Culpepper C. H., Va., April 17, 1864.
. . . I do hope soon for settled weather and the
commencement of active operations. I begin to feel that quite now is more
advantageous to the enemy than to us. Already there are indications that Lee's
army will be strengthened from Johnston's. One battalion and one regiment of
regulars have already gone from the latter to the former. If such is the case
it will be the policy of Lee to take the initiative and defeat this army before
Sherman is able to move against Johnston. Unless he does this, his reenforcing
his army from Johnston's would only expose the latter to certain defeat by
Sherman. At any rate I am anxious for a move as soon as the roads will permit
it.1
Oh, how terribly our Government stands in its own light in
not enforcing the conscription law. If it had done this last January we should
now have at least 200,000 additional men in the field, and an army would be at
General Grant's command that could not be successfully opposed in any quarter. But
why talk over these things? Plain as they are, they have been unheeded, and
to-day we have no more force than the enemy is able to oppose to us, and our
liberties are still left to be decided by the skill of contending Generals
instead of by the great superiority of our resources in materials and more
especially in men. God has been most merciful to us as a people. He has
preserved us this far, in spite of ourselves, from overthrow and utter ruin. We
certainly have not helped ourselves as we might have done. In God therefore
patriots must put their trust. I have great and abiding faith in our final
triumph. I believe General Grant's plans in the coming campaign will win. Still
it might have been put beyond the possibility of doubt by enforcing the draft.
. . .
My cough is still getting better and my appetite is being
restored. Unless I do get much better I cannot think of trying to remain here,
for I had better quit the service than to permanently injure my health.
Permanent injury of my lungs would of course be certain death; this, however, I
do not seriously apprehend. . . .
_______________
1 On the Chattanooga-Atlanta line.
SOURCE: James H. Wilson, The Life of John A. Rawlins,
p. 418-9
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