The enemy are advancing across the Rappahannock, and the
heavy skirmishing which precedes a battle has begun. We are sending up troops
and supplies with all possible expedition. Decisive events are looked for in a few
days. But if all of Longstreet's corps be sent up, we leave the southern
approach to the city but weakly defended. Hooker must have overwhelming
numbers, else he would not venture to advance in the face of Lee's army! Can he
believe the silly tale about our troops being sent from Virginia to the
Carolinas? If so, he will repent his error.
We hear of fighting in Northwestern Virginia and in
Louisiana, but know not the result. The enemy have in possession all of Louisiana
west of the Mississippi River. This is bad for us, — sugar and salt will be
scarcer still. At Grand Gulf our batteries have repulsed their gun-boats, but
the battle is to be renewed.
The railroad presidents have met in this city, and
ascertained that to keep the tracks in order for military purposes, 49,500 tons
of rails must be manufactured per annum, and that the Tredegar Works here, and
the works at Atlanta, cannot produce more than 20,000 tons per annum, even if
engaged exclusively in that work They say that neither individual nor
incorporated companies will suffice. The government must manufacture iron or
the roads must fail!
A cheering letter was received from Gov. Vance to-day, stating
that, upon examination, the State (North Carolina) contains a much larger
supply of meat and grain than was supposed. The State Government will, in a week
or so, turn over to the Confederate Government 250,000 pounds of bacon, and a quantity
of corn; and as speculators are driven out of the market, the Confederate States
agents will be able to purchase large supplies from the people, who really have
a considerable surplus of provisions. He attributes this auspicious state of things
to the cessation of arbitrary impressments.
SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's
Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 302-3
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