A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital Part 90

The Departmental Battalion is still out; the enemy still menacing us from the Chickahominy.

During the last four days correspondence has ceased almost entirely, and the heads of bureaus, captains, majors, lieutenant-colonels, adjutants, quartermasters, and commissaries, have nothing to do. They wander about with hanging heads, ashamed to be safely out of the field--I mean all under 50 years of age--and look like sheep-stealing dogs. Many sought their positions, and still retain them, to keep out of danger. Such cravens are found in all countries, and are perhaps fewer in this than any other. However, most of the population of the city between 17 and 50 are absent from the streets; some few shopkeeping Jews and Italians are imprisoned for refusing to aid in the defense, and some no doubt are hidden.

Most of the able-bodied negro men, both free and slave, have been taken away--in the field as teamsters, or digging on the fortifications. Yet those that remain may sometimes be seen at the street corners looking, some wistfully, some in dread, in the direction of the enemy. There is but little fear of an insurrection, though no doubt the enemy would be welcomed by many of the negroes, both free and slave.

At 1 P.M. to-day a train arrived from Guinea's Station with 800 of our wounded, in Sunday's and Thursday's battles.

The following prices are now paid in this city: boots, $200; coats, $350; pants, $100; shoes, $125; flour, $275 per barrel; meal, $60 to $80 per bushel; bacon, $9 per pound; no beef in market; chickens, $30 per pair; shad, $20; potatoes, $25 per bushel; turnip greens, $4 per peck; white beans, $4 per quart, or $120 per bushel; b.u.t.ter, $15 per pound; lard, same; wood, $50 per cord. What a change a decisive victory--or defeat--would make!

MAY 16TH.--Warm--suns.h.i.+ne and light showers.

Memorable day--not yet decided at 2 P.M. Early this morning Gen.

Beauregard attacked the enemy on the south side of the river, and by 9 A.M. he had sent over to the city Gen. Heckman and 840 prisoners, the entire 27th Ma.s.sachusetts Regiment. Subsequently it is said 400 were sent over. By 12 M. the firing had receded out of hearing from the city, and messengers report that the enemy were being driven back rapidly.

Hon. Geo. Davis, Attorney-General (from North Carolina), told me that Gen. Whiting was coming up from Petersburg, in the enemy's _rear_, with 13,000 men. So, at this hour, the prospects are glorious.

Gen. Pickett has been relieved--_indisposition_. Brig.-Gen. Barton has also been relieved, for some cause arising out of the failure to capture the raiders on this side the river.

Gens. Bragg and Pemberton made an inspection of the position of the enemy, down the river, yesterday, and made rather a cheerless report to the President. They are both supposed to be inimical to Gen. Beauregard, who seems to be achieving such brilliant success.

The President rode over to Beauregard's headquarters this morning. Some fear he will embarra.s.s the general; others say he is near the field, prepared to fly, if it be lost. In truth, if we were defeated, it might be difficult for him to return to the city.

Gen. Breckenridge has defeated Sigel in the Shenandoah Valley.

Gen. Lee dispatches that he had no fighting Sat.u.r.day and Sunday. To-day Grant is retiring his right wing, but advancing his left east of Spottsylvania Court House, where Lee's headquarters are still established.

MAY 17TH.--Suns.h.i.+ne and showers.

The battle yesterday decided nothing, that I am aware of. We captured 1000 prisoners, stormed some of their intrenchments; losing altogether probably as many as the enemy. But we drove them back to Bermuda Hundred, behind their fortifications, and near their s.h.i.+ps.

Gen. Johnston was attacked at Dalton by 80,000 men last week; accounts, some five days old, say he repulsed the a.s.saults of the enemy.

The Departmental Battalion is out yet; the city being still in danger.

The government is almost suspended in its functions. The Secretary of the Treasury cannot get money from Columbia, S. C., whither he foolishly sent the girls that sign the notes.

Some of the idle military officers, always found about the departments, look grave, and do not hesitate to express some apprehension of the success of Grant in forcing Lee back, and spreading over all Northern and Northwestern Virginia. The Secretary of War is much secluded, and I see by a correspondence between him and the Secretary of the Treasury, relating to the _million and three-quarters_ in coin, belonging to the New Orleans banks, that the Secretary of the Treasury can make no "valid objection to the proposition of the Secretary of War." I do not understand what disposition they propose to make of it.

A list is being prepared at the War Department (by Mr. a.s.sistant Secretary Campbell) for Congress to pa.s.s, authorizing the seizure of all the railroads in the Confederacy. Also one establis.h.i.+ng and reorganizing the Bureau of Conscription.

