Senator John C. Calhoun to Thomas G. Clemson, April 11, 1847

Fort Hill 11th April 1847

MY DEAR SIR, . . . The spring has been very backward; but the weather has been warm and dry since the commencement of the month, and vegitation has pushed forward with great rapidity. The woods begin to assume their summer garb, and every thing seems gay and cheerful. This morning is a lovely one, of the most agreeable temperature. The birds are sending up their joyous notes in every direction. We, however, begin to want rain, to bring up our corn and cotton, and give vigour to the growth of small grain.

As to politicks, things as yet, continue much as they have been, when I last wrote you. Ritchie continues his abuse, to which I have no objection. He has been long my secret foe, he is now an open and bitter one. Whatever impression he may make against me for the time, will in a short time react. I do not think, that there is the slightest prospect, that the old Hunkers of which he is the Organ, can ever again be resuscitated. They are incredibly corrupt; — alike destitute of honor or honesty. They know, that I have sustained the democratick party for the last ten years, and that without my support, they would have been prostrated forever by the explosion of 1837. They know, that my support has been of the most disinterested character; and yet they hate me, with a deeper hatred, than what they do, their professed opponents, simply because of my opposition to the spoils principle and the caucus Machinery, the only cohesive power, that holds them together. But their days are numbered, and they see it; and hence the gnashing of the teeth, and bitter curses. I take it with perfect calmness. They shall have more cause for Wailling before I am done. The last session is but the prelude to the next, when the day of reconing will commence.

SOURCE: J. Franklin Jameson, Editor, Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1899, Volume II, Calhoun’s Correspondence: Fourth Annual Report of the Historical Manuscripts Commission, Correspondence of John C. Calhoun, p. 726

Senator John C. Calhoun to Anna Calhoun Clemson, June 10, 1847

Fort Hill 10th June 1847

MY DEAR ANNA, If I have not written you more frequently, it is because Cornelia and your Mother write you constantly, and that for the last several packets, it has been necessary for me to write to Mr Clemson, in reply to his letters and on business.

It happens, for the first [time] for a considerable period, that there was no subject, which required I should write to him, and that your letter to me, was the only one received from Brussels by the packet before the last. The last steamer which sailed took no letter from us to either of you, as we were absent in Abbeville in attendance on Kate Townes Wedding. I think she has done well; but as Cornelia sends a long letter to you, in company with this, I take it for granted, she will be very full in her narative about the wedding and all that relates to our visit to Abbeville, so I shall pass them over. I am happy to hear, you are all so well, and that the children are making such progress; not in what is called learning only, but what is vastly more important at their age, in good sense and habits. I hear such favourable accounts of them, that I am extremely desirous of seeing them again, as well as yourself and Mr Clemson; and sincerely hope, the time is not distant, when he shall think it for his interest to return to the U. States. If cotton should ever rise to 8 or 9 cents, steadily, as I hope it will, now that the immense stock, which had accumulated will be reduced to nothing by the end of the year. The present crop, thus far, is by no means promising. It is generally very backward, small and not a good stand. Besides, that planted on the Mississippi bottom has been in a great measure ruined by the Fresh. I saw not more than two tolerable crops on my visit to Abbeville, and neither of them much, if any more forward, than mine. With their exception, mine is the best by far I have seen this season. The weather has been unfavourable, and insects have abounded. We have not had since the 1st Week in April a single day that could be called warm, and are yet sleeping under a blanket, and 'till lately under two. We have rains now, but it is still too cool to give any great impulse to the growth of cotton.

I met in Abbeville Hammond at Mr McDuffie's, and spent a night with him there. He gave the same account of the crop, as low down as his residence, and I do not doubt it is much the case over the whole cotton region. He speaks very favourably of his experiment in marling and the use of plaster of Paris; and enthusiastically of his efforts in reclaiming the swamp land on his tract. From what he states, they must be equal to the best lands in the Union, while the expense, is far less than it was supposed it would be at first. Should Mr Clemson return, it would be worth while to look at the lands adjacent to him. The situation has great advantage in climate and position.

