Rained all night;
clearing away this morning. Warm. Nothing positive from Sherman, Grant, or
Sheridan. The enemy's papers say Gen. Early and 18,000 men were captured—which
is nonsense.
Yesterday the Senate
passed the Negro troops bill—Mr. Hunter voting for it under instructions.
The enemy did
capture or destroy the tobacco sent to Fredericksburg by the speculators to
exchange for bacon—and 31 cars were burned. No one regrets this, so far as the
speculators are concerned.
Letters from North
Carolina state that the country is swarming with deserters—perhaps many
supposed to be deserters are furloughed soldiers just exchanged. It is stated
that there are 800 in Randolph County, committing depredations on the rich
farmers, etc.; and that the quartermaster and commissary stores at
Greensborough are threatened.
Meal is selling at
$2 per pound, or $100 per bushel, to-day. Bacon, $13 per pound.
Two P.M. Cloudy, and
prospect of more rain. It is quite warm. A great many officers are here on
leave from Lee's army-all operations being, probably, interdicted by the mud
and swollen streams. Sheridan failed to cross to the south side of James River,
it being certainly his intention to cross and form a junction with Grant, cutting
the Danville and South Side Roads on his way.
I saw Mr. Benjamin
to-day without his usual smile. He is not at ease. The country demands a change
of men in the cabinet, and he is the most obnoxious of all.
Again, there is a
rumor of peace negotiations. All men know that no peace can be negotiated
except for reconstruction—and, I suppose, emancipation.
SOURCE: John
Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate
States Capital, Volume 2, p. 444
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