There is nothing new from any of the armies, except that my
old friend, Gen. Rains, sent to Mississippi, stopped and stampeded Grant's
army, after Johnston retreated from Jackson, with his "subterra
batteries." It appears that hundreds of the enemy and their horses were
killed and wounded by the shells planted by him beneath the surface of the
earth, and which ignited under the pressure of their weight. They knew not
where to go to avoid them, and so they retreated to Vicksburg. This invention
may become a terror to all invading.
A letter received some days ago from a Mr. Bible, in
Georgia, proposing to contribute one-quarter of his slaves as teamsters, cooks,
etc. for the army, came back from the President, to-day, approved, with
directions to quartermasters to employ in such capacities all that could be
procured.
Col. Myers, the Quartermaster-General, who is charged with
saying “Let them suffer,” when the soldiers wanted blankets last winter, is to
go out of office at last — to be succeeded by Brig.-Gen. Lawton.
Oak-wood is selling to-day for $35 per cord; coal, $25 per
cartload; and flour, $45 per barrel. Mr. Warwick, however, sells any family one
barrel for $34. I got one from him, and the promise of another for $33 — from
Commissary Warner; and I hope to get two loads of coal, under the navy
contract, at $20 each. There is much excitement against the speculators in food
and fuel — and some harsh proceeding may ensue.
The Tribune (New York) now says no terms will be
listened to so long as we are in arms. We will not yield our arms but with life
— and this insures independence.
SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's
Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 2, p. 8-9
No comments:
Post a Comment