Bright and cool;
some frost this morning.
I saw an officer
yesterday from Early's command. He said the enemy entered Charlottesville on
Friday at half-past two o'clock P.M., between 2000 and 3000 strong, cavalry,
and had made no advance at the latest accounts. He says Gen. Early, when last
seen, was flying, and pursued by some fifteen well-mounted Federals, only fifty
paces in his rear. The general being a large heavy man, and badly mounted, was
undoubtedly captured. He intimated that Early's army consisted of only about
1000 men! Whether he had more elsewhere, I was unable to learn. I have not
heard of any destruction of property by the enemy.
There is still an
accredited rumor of the defeat of Sherman. Perhaps he may have been checked,
and turned toward his supplies on the coast.
I learn by a paper
from Gen. Gorgas, Chief of Ordnance, that the machinery of the workshops here
is being moved to Danville, Salisbury, and other places in North Carolina. He
recommends that transportation be given the families of the operatives; and
that houses be built for them, with permission to buy subsistence at government
prices, for twelve months, that the mechanics may be contented and kept from
deserting. This would rid the city of some thousands of its population, and be
some measure of relief to those that remain. But how long will we be allowed to
remain? All depends upon the operations in the field during the next few weeks—and
these may depend upon the wisdom of those in possession of the government,
which is now at a discount.
The Secretary of the
Treasury is selling gold for Confederate States notes for reissue to meet
pressing demands; the machinery for manufacturing paper money having just at
present no certain abiding place. The government gives $1 of gold for sixty of
its own paper; but were it to cease selling gold, it would command $100 for $1.
SOURCE: John
Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate
States Capital, Volume 2, p. 440
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