May 15.
We get reports from rebel sources that Hooker has got into Richmond, that Stonewall Jackson was killed and Lee taken prisoner. Were all this true you might expect some of us home within a few months, but it is too good to believe.
SOURCE: Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Volume 43, October, 1909—June, 1910: February 1910. p. 392
R. J. Meigs called
on me by request of the President in relation to Captain Meade, who is under
suspension, having been convicted and sentenced last May. He now, through his
friend Meigs, appeals to the President. I told him there was no appeal. He
could have a pardon from the President, or perhaps he could order the
proceedings to be set aside.
A late general order
prohibiting officers from coming to Washington without permission troubles
Meade, who claims this is his residence and that he is here on private
business. Fox protests against his being here intriguing and annoying the
President, Department, Congress, and others, and has appealed to me earnestly
and emphatically to order Meade to leave Washington, but it is one of those
cases which we cannot enforce arbitrarily, although no injustice would be done.
He has some excuse for being in Washington, and we must not be tyrants.
Governor Pease left
to-day. His brother John went three or four days since. Yesterday, when all the
others had withdrawn from the Cabinet council but the President, Seward, and
myself, and perhaps Chandler, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, who had been
present, Seward inquired if there was any truth in the report or rumor that
Stanton had left, or was about to leave, the Cabinet. The President replied
warmly, as it seemed to me, that he had not heard of any such rumor. Seward
said it was so stated in some of the papers, but he had supposed there was
nothing in it, for he and Stanton had an understanding to the effect that
Stanton would remain as long as he did, or would give him notice if he changed.
The President said he presumed it was only rumor, that he reckoned there was
not much in it; he had heard nothing lately and we might as well keep on for
the present without any fuss. Seward said he knew Stanton had talked this some
time ago. "I reckon that is all," said the President.
Seward had an object
in this talk. He knows Stanton's views and thoughts better than the President
does. The inquiry was not, therefore, for information on that specific point.
If it was to sound the President, or to draw out any expression from me, he
wholly failed, for neither gave him an explicit reply.
Bright and pleasant.
The rumor is revived
that Mr. Seddon will resign. If he really does resign, I shall regard it as
a bad sign. He must despair of the Republic; but, then, his
successor may be a man of greater energy and knowledge of war.
We are destitute of
news, with an awful silence between the armies. We believe this cannot last
long, and we know Grant has a great superiority of numbers. And he knows our
weakness; for the government will persist in keeping “at the front” local
defense troops, smarting under a sense of wrong, some of whom are continually
deserting.
The money-changers
and speculators, who have lavished their bribes, are all in their places,
preying upon the helpless women and children; while the clerks—the permanence
of whose tenure of office was guaranteed by the Constitution—are still kept in
the trenches, and their families, many of them refugees, are suffering in
destitution. But Mr. Seddon says they volunteered. This is not
candid. They were told by Mr. Memminger and others that, unless they volunteered, the
President had decided their dismissal—when conscription into the army followed,
of course!
SOURCE: John
Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate
States Capital, Volume 2, p. 330
Clear and cold.
Lincoln is
re-elected, and has called for a million of men! This makes
many of our croaking people despondent; others think it only a game of brag.
I saw the President
to-day in earnest conversation with several members of Congress, standing in
the street. It is not often he descends from his office to this mode of
conference.
Some one of the
family intimating that stains of blood were on my undershirts (second hand), I
was amused to see Mrs. J. lifting them with the tongs. They
have been thoroughly washed, and prove to be a first-rate article. I am proud
of them, for they are truly comfortable garments.
Gen. Forrest is
doing wonders in Tennessee, as the appended dispatch from Gen. Beauregard shows
:
TUSCUMBIA, ALA., Nov. 8th, 1864.
GEN.
S. COOPER, A. AND I. GENERAL.
Gen.
Forrest reports on the 5th instant that he was then engaged fighting the enemy
at Johnsonville, having already destroyed four gun-boats, of eight guns each,
fourteen steamers, and twenty barges, with a large quantity of quartermaster
and commissary stores, on the landing and in warehouses, estimated at between
seventy-five and one hundred thousand tons. Six gun-boats were then
approaching, which he hoped to capture or destroy.
G. T. BEAUREGARD.
SOURCE: John
Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate
States Capital, Volume 2, p. 330-1
Fair and cold; ice.
Quiet below; rumors of further successes in the Southwest, but not official.
Congress did nothing
of interest yesterday in open session, but spent most of its time in secret
session. There will probably be stringent martial law, for the strong hand of
unlimited power will be required to correct abuses, repress discontent, and
bring into the field the whole military strength of the Confederacy. The large
majorities for Lincoln in the United States clearly indicate a purpose to make
renewed efforts to accomplish our destruction.
It is now
contradicted that Lincoln has called for 1,000,000 men. Three P. M. Cloudy, and
threatening snow.
