poor as a church mouse. But the coffee (having in it sugar and cream) cost about a dollar each cup, and cannot be indulged in hereafter more than once a week. We had also boiled beans to-day, followed by fritters, the cherries from our garden, with sugar-sauce.

This the family consider a sumptuous dinner--with no meat!

JULY 3D.--Clear and dry; pleasant temperature.

I learn that Petersburg has not been much injured by the enemy's batteries, and that Gen. Lee has ordered the casting of mortars for use immediately.

To-morrow being the anniversary of the surrender of Vicksburg to Grant, I should not be surprised if that general let off some fire-works, not only in commemoration of that event, but in pursuance of some desperate enterprise against Richmond. I don't see how he can feel any veneration for the day of Independence for the "rebels" of 1776, without sympathy for the "rebels" of 1864, struggling also for independence.

After the failure of the enemy's next move, I think the tempest of war will rapidly abate. Nearly every movement in this (I think final) effort to capture Richmond has failed. Sheridan failed to destroy the Central, Hunter the South Side, and Wilson the Danville Railroad--each losing about half his men and horses. Grant himself, so far, has but "swung round" a wall of steel, losing 100,000 men, and only gaining a position on the James River which he might have occupied without any loss. On the other hand, Lee wields a larger army than he began with, and better armed, clothed, and fed.

This _ought_ to end the vain attempt at subjugation. But if not, the Confederate States, under the new policy (defensive), might maintain the contest against a half million of invaders. Our crop of wheat is abundant, and the harvest _over_; our communications will be all re-established in a few days, and the people being armed and drilled everywhere, the enemy's raiders will soon be checked in _any_ locality they may select as the scene of operations. All the bridges will be defended with fortifications. Besides, Lee is gathering rapidly an army on the Potomac, and may not only menace the enemy's capital, but _take_ it. Early and Breckinridge, Imboden and Morgan, may be at this moment inflicting more serious injury on the enemy's railroads and ca.n.a.ls than we have sustained in Virginia. And it is certain the stores of the Federal army in Georgia have been captured or destroyed to a very serious extent.

Still, in this hour of dest.i.tution and suffering among certain cla.s.ses of the people, we see _no beggars_ in the streets.

Likewise, notwithstanding the raiding parties penetrate far in the rear of our armies, there has been no instance of an attempt on the part of the slaves to rise in insurrection.

JULY 4TH.--Cloudy, but still hot and dry.