Gen. Lee telegraphed last night that our cavalry had routed
the enemy's horse on Monday, capturing some 200, etc. etc.
The Legislature passed a series of resolutions yesterday,
requesting the Secretary of War to impress free negroes for the public works;
to detail the 2d class militia (over 45); and to order into the ranks the
thousands of detailed soldiers and conscripts seen everywhere. The report of a
committee states that conscripts and soldiers pay bonuses to contractors to
have them detailed, and then they furnish negroes as substitutes to perform the
work, engaging themselves in speculation. Also that one-third of the conscripts
of one county have been detailed to get wood for certain iron works which have
a year's supply on hand! Surely the Secretary will attend to this.
There is a row about passports. It appears that Judge
Campbell and Gen. Winder are competitors in the business. Judge O. yesterday
remarked that, at Gen. Winder's office, he understood a passport could be
bought for $100; and this was repeated by Mr. Kean, the young Chief of the
Bureau, and it somehow reached the ears of Gen. Winder. Perhaps Judge C. reported
the fact of his belief to Mr. Secretary Seddon, who had ceased to grant any
himself (to the United States), and of course was not aware of the great number
his assistant, much less Gen. W., issued; and if so, it is probable he called
Gen. W. to an account. The general, in a rage, charged Mr. Kean with the
propagation of a damaging report. Mr. K. said he heard Mr. Chapman (a clerk)
say so — and so off they started in pursuit of Chapman, who could not be found
up to 3 P.m. By to-morrow Gen. W. may hear of Judge Campbell's remarks and
agency, and a pretty kettle of fish they will have, if Judge C.'s record be
brought to the notice of the Secretary! It is all wrong, and if the business be
not better regulated or terminated, it will terminate the government. Gen.
Lee's reputation as a great captain will be ruined, if the blockade-runners be
allowed to continue to give information to the enemy of all his movements.
SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's
Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 2, p.
77-8
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