I am not at all surprised, that the state of things in Belgium and Europe, generally, should excite the feelings and sentiments you have so strongly expressed; and yet, bad as is the state of things there, it must, with the exception of this year of famine, be vastly superior to what it is in any other part of the old continent. We are for the present far better off; but it may be doubted whether we are not treading the path, that will lead in the end to a similar or worse state. Certain it is, that the preservation of our institutions and liberty oссиру but little of the attention of our Government, Federal, or State, or that of the people. Wealth and power engross the attention of all. We act, as if good institutions and liberty belonged to us of right, and that neither neglect nor folly can deprive us of their blessing. I almost stand alone, in taking a different view, and soon I fear shall be entirely out of fashion.

We have a most uncertain future before us. It began with the Mexican war. It has reached a critical point. I see nothing that can prevent us from taking the city, but what is to be the end of that, no one can tell. The present indication is, that we shall go on and subject, and hold in subjection, if we can the whole country; and who can tell to what that may lead? The only thing that seems probable is, that the Army and Navy are to become the controlling influence in the country, at least for another Generation.

I am looking on calmly, but with deep interest, with the fixed resolve to do my duty, regardless of all consequences. The next session must be one of the most important, that has yet taken place. It will lead to many developements, and give us a glimpse of what is to come. My position is one of entire independence of party, and of great command; but it will require much firmness, prudence and foresight to meet its duties, and responsibilities. I hope I will not prove unequal to the task it may impose.

We are all well, and all join their love to you and Mr Clemson and the children. Kiss them for their grandfather and tell them how glad I am to hear they are so well, and behave so well.

Willie has not yet returned, but we expect him next week.

SOURCE: J. Franklin Jameson, Editor, Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1899, Volume II, Calhoun’s Correspondence: Fourth Annual Report of the Historical Manuscripts Commission, Correspondence of John C. Calhoun, pp. 729-31

Diary of Major Joseph Stockton, July 14, 1863

This has certainly been one of the most exciting days I have spent in the service. We crossed the river on a transport to the Louisana shore and commenced our march at 4 a. m. My orders were to capture all the horses, mules and cattle I could, together with all arms and amunition. The country is a beautiful one, splendid plantations just blooming with cotton, the first I have ever seen in such an early stage. I mounted my men as fast as I could. The march was a perfect ovation from the darkies who first time in their lives saw Yankee soldiers and knew they were free; they rushed to the road, fell on their knees praying with all the fervor and feeling of their race. "Glory be to God, freedom's come at last," etc., etc. They brought us fruits of the finest kind, butter, milk, eggs, chickens, in fact all they could get so happy to know they were now free. Captain Whittle with a few men pushed in advance of the main body and captured a large lot of guns and ammunition, pressed a number of teams into service, brought back what he could and destroyed the balance. Lieutenant Mason was sent off on another road and captured an old planter who was just starting for Texas with all his slaves, mules, horses and wagons; in fact would have gone in five minutes more but those five minutes were fatal to him. He had to turn his face the other way; his negroes were nearly crazy, so glad were they to escape. We marched about fifteen miles into the country and then, as ordered, started back on our march toward the river. Such a sight as met my gaze. All along the road were the negroes with their families, household goods, everything they could gather in the short time, piled up in their immense cotton wagons as high as they could get them. There must have been thousands, no end to the children; such a happy set of beings I never saw before. They were to use their own words, "Going to freedom." They knew nothing else, cared for nothing else, they were now free, what they had looked forward for, for years, had come upon them in a moment, nothing could induce them to stay on their plantations. I told them our provisions were short; they cared not, they could find something to eat, they cared not if they died, they were now free; they sang and danced, kissed each other and all the extravagant demonstrations of joy you can imagine were carried on. We marched to within five miles of the river at dusk when we encamped for the night. We took supper in the house of an overseer of Colonel Davis' plantation, who was boasting that his darkies would not leave him, when all at once one of the men came and whispered something; he jumped out of his chair and exclaimed "Good God, you don't say so, are they all going?" "Yes," says the darky "All going, Massa, and so is I," and he darted out of the room. Our officers could not but help laughing, and the oaths of the overseer were frightful. At night all was quiet but the singing of the darkies, which music was certainly remarkable for the joyous tunes and remarkable words.

SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, pp. 20-1

Diary of 2nd Sergeant Richard R. Hancock, Thursday, June 19, 1862

A scout went out and burned a lot of cotton in order to prevent the Federals from getting it.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, pp. 200

Diary of George Templeton Strong, November 7, 1860

Lincoln elected. Hooray. Everybody seems glad of it. Even Democrats like Isaac Bell say there will be no disturbance, and that this will quiet slavery agitation at the North. DePeyster Ogden’s nerves are a little unstrung, but they are never very steady.

Republicans have carried every state on which they counted, except New Jersey, and it may be they have carried that, too. They have a very fair show in Delaware!!! Wilmington gives them a majority. Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland, and Tennessee are believed to have gone for Bell, a sore discouragement to the extremists.

Telegrams from the South indicate no outbreak there. There is a silly, report from Washington that Governor Wise contemplates "a raid” on that city at the head of a ragged regiment of rakehelly, debauched Virginians. He has few equals in folly, but this story is incredible. I wish It was true and that he would proceed to do it. Nothing could make Southern ultraism more ridiculous. I would not have him hanged for his treasonable attempt, but publicly spanked on the steps of the Capitol.

The next ten days will be a critical time. If no Southern state commit itself to treason within a fortnight or so, the urgent danger will be past. Now that election is over, excitement will cool down rapidly, and even South Carolina will not secede unless under excitement that blinds her to the plain fact that secession is political suicide.

If they were not such a race of braggarts and ruffians, I should be sorry for our fire-eating brethren, weighed down, suffocated, and paralyzed by a nigger incubus 4,000,000 strong, of which no mortal can tell them how they are to get rid, and without a friend in the world except the cotton buyers who make money out of them, and the King of Dahomey. The sense of the civilized world is against them. They know that even the manufacturers and traders who profit by them condemn the institution on which their social system rests. And now their own country decides against their real or imaginary interests, and gives a judgment which they consider (and perhaps correctly on the whole) to be a censure, and which many of them suppose commits the government to a policy hostile to them and endangering their peace and safety.

SOURCE: Allan Nevins and Milton Halset Thomas, Editors, Diary of George Templeton Strong, Vol. 3, p. 60

1st Lieutenant William T. Sherman to John Sherman, January 4, 1846

FORT MOULTRIE, S.C., Jan. 4, 1846.

My Dear Brother: I had to go to North Carolina on a wedding tour at Christmas time, and as soon as I got back I went to a plantation, not very far off, to spend the New Year. I am pretty well acquainted with all the rich people round about, and have from them enough invitations for the balance of the winter. It is a great relief occasionally to slip off from our monotonous drill and duty to ramble among the green and noble live oaks—the most magnificent evergreen in our forest. Then again, the planters have plenty to eat and drink, and can, without seeming inconvenience, entertain any number of straggling acquaintances. When we expect any assemblage large enough to dance, we take along four or five musicians from our band, which makes us doubly welcome during the Christmas holidays. The people here were not a little alarmed about war, for it would at once crush their prosperous rice and cotton trade—the only articles of trade here. Moreover, the English, in case of war, would doubtless do all they could to make the slaves rise and would supply them with the necessary arms and ammunition to make them really formidable. I have never seen the least sign of disaffection on the part of the negroes, and have seen them in the cotton field and rice ditches, met them hunting at all hours of day and on the road at night, without anything but "How d'ye, Massa? Please give me some bac." However, it is easy, no doubt, to make them believe they can own the fields and houses they now see, and to excite them to resort to means that would even astonish their provokers; but I have heard but one or two who in conversation would admit even such danger in case of war; but all admit that the price of negroes would so fall as inevitably to destroy such as would be compelled to sell such property, such as estates to be divided among children, etc. There would be no difficulty in taking Charleston—our fort is weak and has only about 100 men—it is not ditched or strengthened in such a way as to defy an assault. A new fort is being built in the channel which, when done, will be very strong, but its walls are as yet barely out of water. The Charlestonians have such confidence in Mr. Calhoun, who is decidedly opposed to war, that since his arrival they have no apprehension. All here think that such resolutions as Mr. Hannigan introduced in the Senate, and such speeches as were made by Allen and Cass will cause immediate war for which no preparations are in progress, or even contemplated. If war takes place, I shall do all I can to better my future and rank, but if it slides by, as other rumors have, I must remain contented with my present commission. . . .

