Bright and beautiful.
The tocsin was sounded this morning at daybreak, and the militia ordered to the
fortifications, to relieve some regiments of Longstreet's corps, posted on this
side of the river. These latter were hurried off to Petersburg, where a battle
is impending, I suppose, if not in progress.
A street rumor says
there was bloody fighting yesterday a little beyond Petersburg, near the South
Side Road, in which Gen. Pickett's division met with fearful loss, being
engaged with superior numbers. It is said the enemy's line of intrenchments was
carried once or twice, but was retaken, and remained in their hands.
I hear nothing of
all this at the department; but the absence of dispatches there is now
interpreted as bad news! Certain it is, the marching of veteran troops from the
defenses of Richmond, and replacing them hurriedly with militia, can only
indicate an emergency of alarming importance. A decisive struggle is probably
at hand—and may possibly be in progress while I write. Or there may be nothing
in it—more than a precautionary concentration to preserve our communications.
Mrs. Davis sold
nearly all her movables—including presents— before leaving the city. She sent
them to different stores.
An intense
excitement prevails, at 2 P.M. It pervaded the churches. Dr. Hoge intermitted
his services. Gen. Cooper and the President left their respective churches, St.
James's and St. Paul's. Dr. Minnegerode, before dismissing his congregation,
gave notice that Gen. Ewell desired the local forces to assemble at 3 P. M. and
afternoon services will not be held. The excited women in this neighborhood say
they have learned the city is to be evacuated to-night.
No doubt our army
sustained a serious blow yesterday; and Gen. Lee may not have troops sufficient
to defend both the city and the Danville Road at the same time.
It is true! The
enemy have broken through our lines and attained the South Side Road. Gen. Lee
has dispatched the Secretary to have everything in readiness to evacuate the
city to-night. The President told a lady that Lieut. Gen. Hardee was only
twelve miles distant, and might get up in time to save the day. But then
Sherman must be in his rear. There is no wild excitement—yet. Gen. Kemper was at the department looking for Gen. Ewell, and
told me he could find no one to apply to for orders. The banks will move
to-night. Eight trains are provided for the transportation of the archives,
etc. No provision for civil employees and their families.
At 6 P.M. I saw the
Hon. James Lyons, and asked him what he intended to do. He said many of his
friends advised him to leave, while his inclination was to remain with his sick
family. He said, being an original secessionist, his friends apprehended that
the Federals would arrest him the first man, and hang him. I told him I
differed with them, and believed his presence here might result in benefit to
the population.
Passing down Ninth
Street to the department, I observed quite a number of men—some in uniform, and
some of them officers—hurrying away with their trunks. I believe they are not
allowed to put them in the cars.
The Secretary of War
intends to leave at 8 P.M. this evening. The President and the rest of the
functionaries, I suppose, will leave at the same time.
I met Judge Campbell
in Ninth Street, talking rapidly to himself, with two books under his arm,
which he had been using in his office. He told me that the chiefs of bureaus
determined which clerks would have transportation-embracing only a small
proportion of them, which I found to be correct.
At the department I
learned that all who had families were advised to remain. No compulsion is seen
anywhere; even the artisans and mechanics of the government shops are left free
to choose to go or to stay.
A few squads of
local troops and reserves-guards—may be seen marching here and there. Perhaps
they are to burn the tobacco, cotton, etc., if indeed anything is to be burned.
Lee must have met
with an awful calamity. The President said to several ladies to-day he had
hopes of Hardee coming up in time to save Lee—else Richmond must succumb. He
said he had done his best, etc. to save it. Hardee is distant two or three
days' march.
The negroes stand
about mostly silent, as if wondering what will be their fate. They make no
demonstrations of joy.
Several hundred
prisoners were brought into the city this afternoon-captured yesterday. Why
they were brought here I am at a loss to conjecture. Why were they not paroled
and sent into the enemy's lines?
At night. All is yet
quiet. No explosion, no conflagration, no riots, etc. How long will this
continue? When will the enemy come?
It was after 2
o'clock P.M. before the purpose to evacuate the city was announced; and the
government had gone at 8 P.M.! Short notice! and small railroad facilities to
get away. All horses were impressed.
There is a report
that Lieut.-Gen. A. P. Hill was killed, and that Gen. Lee was wounded.
Doubtless it was a battle of great magnitude, wherein both sides had all their
forces engaged.
I remain here,
broken in health and bankrupt in fortune, awaiting my fate, whatever it may be.
I can do no more. If I could, I would.
SOURCE: John
Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate
States Capital, Volume 2, p. 465-7
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