Brigadier-General John A. Rawlins to Mary Emeline Hurlburt Rawlins, February 3, 1864

Nashville, Feb. 3, 1864.

. . . General Grant reached Louisville yesterday afternoon and despatched me he would not come on here till Friday unless it was absolutely necessary. I replied to him that important matters demanded his attention here, to which I have received no answer, and infer he is on his way. The train is behind time, and will not arrive before twelve o'clock to-night. Here is his proper place, and his country and friends may rest assured he will never be absent by any counseling of of mine, while I maintain my present official relations to him.

I received last evening an answer from the Honorable E. B. Washburne to my letter to him dated 20th ultimo, in which he says, after speaking of the efforts he made to see me while in New York: “It would have given me great pleasure to have made my congratulations to you and your wife personally. I communicate them to you now and through you to Mrs. Rawlins. I would always be willing to underwrite for a Connecticut girl at a very small rate of premium.” He adds: “The bill creating a Lieutenant Generalcy is sure to become a law and that General Grant will be the hero honored with the rank thus created.” If so, I may if I desire it no doubt obtain a prominent position in the army, but as I now view things I shall seek for no situation in that direction. To be at home with wife and children is the highest ambition of my life.

. . . Everything is quiet, no reports of alarm or threatened movements of the enemy from any part of our long-extended lines to-day. Major General Schofield, late of the Department of Missouri, has been assigned to command the Department of the Ohio. He relieved General Foster, and I hope he may prove competent for his new place. Knoxville is his headquarters and his position is the most difficult of any in the country. He went forward to-day.

Adjutant General Lorenzo Thomas, whom you met at Vicksburg, and one of his sons, also passed on from here to-day for Knoxville. He did not congratulate me on my new relations. I suppose he is past the age of thinking of these civilities. He is, however, the first of many of my army acquaintances, who had had the pleasure of seeing you, that overlooked this civility. The General was very cordial in his greetings, however, and I have no doubt it was meeting so many here that caused him to neglect the matter alluded to.

SOURCE: James H. Wilson, The Life of John A. Rawlins, p. 394-5

Affairs at St. Louis -- Vigorous Measures of Gen. Halleck

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 24. – Several of the Secessionists of this city who were recently assessed for the benefit of the South western fugitives by order of Gen. Halleck, having failed to pay their assessments, their property has been seized within a day or two past, under execution to satisfy the assessment with 25 per cent additional, according to General Order No. 24.

Samuel Eugler a prominent merchant and one of the assessed had a writ replevin  served on the Provost Marshal General for property seized from him, whereupon he and his Attorney, Nathaniel Cox, were arrested and lodged in the military prison.  To-day Gen. Halleck issued an order directing the Provost Marshal General to send the said Eugler beyond the limits of the department of Missouri and notify him not to return without permission from the Commanding General, under the penalty of being punished according to the laws of war.  Gen. Halleck also adds: Martial Law having been declared in this city by authority of the President of the United States all civil authorities of whatsoever name or office are hereby notified that any attempt on their part to interfere with the execution of any order served from these head quarters or impede, molest or trouble any officer duly appointed to carry such order into effect, will be regarded as a military offense and punished accordingly.  The Provost Marshal General will arrest each and every person of whatever rank or office, who attempts in any way to prevent or interfere with the execution of any order issued from these Head Quarters.  He will call upon the Commanding Officer of the Department of St. Louis for any military assistance he may require.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 1, 1862, p. 4

Washington News

WASHINGTON, March 26. – The amendments thus far made to the tax bill are not decisive, but, needing the action of the Committee of the Whole, the House having finally to act on them.  It is believed Congress will, in conformity with the proposed bill by the Secretary of the Treasury, increase the tax on tobacco, whiskey and other luxuries.  The hasty clause taxing the stock of whiskey now in the hands of dealers, will probably be reconsidered.  The bill with this clause stricken out will be uniform and more acceptable.

WASHINGTON, March 27. – The causes which prevented a safe conveyance of the mails and the collection of revenues upon the route from Jefferson City to Tuscumbia having been removed, the Postmaster-General has ordered the restoration of full service.

The bill to secure the officers and men actually employed in the Western Department or Department of Missouri their pay, bounty and pensions is now law.

(Special to Commercial Advertiser.)

WASHINGTON, March 27. – News has been received at the Navy Department confirming the statement that the Merrimac is again ready for sea.

Lieut. Jeffries, of the Monitor, sent word up this morning to Capt. James Green that he had no fears of the result of the next contest.

The House of Representatives will strike off the tax on liquors manufactured previous to the first of May.

The Committee of Ways and Means agree to modify the taxes on leather made from hides imported from east of the Cape of Good Hope, and on all damaged leather to half cent per pound; all other hemlock, sole and rough leather is to pay three-quarters of a cent per pound; all leather tanned in part or in whole with oak to pay one cent.

The Republican to-day has positive information that the Democratic caucus night before last agreed to oppose the President’s emancipation plan and favor McClellan’s war policy, which is for a short and desperate, and for our glorious Union as a whole.  This is emphatically Mr. Lincoln’s war policy.

As soon as the bill making appropriations for the Navy comes up in the Senate amendments will be adopted to complete the Stevens battery and for the construction of a number of iron-clad vessels of war.

Secretary Welles is asking congress for thirty millions of dollars to make arion-clad ships and heavy ordnance.

Gen. Adam Duria has arrived here from Baltimore and will act under orders of General Wadsworth.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 29, 1862, p. 3