Your affectionate brother,

W. T. SHERMAN.

SOURCE: Rachel Sherman Thorndike, Editor, The Sherman Letters: Correspondence Between General and Senator Sherman from 1837 to 1891, pp. 29-30

Diary of Elvira J. Powers, Friday, April 22, 1864

Yesterday morning, Mr. F., a gentleman from my native State, Massachusetts, and who has charge of the Refugee Farm, asked if I would not like to ride out to the place, they "wanted a teacher and perhaps I might be willing to engage as one, if not the ride and fresh air would do me good." "Yes, I should enjoy it."

Then hour after hour passed away, with the fresh morning air, and not until at the dinner table did I meet my expected cavalier. He explained:

The fact was the poor old nag, which had been turned out some months before by government to die, like some other contrabands of war, wouldn't work—he was free! But he had confiscated another animal from Government and hoped he might not long say of that as in the nursery ballad, that

"The horse wouldn't go,"

as it was

"Time he and I were gone an hour and a half ago."

One, two and three o'clock came, and I overheard Lucy, one of the black girls, of about fourteen—though she doesn't know her age—laughing about "that thar Mr. F., who had been for two long hours, a curryin' an' pattin' an' feedin' that old horse with sugar, to coax it to be good: but I know by its actions it has never been harnessed 'fore a carriage in its life. For it acts, for all the world, like I did, when I ran away to find my freedom. I couldn't tell for my life, whether to go backwards or forward, to keep out of danger."

In answer to my questions, she tells me that she was "the very first one that Lincoln set free in Winchester, but that as soon as she was gone, all the other nigs left."

Of course, her remarks about the horse were not very encouraging as regarded the safety or pleasure of the trip, even if he decided at last to go forward instead of backward. At half-past three, the equipage was announced in readiness, when, with a most self-denying spirit, I assured the gentleman, that I would willingly forego the pleasure, if the animal was not perfectly safe. But he was quite positive upon that subject, and as I perceived the appearance of the contraband did not indicate anything vicious or powerful enough to be very dangerous, we started. Had a ride of perhaps two miles upon the other side of the town, stopped a moment by the guard, then allowed to proceed a mile farther to the Refugee Farm.

This is best known to citizens as the Eweing farm. It was a splendid place, but has been nearly ruined by General Buel's army who camped upon it. Trees were felled, fences torn down, windows broken entirely out, and several fine outbuildings destroyed, such as a spring-house and conservatory, which I would like to have seen in its glory. Picked a beautiful bouquet of apple-japonica and pomegranate blossoms. Saw a "Butternut" planting cotton. He told me he expects, if the crop does well, to realize "one bale of picked cotton" from the two acres, which at present prices will bring $250. The yield, he said, was only about a half or a third what it would be three degrees farther south.

SOURCE: Elvira J. Powers, Hospital Pencillings: Being a Diary While in Jefferson General Hospital, Jeffersonville, Ind., and Others at Nashville, Tennessee, as Matron and Visitor, pp. 58-9

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, Friday, February 22, 1863

On guard. Stood picket in a large cotton field which contains five or six hundred acres of cotton, unpicked. I went back to the cane brake and got a fish pole. The guard of our forage train came in contact with some cavalry in the vicinity of Old River and routed them. In the course of the proceedings a Negro teamster hopped off his horse, drew a revolver and shot a Reb who had just shot one of our Captains, and took two prisoners.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 40

Joseph Lea, of Hecker, Lea & Co. to Senator Robert M. T. Hunter, February 23, 1857

PHILADELPHIA, [PA.], February 23d, 1857.

