Warm and cloudy.
Quiet below.
The President was
reported better, yesterday, to my wife, who called.
It is said Gen.
Cooper, R. Ould, etc. etc. have never taken their compensation in Confederate
States Treasury notes, hoping at a future day (which may not come) to draw
specie or its equivalent!
It was reported on
the streets, to-day, that the President was dead. He is much better; and will
probably be at his office today.
The following
telegram was sent over by the President this morning:
"SAVANNAH,
GA., December 16th, 1864.—Sherman has secured a water base, and Foster, who is
already nearly on my communications, can be safely and expeditiously
reinforced. Unless assured that force sufficient to keep open my communications
can be sent me, I shall be compelled to evacuate Savannah.—W. J. HARDEE,
Lieut.-Gen."
Alas for President
Davis's government! It is now in a painful strait. If reinforcements be sent
from here, both Savannah and Richmond may fall. Gen. Bragg will be crucified by
the enemies of the President, for staying at Augusta while Sherman made his
triumphant march through Georgia; and the President's party will make
Beauregard the scape-goat, for staying at Charleston for sending Hood North—which
I am inclined to think he did not do, but the government itself.
Capt. Weiniger
(government clothing warehouse) employs about 4000 females on soldiers'
clothes.
Some people still
believe the President is dead, and that it is attempted to conceal his death by
saying he is better, etc. I saw his indorsements on papers, to-day, dated the
15th, day before yesterday, and it was a bold hand. I am inclined almost to
believe he has not been sick at all! His death would excite sympathy and now his
enemies are assailing him bitterly, attributing all our misfortunes to his
incompetence, etc. etc.
SOURC E: John
Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate
States Capital, Volume 2, p. 356-7
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