General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard to Colonel William Porcher Miles, March 16, 1862

Private.

JACKSON, TENN., March 16th, 1862.

My dear Colonel,—Can you not wake up the authorities to the great danger of our army here, and necessarily of the Mississippi Valley, from lack of proper organization-all due to a want of brigadiers? I have been trying for the last month and over, indeed, before I left Centreville, to have a certain number of them appointed, but all to no purpose. Are we, for the sake of a little economy in the pay of said officers, to jeopardize all we have at stake in this contest? Why, then, not authorize generals in the field to appoint acting brigadier and major generals, when in their judgment required, but without additional pay, until approved of by the President or Congress?

Bragg, Polk, and myself applied, a few days ago, for ten general officers; today we are informed that four are appointed, of whom two can't be here for one week! in the meantime a part of this army is in a state of chaos, and fifteen thousand new levies will soon be in the field! What in the world shall I do with them? Will not Heaven open the eyes and senses of our rulers? Where in the world are we going to, if not to destruction? Time is all-precious now; the enemy will soon be upon us, and, to cap the climax, I cannot get well. I am better, but the least excitement throws me back. We must cheer up, however. With good troops and enough of them, there is a chance, at this moment, of making a beautiful ten strike, but it would be risking too much in the present condition of affairs; we would lose too much if I failed. The problem here is very difficult. I have to look to the safety of this army and yet keep the Mississippi River closed; the latter a most difficult undertaking with our present means. By-the-bye, there were six brigades in Polk's army without brigadier-generals, commanded by colonels according to rank. You may imagine what kind of commanders some of them make, and what kind of brigades they have!

I enclose you copy of a telegram sent this day to the War Department. My kind regards to friends.

Yours truly,

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

Col. W. P. MILES, Member of Congress, Richmond, Va.

SOURCE: Alfred Roman, The Military Operations of General Beauregard in the War Between the States: 1861 to 1865, Vol. 1, pp. 512-3

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: January 7, 1865

Rained yesterday and last night. Clear and windy to-day.

It is said the Blairs (who have been looked for on some sort of mission) turned back after arriving in the camp of Gen. Grant. Of course they could not treat with this government, under existing circumstances. The President and his cabinet could not be expected to listen to such proposals as they might be authorized to tender.

Butler's canal is said to be completed, and probably operations will soon be recommenced in this vicinity.

Congress seems to be doing little or nothing; but before it adjourns it is supposed it will, as usual, pass the measures dictated by the President. How insignificant a legislative body becomes when it is not independent. The Confederate States Congress will not live in history, for it never really existed at all, but has always been merely a body of subservient men, registering the decrees of the Executive. Even Mr. Miles, of South Carolina, before introducing a bill, sends it to this department for approval or rejection.

Detailed soldiers here are restricted in their rations this month to 31 pounds of meal, 21 pounds of salt beef, etc. The commissary agent, Mr. Wilson, thinks no more "beef shanks" can be sold. I have been living on them!

An order has been issued that all detailed men in the bureaus (able-bodied) must go into Gen. Lee's army; and the local defense troops will not be called out again except in the last necessity, and then only during the emergency. I have not seen it, but believe Gen. Lee has some such understanding with the President.

Mayor Arnold, and other rich citizens of Savannah, have held a meeting (Union), and called upon Gov. Brown to assemble a State Convention, etc.

Mr. Hunter followed Judge Campbell into his office this morning (a second visit), as if there were any more news. The judge gravely beckoned him into the office. I was out; so there must be news, when Mr. H. (so fat) is on the qui vive.

Gen. Beauregard has been ordered to the West to take command of Hood's army.

The Secretary of War has ordered Col. Bayne to have as much cotton as possible east of Branchville, S. C.

The farmers down the river report that Grant is sending off large bodies of troops—so the Secretary says in a letter to Gen. Lee.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 2, p. 379-80