ESTEEMED FRIEND: Permit me to remind you, that four years since, at your request, the Senate amended one of the Bills, by which the small amount of duties collected on Flax Machinery, within a specified time, was to be refunded, and such machinery subsequently admitted free for three years. Kentucky, Virginia, Penns[ylvani]a, and Ohio, raise more flax than all the other States together, and we cordially concur in the Free admission of machinery, wh[ic]h will thus assist those States in the more rapid development of their agricultural resources, and add immensely to the national wealth. We have associated with some of the most intelligent merchants of other cities in the first attempts at manufacturing Linens. At great expense have sent Agents and Circulars, thro' the South and West; employed the public journals and spared no pains to direct attention to the best methods now adopted in Europe for the culture of flax. These efforts have not been fruitless, and we believe that Kentucky and Virginia will in a few years largely export flax, of wh[ic]h they are already the chief producers.

The manufacture of Linen goods has encountered at the outset great obstacles; our planters being unable to furnish the staple of proper quality, must gradually acquire the knowledge of preparing it, while the blockade of the Baltic during the late European war, greatly enhanc[e]d the price of foreign supplies, and entailed upon this infant interest, struggling for existence, serious and disheartening trials.

The Tariff which has just passed the House, and ere this may have been placed in y[ou]r hands, admits flax machinery free, hereafter, but we hope it will strike your honorable mind, that simple justice should at least be extend[e]d to those who have pioneered this branch of industry, by a refund of the trifling duties collected on flax machinery since Jan[uar]y 1st, 1850, to those now using the same; thus placing us on equal terms with our subsequent competitors.

I beg leave to assure you, that the refund of those duties, would in the present exigencies of the trade, do more to sustain and encourage the demand for American flax, than the remission of all future duties on flax machinery, while the suspension of this enterprise, and change of those mills to Cotton, must put back the developement of flax cultivation for several years, and long preclude our planters from realizing very profitable returns from their hitherto worthless fibre. The propriety of placing the first spinners of flax on as good terms as the last, we trust will obtain for them and this growing interest, your renewed favor, and if it be improper to give a Retrospective feature to the present Tariff Bill, may we ask you to make such amendment to one of the Appropriation Bills, as will authorize the Sec[retar]y of Treasury to refund to parties now in use thereof, the duties collected on Flax Machinery since Jan[uar]y 1st, 1850, the amount of which might be limited to the sum of $100,000 dollars?

We beg y[ou]r further consideration of the very great importance of having the new act, go into effect on April 1st next, so as to obviate an immense warehousing of goods imported for the fall trade. The postponement of the Act until July 1st, will make the market bare of many articles, now proposed for the Free List, and enhance prices to the detriment of the consumer, whilst its early enforcement will secure more regularity in the business, of the Customs, and occasion the least disturbance to commerce.

The policy of Sec[retar]y Guthrie, of approaching Free Trade by removing the imposts on all raw materials, meets the approval of all intelligent minds, and if now adopted must give the new administration a positive assurance of prosperity and success. To you, in the distinguished and most important position in which we now address you, more than to any other member of the Senate, is the public attention directed, relying on y[ou]r wisdom and experience to dissipate those clouds wh[ic]h now darken the financial affairs of our country.