An attack upon the
city seems to be apprehended. All men must now have passes from Mr. Carrington,
Provost Marshal, or be liable to arrest in the street. Such are the changes,
indicating panic on the part of official dignitaries.
We again receive
marching orders; Forrest said to be crossing the Tennessee at Eastport. We are
ordered to reconnoiter. Oh! how sleepy the soldiers become; some fall off of
their mules while riding along the road. About two o'clock, A. M., we come to a
halt at Lawrenceburg, and feed and lay down to sleep, but very little do we
obtain, for at day-light the bugle blows. The command is divided. Companies H
and F, commanded by Captain Ring, proceed to Waynesboro; nothing hostile here.
The report that Forrest was crossing the Tennessee has proved to have been only an
idle rumor. We go into camp for the night. We feast to-night upon chickens, ham
and honey. A scout
is sent to Clifton, Tennessee river, this evening, to see and learn what he can
about the movements of Forrest.
SOURCE: Daniel Leib
Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry,
p. 228-9
Dark and raining.
Cannon heard down the river.
To-day our Congress
assembles. Senator Johnson, of Missouri (who relinquished six years in United
States Senate and $200,000 for the cause), called to see me. He is hopeful of
success in the West.
By the Northern
papers we see that Mr. Seward has discovered a “conspiracy” to burn all the
Northern cities on election day. It may be so—by Northern incendiaries.
Our citizens are
still asking permits to bring flour and meal to the city (free from liability
to impressment) for "family use." The speculators divide and
subdivide their lots, and get them in, to sell at extortionate prices.
Rumors of fighting
toward Petersburg—nothing reliable.
Gen. Lee writes that
he sent in the Tredegar Battalion to the foundry a few days ago (desertions
being frequent from it); and now he learns it is ordered out to report to
Lieut.-Col. Pemberton. He requests that it be ordered back to the foundry,
where it is absolutely necessary for the supply of munitions, etc.
Dear Brother: I got
back all safe and well the day before yesterday, having met no trouble
whatever, notwithstanding the many rumors of Indian troubles. These are all
mysterious, and only accountable on the supposition that our people out West
are resolved on trouble for the sake of the profit resulting from military
occupation. I kept the same ambulances, and made the very route I had
prescribed to myself by Garland, Lyon, etc., to Ellsworth, Riley, etc. The
railroad is finished to Riley, so that I came all the way thence in cars.
I see rumors of my
being called to Washington. Of this I know nothing, and if offered I shall
decline. I must keep clear of politics in all its phases, for I must serve any
administration that arises. I am not aware that I have ever on paper expressed
any opinion of this seeming conflict between Congress and the President. I
deplore it as much as you do, and still hope that some solution will be found.
. .
Rained all night,
but bright this morning.
We have no clear
account yet of the fighting yesterday; but we know the enemy was repulsed on
this side of the river. It is thought that the operations on the south side
were of greater magnitude, where we lost a brigadier-general (Dearing) of
cavalry. We shall know all in a few days. The fighting was not resumed this
morning.
It is rumored that
Mr. Seddon will resign, and be succeeded by Gen. Kemper. I am incredulous.
The
"dog-catchers," as the guards are called, are out again, arresting
able-bodied men (and sometimes others) in the streets, and locking them up
until they can be sent to the front. There must be extraordinary danger
anticipated by the authorities to induce a resort to so extreme a measure.
Two P.M. No news
from the field—no cannon heard to-day.
Large amounts of
cloth from Europe for the army have recently arrived at Wilmington, N. C.; but
the speculators occupy so much space in the cars, that transportation cannot be
had for it. The poor soldiers are likely to suffer in consequence of this
neglect of duty on the part of the government.
Having received a
dispatch from Zollicoffer during the past night stating that Wolford's Cavalry
was reported to be crossing the river at Creelsborough, some twenty miles below
Camp Hall, McNairy sent a scout in that direction early this morning. On returning
to camps, about half after eight P. M., our men reported the rumor to be false.
SOURCE: Richard R.
Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second
Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 100
GENERAL: The people, even the good Union people, circulate the most devilish lies in regard to the enemy, and our own scouts, without they are selected with care, are not reliable. We have had every form of rumor in the last two days, and nearly the whole of them are false. The rebels were at Rowena, and shot two or three men, but killed none. They wounded old man Williams and took him off. They robbed several stores and houses in Jamestown and took off a good deal of clothing. They took off a number of horses with them, and it is reported took off eleven of the citizens.
The scouts and people from Monroe and Allen Counties say there is no enemy in that direction. I keep scouts out for from 12 to 25 miles and even farther. I think it likely the enemy have 350 Texas Rangers in Metcalfe County to-night. They intend to defeat the election. I had purposed to send more cavalry down to enable the people to hold the election. I may send a force to one precinct in the morning.
