Letters from Georgia to-day assure the government that the
grain crops of that State will afford a surplus sufficient for the army,
cavalry and all, for 12 months.
Also one from P. Clayton, late Assistant Secretary of the
Treasury, censuring the commissary agents in Georgia, who are sent thither from
other States, who insult the farmers and encourage speculation.
Mr. Memminger is shipping gold from Wilmington, $20,000 by
each steamer, to Bermuda and Nassau. Why is this? Cotton is quite as good as
gold, and there are thousands of millions worth of that in the country, which
Mr. Memminger might buy, certainly might have bought for Confederate notes,
but, in his peculiar wisdom, he would not And now, the great financier is
shipping gold out of the country, thinking, perhaps, it may arrest the
depreciation of paper money!
Col. Northrop, Commissary-General, is still urging a
diminution of rations, and as our soldiers taken by the enemy fare badly in the
North, and as the enemy make a point of destroying all the crops they can when
they invade us, and even destroy our agricultural implements and teams, he
proposes, in retaliation, to stop meat rations altogether to prisoners in our
hands, and give them instead oat gruel, corn-meal gruel, and pea soup, soft
hominy, and bread. This the Secretary will not agree to, because the law says
they shall have the same as our troops.
I read to-day Gen. Lee's report of his operations (an
outline) in June and July, embracing his campaign in Maryland and Pennsylvania.
The enemy could not be attacked advantageously opposite
Fredericksburg, and hence he determined to draw him out of his position by
relieving the lower valley of the Shenandoah, and, if practicable, transfer the
scene of hostilities north of the Potomac.
The movement began on the 3d of June. The divisions of
McLaws and Hood (Longstreet's) marched for Culpepper C. H. They were followed
on the 4th and 5th by Ewell's corps, A. P. Hill's still occupying our lines at
Fredericksburg.
When the enemy discovered the movement (on the 5th), he sent
an army corps across the Rappahannock, but this did not arrest Longstreet and
Ewell, who reached Culpepper C. H. on the 8th, where they found Gen. Stuart and
his cavalry. On the 9th the enemy's cavalry and a strong force of infantry crossed
the Rappahannock and attacked Gen. Stuart, but they were beaten back, after
fighting all day, with heavy loss, including 400 prisoners, 3 pieces artillery,
and several colors.
Gens. Jenkins and Imboden had been sent in advance, the
latter against Romney, to cover the former's movement against Winchester, and
both were in position when Ewell left Culpepper C. H. on the 16th.
Gen. Early stormed the enemy's works at Winchester on the
14th, and the whole army of Milroy was captured or dispersed.
Gen. Rhodes, on the same day, took Martinsburg, Va.,
capturing 700 prisoners, 5 pieces artillery, and a large supply of stores.
More than 4000 prisoners were taken at Winchester; 29 pieces
artillery; 270 wagons and ambulances; 400 horses, besides a large amount of
military stores.
Precisely at this time the enemy disappeared from
Fredericksburg, seemingly designing to take a position to cover Washington.
Gen. Stuart, in several engagements, took 400 more
prisoners, etc.
Meantime, Gen. Ewell, with Gen. Jenkins's cavalry, etc.,
penetrated Maryland, and Pennsylvania as far as Chambersburg.
On the 24th, Lt-Gens. Longstreet and Hill marched to the
Potomac, the former crossing at Williamsport and the latter at Shepherdstown,
uniting at Hagerstown, Md., advancing into Pennsylvania, and encamping near
Chambersburg on the 27th. Ewell's corps advanced as far as York and Carlisle,
to keep the enemy out of the mountains, and to keep our communications open.
Gen. Imboden destroyed all the important bridges of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad from Martinsburg to Cumberland, damaging the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.
Preparations were made to march upon Harrisburg, when
information was received of the approach of the army of the enemy, menacing
communications with the Potomac, necessitating a concentration of our army at
Gettysburg.
Hill became engaged with a superior force of the enemy on
the 1st July, but Ewell, coming up by the Harrisburg road, participated in the
engagement, and the enemy were driven through Gettysburg with heavy loss,
including about 5000 prisoners and several pieces of artillery.
The enemy retired to a high range of hills, south and east
of the town.
On the 2d, Gen. Ewell occupied the left, Gen. Hill the
center, and Gen. Longstreet the right.
Longstreet got possession of the enemy's position in front
of his corps after a severe struggle; Ewell also carried some strong positions.
The battle ceased at dark.
The next day, 3d July, our batteries were moved forward to
the positions we had gained, and it was determined to renew the attack.
Meantime the enemy had strengthened his line. The battle
raged with great violence in the afternoon, until sunset. We got possession of
some of the enemy's batteries, but our ammunition failing, our troops were compelled
to relinquish them, and fall back to their original position with severe loss.
Our troops (the general says) behaved well in the protracted
and sanguinary conflict, accomplishing all that was practicable.
The strong position of the enemy, and reduction of his
ammunition, rendered it inexpedient for Gen. Lee to continue longer where he
was. Such of the wounded as could be moved, and part of the arms collected on
the field, were ordered to Williamsport.
His army remained at Gettysburg during the 4th, and began to
retire at night, taking with it about 4000 prisoners, nearly 2000 having been
previously paroled. The enemy's wounded that fell into his hands were left
behind.
He reached Williamsport without molestation, losing but few
wagons, etc., and arrived at Hagerstown 7th July.
The Potomac was much swollen by recent rains, that had
fallen incessantly ever since he had crossed it, and was unfordable.
The enemy had not yet appeared, until the 12th, when,
instead of attacking, Meade fortified his lines.
On the 13th Gen. Lee crossed at Falling Waters, the river
subsiding, by fords and a bridge, without loss, the enemy making no
interruption. Only some stragglers, sleeping, fell into the hands of the enemy.
SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's
Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 2, p. 10-13
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