SOURCE: Charles Henry Ambler, Editor, Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1916, in Two Volumes, Vol. II, Correspondence of Robert M. T. Hunter (1826-1876), pp. 203-5

Diary of Major Joseph Stockton, May 9, 1863

Received orders to move tomorrow. Our camp life at Smith's Plantation has been as pleasant as we could wish. Our time was spent in batallion and company drills and dress parades. Part of the time we were engaged in building bridges across the bayou for troops to cross on which would shorten the distance materially between Milliken's Bend and Grand Gulf, or Carthage, which is opposite. One of the wonders of the day was our men bringing a small steamboat through the bayou from the Mississippi with commissary stores and ammunition, something I believe was never done before. This plantation is a large sugar and cotton plantation and has several large sugar works and cotton gins on it. It is a valuable one, worth before the war many hundreds of thousands of dollars, but as the darkies have all left, there is no saying what it is worth today. I enjoy the morning and evening walks, as the weather then is delightful. I saw quite a number of acquaintances pass on their way to the front. Among them Batteries A and B, Chicago Light Artillery. We have heard of the battles in the front and that our armies have been victorious. One day quite a number of rebel prisoners passed to the rear. Our orders are to move in as light marching order as possible. I take nothing but what my saddlebags will hold, namely, a change of underclothing and tooth brush and comb. Captain James, with two companies, C and I, have been detailed some seven miles from the main camp to guard a bridge over a bayou. I rode down to see them and found them contented and happy, indulging in blackberries to their hearts' content. I enjoyed them myself. We heard the guns at the attack on Grand Gulf, which was a strongly fortified place, and which defied the gunboats. It was taken by troops crossing below and forcing their works. Companies C and I returned to the regiment last night.

SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 13

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant John S. Morgan, Friday, February 17, 1865

Boat landed at 12. O clock last night at Scippers landing to unload freight was up saw several hundred bales of cotton guarded by a gunboat. at 9. a. m. landed to ward 1 mile below Millikens bend got off and took a walk. At 12. M. landed at Vicksburg. walked over town was in some 20 of the celebrated holes, & on top of the Court house boat leaves at 7. P. M. Genl M. L. Smith commands here. Genl A. J. Smith will comd an expedition from here soon. his comd is here. Met & recognized Dr Huntsman [?] Beautiful weather.

SOURCE: “Diary of John S. Morgan, Company G, Thirty-Third Iowa Infantry,” Annals of Iowa, Vol. XIII, No. 8, Third Series, Des Moines, April 1923, p. 574

Diary of Major Joseph Stockton, April 16, 1863

Went into camp, and a hard place it is; wood scarce and "water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink," except the Mississippi water, which is very trying on one's constitution. Tonight I witnessed one of the grandest sights I was ever permitted to witness. Through the kindness of some officers I got on board the steamer "Quincy South" and went down again to see the running of the batteries. The night was a pleasant one, stars shining brightly and not a cloud in the heavens, and yet not too light. I went down to within two miles of Vicksburg and could see the lights in the city and on the bluffs distinctly. About half past nine I saw some dark objects floating down the river so noiselessly that you could scarcely detect them; not a light was to be seen on them. The transports, with barges of cotton and hay lashed to them on the Vicksburg side, and cotton piled up around their boilers and engines to protect them from the cannon shot. I fairly held my breath; not a sound was to be heard; all was anxiety and suspense; my thoughts were with the brave men who were to undertake such a perilous voyage. I waited for the first shot; after about half an hour's suspense I saw all at once a brilliant light, which was the signal for the rebels, and then it seemed as if a hundred guns opened at once. The rebels built a large bonfire which lit up the river for miles. Oh, what a sight it was the flash of the cannon, the bursting of shells, but above all the deafening roar, which was like peal after peal of the loudest thunder. How I trembled for the fate of those on board the transports, as they were not near so well protected as those on the gunboats. I saw one of the steamers which the officers on board said was the "Henry Clay" floating by the city, burning. How I hope all the rest have gone safely through the fiery path. I am to be envied, as I do not believe there is another officer in our brigade that has had an opportunity to see this scene. I await the news with great anxiety and refer those who read these pages to an abler pen than mine to do this heroic act full justice.

SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 12

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, December 20, 1862

The news came in this morning that Holly Springs was entered at daylight and captured. The Rebels took over two hundred thousand dollars and burned the depot with all the stores and the arsenal we had fitted up for a hospital. After dinner we were set to work building breastworks of cotton, having captured one thousand bales from the C. S. A... When we first came here the regiment was scattered along the railroad, one company in a place extending nearly to Oxford. Companies G and K were kept here, this being the headquarters of Regiment 1, Norton commanding the Post. Two companies below were sent up, and by night we had a complete breastwork of cotton bales, regular old hickory style.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 19-20

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, December 21, 1862

The long roll was beaten at 3 o'clock this morning. The company was formed and we marched down to our cotton fort where we lay until daylight, when the other companies marched to their camps, and we back to ours. Last night a division of cavalry passed, going north. It was composed of the 3rd and 4th Ill., 7th Kansas and 3rd Mich. Just before night Generals Ross and McArthur came into town with their respective divisions. They are moving back for some cause. The weather is fine but the nights are very cold. It is what people call pleasant fall weather in Michigan. We have had no more snow since the flurry in September, and the weather never was more favorable for a winter campaign. The army is well clothed, having as much clothing as the soldiers wish to pack.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 20

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, December 23, 1862

Gen. Grant passed through here this morning on the train. The division of Denver's, (ex-governor of Kansas, for whom Denver City was named) passed through here today also. The troops are all coming up further north. The cars are going north loaded with cotton. I think this is a cotton expedition.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 21

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, December 24, 1862

On picket guard today. Got my boots half soled. Gen. McPherson passed through here, and Logan's division is coming up and passing through. Our old brigade (Col. Stevenson's) also passed. A train came in a little after dark and was loaded with cotton. The country is stripped of everything and so we are on half rations. All the hogs and live stock have been killed. The Negroes are suffering and I think they would welcome their old masters. There are a great many leaving, a large carload left today. We have poorer fare than at any time since we enlisted.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 21

Senator John C. Calhoun to Andrew Pickens Calhoun, February 23, 1848

Senate Chamber 23d Feb. 1848

MY DEAR ANDREW, The treaty with Mexico has just been laid before the Senate, and read. It will be warmly opposed, but I think it will be approved by the body. It will be a fortunate deliverance, if it should be. A sudden impulse in that case, would be given to commerce, accompanied by a rise of price in our great staple so soon as it is known in England.

The Slave question will soon come up, and be the subject of deep agitation. The South will be in the crisis of its fate. If it yields now, all will be lost.

I enclose a speech by Mr Yulee on his amendment to Mr Dickenson resolutions. They express substantially my views. Indeed, (in confidence), he is one of the members of our mess and has conversed with me freely on the principles, which control the question involved; but the execution is all his own. Love to all.

SOURCE: J. Franklin Jameson, Editor, Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1899, Volume II, Calhoun’s Correspondence: Fourth Annual Report of the Historical Manuscripts Commission, Correspondence of John C. Calhoun, p. 744

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells: December 1, 1862

While I was looking out of the window this morning at some recruits for the 48th Indiana, whom should I see but John Metternich of our old company. (Co. E, 12th Ind.) He was as much surprised as I; the last time I saw him, his head was bruised and bleeding as the result of a spree. This morning a band of guerillas came up within about two miles of this place, captured a number of mules and burned the cotton they were hauling.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 14

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells: December 11, 1862

Weather warm. I was on fatigue nearly all day, cutting and hauling wood for the company. We had dress parade at 4 o'clock. Just at dusk the news came in that a guerilla band was to attack us before morning. Fifty men from our regiment and forty-eight from the 126th (which is here doing picket duty) were detailed to build breastworks of cotton, four hundred bales of which lay near the depot. Col. Norton and Major Bates did the engineering. After they had finished we lay on our arms during the night, but no enemy made its appearance, and about 7 o'clock we were ordered back to camp.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 15-6

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells: December 12, 1862

Quite sore from chopping and rolling cotton. Our Colonel, Amos Norton, is Commander of the Post, and Rats is provost-marshal, Col. Smith commanding the regiment. Toward dark a rumor was rapidly circulated through the camp that we were ordered to Holly Springs, Miss. No one could tell where it started from, and consequently no one credited it.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 16