Colonel Hindman is still at Bear Wallow, so far as I can learn. I cannot hear of any advance in this direction; he cannot be far from the railroad and not very distant from Munfordville. I believe it is a feint, to deceive his men with the idea that they are to fight.
Captain Flynt addressed a note to the colonel of the Fifty-ninth Ohio in regard to their wagons. I ordered the colonel to retain the wagons, and he is in no sense to be blamed. I did it for the reason that they have not the necessary transportation, and that there was reason to believe it would be required here.
Bright and pleasant.
All is quiet below. From Georgia we have many rumors. It is reported that a battle
has been fought (second time) at Altoona, which we captured, with 4000
prisoners; that Rome has been taken, with 3000 negro prisoners; and, finally,
that we have Atlanta again. I have seen no such dispatches. But the gentleman
who assured me it was all true, has a son a clerk at the President's office,
and a relative in the telegraph office. Dispatches may have come to the
President; and, if so, it may be our policy to forbid their publication for the
present, as the enemy would derive the first intelligence of their disaster
from our newspapers.
Well, Gen. Gardner
reports, officially, that of the number of exempts, and of the mixed class of
citizens arrested in the streets, and summarily marched to the “front,” “a
majority have deserted!” Men, with exemptions in their pockets, going to or
returning from market, have been seized by the Adjutant-General's orders, and
despotically hurried off without being permitted even to send a message to
their families. Thousands were entrapped, by being directed to call at Gen.
Barton's headquarters, an immense warehouse, and receive passes ; but no Gen.
Barton was there—or if there, not visible; and all the anxious seekers found themselves
in prison, only to be liberated as they were incorporated into companies, and
marched "to the front.” From the age of fifteen to fifty-five, all were
seized by that order—no matter what papers they bore, or what the condition of
their families—and hurried to the field, where there was no battle. No wonder
there are many deserters—no wonder men become indifferent as to which side
shall prevail, nor that the administration is falling into disrepute at the
capital.
Rained all night;
clear and cool this morning.
The government
publishes nothing from Georgia yet; but it is supposed there is intelligence of
an important character in the city, which it would be impolitic to communicate
to the enemy. .
All still remains
quiet below the city. But the curtain is expected to rise on the next act of
the tragedy every moment. Gen. Grant probably furloughed many of his men to
vote in Pennsylvania and Ohio, on Tuesday last—elections preliminary to the
Presidential election—and they have had time to return to their regiments.
If this pause should
continue a week or two longer, Gen. Lee would be much strengthened. Every day
the farmers, whose details have been revoked, are coming in from the counties;
and many of these were in the war in '61 and '62—being experienced veterans. Whereas
Grant's recruits, though greater in number, are raw and unskilled.
The Medical Boards
have been instructed to put in all men that come before them, capable of
bearing arms ten days. One died in the trenches, on the
eleventh day, of consumption!
There is a rumor of
a fight on our extreme left. It is said Field's division (C. S.) repulsed three
assaults of the enemy. If the battle be still continued (4 P.M —the wind from
the west prevents us from hearing guns), no doubt it is the beginning of a general
engagement-decisive, perhaps, of the fate of Richmond.
We have many
accounts of evasions of military service, occasioned by the alleged bad faith
of the government, and the despotic orders from the Adjutant-General's office.
And yet Gov. Smith's
certificates for exemption of rich young Justices of the Peace, Commissioners
of the county) Revenue, Deputy Sheriffs, clerks, constables, officers and
clerks of banks, still come in daily; and they are “allowed” by the Assistant
Secretary of War. Will the poor and friendless fight their battles, and win
their independence for them? It may be so; but let not rulers in future wars
follow the example! Nothing but the conviction that they are fighting for their
families, their sacred altars, and their little property induces thousands of
brave Southerners to remain in arms against such fearful odds as are now
arrayed against them.
Mr. Kean, the young
Chief of the Bureau of War, has come in from “the front," with a boil on
his thigh. He missed the sport of the battle to-day.
Mr. Peck, the agent
to purchase supplies for his starving fellow clerks, confesses that he bought
10 barrels of flour and 400 pounds of bacon for himself; 4 barrels of flour for
Judge Campbell, Asassistant Secretary of War; 4 barrels for Mr. Kean, 1 for Mr.
Cohen, and 1 for Mr. Shepherd. This has produced great indignation among the
200 clerks who sent him, and who got but 73 pounds each, and they got 13 pounds
of bacon each; while Mr. P. bought for himself 400 pounds.
Bright and beautiful.
Still all quiet
below, and reinforcements (details revoked) are not arriving—1000 per day.
The Northern news
makes some doubt as to the result of the election in Pennsylvania.
From the Valley we
have rumors of victory, etc.
