No news from any quarter, except the continued bombardment
of the debris of Fort Sumter, and the killing and wounding of some 10 or 12 men
there — but that is not news.
There is a pause, — a sort of holding of the breath of the
people, as if some event of note was expected. The prices of food and fuel are
far above the purses of all except speculators, and an explosion must happen
soon, of some sort. People will not perish for food in the midst of plenty.
The press, a portion rather, praises the President for his
carefulness in making a tour of the armies and ports south of us; but as he
retained Gen. Bragg in command, how soon the tune would change if Bragg should
meet with disaster!
Night before last some of the prisoners on Belle Isle (we
have some 13,000 altogether in and near the city) were overheard by the guard
to say they must escape immediately, or else it would be too late, as cannon
were to be planted around them. Our authorities took the alarm, and increasing
the guard, did plant cannon so as to rake them in every direction in the event
of their breaking out of their prison bounds. It is suspected that this was a
preconcerted affair, as a full division of the enemy has been sent to Newport
News, probably to co-operate with the prisoners. Any attempt now must fail,
unless, indeed, there should be a large number of Union sympathizers in the
city to assist them.
Several weeks ago it was predicted in the Northern papers
that Richmond would be taken in some mysterious manner, and that there was a
plan for the prisoners of war to seize it by a coup de main, may be
probable. But the scheme was impracticable. What may be the condition of the
city, and the action of the people a few weeks hence, if relief be not afforded
by the government, I am afraid to conjecture. The croakers say five millions of
“greenbacks,” and cargoes of provisions, might be more effectual in expelling
the Confederate Government and restoring that of the United States than all of
Meade's army. And this, too, they allege, when there is abundance in the
country. Many seem to place no value on the only money we have in circulation.
The grasping farmers refuse to get out their grain, saying they have as much
Confederate money as they want, and the government seems determined to permit
the perishable tithes to perish rather than allow the famishing people to
consume them. Surely, say the croakers, such a policy cannot achieve
independence. No, it must be speedily changed, or else worse calamities await
us than any we have experienced.
Old Gen. Duff Green, after making many fortunes and losing
them, it seems, is to die poor at last, and he is now nearly eighty years old.
Last year he made a large contract to furnish the government with iron, his
works being in Tennessee, whence he has been driven by the enemy. And now he
says the depreciation of the money will make the cost of producing the iron
twice as much as he will get for it. And worse, he has bought a large lot of
sugar which would have realized a large profit, but the commissary agent has
impressed it, and will not pay him cost for it. All he can do is to get a small
portion of it back for the consumption of his employees, provided he returns to
Tennessee and fulfills his iron contract.
SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's
Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 2, p.
91-2
No comments:
Post a Comment