George S. Denison to Salmon P. Chase, January 29, 1863

New Orleans, January 29th, 1863.

Dear Sir: I have to-day transmitted my bond as Special Agt. and Acting Collector. The sureties are men of abundant means, and were selected as being the most respectable and worthy representatives of the Union residents of this city. For good reasons, I was careful to choose such persons, rather than any of the numerous and wealthy speculators. Judge Peabody remarked that the justification of the sureties, etc., was before the highest and best authority here at any rate.

I have reason to believe that a speedy movement on the Teche country, is in preparation and will soon be carried into effect. This is the movement of which I have so frequently spoken.

In other respects military affairs are in the same condition as at the date of my last letter.

Two vessels, as I am informed, were captured by the Rebels at Sabine Pass, Texas, in the same manner as was the "Harriet Lane." One of the vessels was destroyed. They were sailing transports, I believe, and probably of not much consequence.

Enclosed is an order just issued, of Gen. Banks, “promulgating the Emancipation proclamation.”

SOURCE: Diary and correspondence of Salmon P. Chase, Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1902, Vol. 2, p. 351-52

Diary of Gideon Welles: Thursday, September 24, 1863

I am more desponding than I care to acknowledge. The army management distresses all of us, but we must not say so. It is no time for fault-[finding]. Neither Stanton nor Halleck had any views on the subject, nor a proposition or suggestion to make. I proposed a descent on Indianola. Halleck did not know where it was. Would consent to nothing, nor to any consideration of the subject, till he heard from Banks; would then immediately notify Seward and myself. This was at least two months ago, and the last I have heard from Major-General Halleck, until we are now told General Banks organized an expedition to Texas. Heigho! the Sabine Pass?

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30, 1864, p. 442-3

Diary of Gideon Welles: Tuesday, September 22, 1863

But little additional intelligence from Rosecrans and the South. We have information of a failure on our part at Sabine Pass, where an attempt was made to capture formidable batteries with frail boats, the army as spectators. The expedition appears to have been badly conceived, planned, and executed. A large military force was sent to take these batteries. Neither General Halleck nor the Secretary of War consulted the Navy in this matter. General Banks appears to have originated it, and made a requisition on Commodore Bell, who readily responded, in the absence of Farragut, with light boats built for transporting passengers in Northern rivers. Admiral Farragut was at the Navy Department when dispatches were received from Commodore Bell, stating that application for cooperation and aid had been made on him, and how he had answered the call. When Farragut read the dispatch, he laid down the paper and said to me: “The expedition will be a failure. The army officers have an impression that naval vessels can do anything; this call is made for boats to accompany an army expedition; it is expected the Navy will capture the batteries, and, the army being there in force with a general in command, they will take the credit. But there will be no credit in the case, and you may expect to hear of disaster. These boats which Bell has given them cannot encounter batteries; they might cooperate with and assist the army, but that is evidently not the object. The soldiers should land and attack in the rear, and the vessels aid them in front. But that is not the army plan. The soldiers are not to land until the Navy had done an impossibility, with such boats. Therefore there will be disaster.” The news of to-day verifies his prediction. This Sabine expedition was substituted, I suppose, for that of Indianola, which I suggested, and we may now have the promised word of General Halleck. He will have heard from Banks.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30, 1864, p. 441-2

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: February 7, 1863

We have a dispatch from Texas, of another success of Gen. Magruder at Sabine Pass, wherein he destroyed a large amount of the enemy's stores.

But we are calmly awaiting the blow at Charleston, or a Savannah, or wherever it may fall. We have confidence in Beauregard.

We are more anxious regarding the fate of Vicksburg. Northern man as he is, if Pemberton suffers disaster by any default, he will certainly incur the President's eternal displeasure. Mississippi must be defended, else the President himself may feel the pangs of a refugee.

“That mercy I to others show,

That mercy show to me!”

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 255-6