A thrill of horror
has been produced by a report that Gen. Butler has, for some time past, kept a
number of his prisoners (Confederates) at work in his canal down the river, and
supposing they were Federals, our batteries and gun-boats have been shelling
our own men!
Cloudy and cool.
Quiet below, but it
is rumored that the enemy has erected one or two sand batteries, mounted with
400-pounders, bearing on our fleet of gun-boats.
The following
dispatch was received from Gen. Hood to-day :
9 MILES South OF LAFAYETTE, GA.,
Oct. 15th, via SELMA, Oct. 17th, 1864.
GEN.
BRAGG.
This
army struck the communications of the enemy about a mile above Resaca on the
12th inst., completely destroying the railroad, including block-houses, from
that point to within a short distance of Tunnel Hill, and about four miles of
the Cleaveland Railroad, capturing Dalton and all intermediate garrisons, with
their stores, arms, and equipments, and about 1000 prisoners.
The
main body of Sherman's army seems to be moving toward Dalton.
J. B. HOOD, General.
The following was received
from Gen. Lee yesterday:
HEADQUARTERS ARMY NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
Oct. 16th, 1864.
HON
JAMES A. SEDDON, SECRETARY OF WAR.
On
the 14th instant, Col. Moseby struck the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at
Duffield, and destroyed a United States mail train, consisting of a locomotive
and ten cars, and securing twenty prisoners and fifteen horses.
Among
the prisoners are two paymasters, with one hundred and sixty-eight thousand
dollars in government funds.
R. E. LEE.
It is reported also
that Gen. Early has gained some advantage in a battle; not authentic.
Gen. Bragg is going
away, probably to Wilmington. The combination against him was too strong.
But "the Bureau
of Conscription" is pretty nearly demolished under his blows. Order 81
directs the generals of Reserves to appoint inspecting officers for all the
Congressional Districts, to revise all exemptions, details, etc., with plenary
powers, without reference to “the Bureau.”
The passport checks
on travel Northward are now the merest farce, and valuable information is daily
conveyed to the enemy.
Cloudy. There is a
street rumor of a battle below, and on the Petersburg line. The wind is from
the west, and yet we hear no guns.
The Secretary of the
Treasury sent to the Secretary of War today an argument showing that, without a
violation of the Constitution, clerks appointed to places created by Congress
cannot be removed. We shall see what the Secretary says to that.
Misty and damp, but warm.
Guns heard down the river. On Friday, it seems, the enemy penetrated and held a portion of our works below Petersburg; and although we captured many prisoners, it does not appear that we regained the works or retook the cannon.
So far, although the enemy's loss in men may have been greater in the operations of the last few days, it would seem that we have lost ground; that our forts, etc. have been captured and held, up to this moment; and that both the right and left wings of Grant have been advanced, and established in the positions taken. All this, too, under the eye of Gen. Lee. It is enough to make one tremble for Richmond. They do not heed his calls for men.
In the North, the Presidential campaign is growing warm. McClellan's friends have been denounced as “traitors” in Ohio, and one of their meetings broken up by the soldiers. This fire may spread, and relieve us.
It is now said a corps of the enemy's infantry was really peeping from the groves and lanes west of the city, on Saturday, when the furious shelling took place.
Rumors—we have nothing but rumors—of fighting, said to be in progress on the south side of the river. It is said the enemy, that were a few days ago menacing Richmond, are recrossing to the Petersburg side.
Bright, and very warm.
There is a report that Gen. Hood's army is at Marietta, in Sherman's rear, and it may so.
One of the clerks (Mr. Bechtel) was killed yesterday by one of the enemy's sharpshooters at Chaffin's Farm. He was standing on the parapet, looking in the direction of the enemy's pickets. He had been warned to no purpose. He leaves a wife and nine children. A subscription is handed round, and several thousand dollars will be raised. Gen. R. E. Lee was standing near when he fell.
All is quiet to-day. But they are impressing the negro men found in the streets to-day to work on the fortifications. It is again rumored that Petersburg is to be given up. I don't believe it.
Bright and beautiful.
The government, after giving the news from Georgia, position of Hood, to the press, suppressed it. It is well, perhaps, not to permit Grant, who sees our papers daily, to know what we are doing there.
There are rumors of fighting to-day near Chaffin's Bluff, but we hear no cannon, except an occasional shell at long intervals.
Gen. Bragg is now in hot water with the Quartermaster-General, for ordering the trial of Lieut.-Col. Cone and Major Maynard, Quartermasters, in the city, for alleged violation of law and orders.
Gen. Preston is away again or sick, and Col. August and Lieut.Col. Lay are again signing papers at “the Bureau,” as “acting superintendents.” Bragg may aim another bomb at the refractory concern.
The companies are busy to-day getting their foot-sore mules shod, preparatory to another expedition, for rumor already has it that the regiment will leave Pulaski to-morrow morning on some mission.
SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 207