If Butler remains between Richmond and Petersburg, and is reinforced, and Grant is strong enough (two to Lee's one) to push on toward Richmond, our perils and trials will be greater than ever.

Vice-President Stephens has not yet arrived. I do not understand that he is ill.

MAY 18TH.--Showers and suns.h.i.+ne, the first preponderating.

Our killed and wounded in Beauregard's battle amount to some 1500. The enemy lost 1000 prisoners, and perhaps 1500 killed and wounded.

Railroad men report heavy firing this morning near Fredericksburg, and it is believed another battle is in progress.

From the West we have a report, derived from the enemy at Natchez, that Gen. Banks has surrendered to Lieut-Gen. Smith.

It is rumored likewise that President Lincoln has called for 60,000 militia, _to defend Was.h.i.+ngton_.

A fortnight ago, Mr. Benjamin procured pa.s.sports for one or two of his agents "to pa.s.s the lines at will." They may have procured information, but it did not prevent the enemy from coming.

Attended a funeral (next door to us) ceremony this afternoon at 5 P.M.

over the body of Abner Stanfield, a nephew of Mrs. Smith, our next door neighbor, who fell in battle day before yesterday, near Drewry's Bluff.

By the merest accident his relatives here learned of his fall (by the paper we loaned them), and Mr. S. had his body brought to his house, and decently prepared for the grave. His b.l.o.o.d.y garments were replaced by a fine suit of clothes he had kept with Mr. S.; his mother, etc. live in Northern Virginia, and his cousins, the Misses S., decorated the coffin beautifully with laurels, flowers, etc. He was a handsome young hero, six feet tall, and died bravely in his country's defense. He was slain by a sh.e.l.l. The ceremony was impressive, and caused many tears to flow.

But his glorious death and funeral honor will inspire others with greater resolution to do and to dare, and to die, if necessary, for their country. The minister did him justice, for the hallowed cause in which he fell.

MAY 19TH.--Suns.h.i.+ne and showers, the former predominating.

Gen. Lee sends a dispatch saying the enemy's attack yesterday was repulsed easily--our loss very light.

It is said, however, that the enemy have Guinea's Station, 12 miles this side of Fredericksburg.

Gen. Beauregard intends sh.e.l.ling Butler in his fortifications to-morrow.

From the West, in Georgia, and beyond the Mississippi, all seem bright enough.

Congress has pa.s.sed a resolution to adjourn on the 31st inst., in obedience to the wish of the President. He has a majority in both Houses, it seems; and even the bills they pa.s.s are generally dictated by the Executive, and written in the departments. Judge Campbell is much used for this purpose.

Gen. Bragg sent in a ma.n.u.script, derived from a deserter, stating that of Gen. Butler's two corps, one, the 10th, is from the Southern coast, no negroes in it, leaving only negroes in the Southern garrisons. We learned Butler was in command, and dismissed all apprehensions--and one day we had but 5000 opposed to his 40,000!

MAY 20TH.--Fog; then suns.h.i.+ne all day, but cool.

Troops have been marching through the city all day from the south side.

I presume others take their places arriving from the South. Barton's brigade had but 700 out of 2000 that went into battle last Monday. Our wounded amount to 2000; perhaps the enemy's loss was not so large.

Col. Northrop is vehement in his condemnation of Beauregard; says his blunders are ruining us; that he is a charlatan, and that he never has been of any value to the Confederate States; and he censures Gen. Lee, whom he considers a general, and the only one we have, and the Secretary of War, for not providing transportation for supplies, now so fearfully scarce.

I read an indors.e.m.e.nt to-day, in the President's writing, as follows: "Gen. Longstreet has seriously offended against good order and military discipline in rearresting an officer (Gen. Law) who had been released by the War Department, without any new offense having been alleged.--J. D."

Mr. Mallory, Secretary of the Navy, wrote a pungent letter to the Secretary of War to-day, on the failure of the latter to have the obstructions removed from the river, so that the iron-clads might go out and fight. He says the enemy has captured our lower battery of torpedoes, etc., and declares the failure to remove the obstructions "prejudicial to the interests of the country, and especially to the naval service, which has thus been prevented from rendering important service."

Gen. Bragg writes a pretty tart letter to the Secretary of War to-day, desiring that his reports of the Army of Tennessee, called for by Congress, be furnished for publication, or else that the reasons be given for withholding them.

We have no war news to-day.

Mrs. Minor, of c.u.mberland County, with whom my daughter Anne resides, is here, in great affliction. Her brother, Col. Rudolph, was killed in the battle with Sheridan, near Richmond; shot through the head, and buried on the field. Now she learns that another brother, a cadet, just 18 years old, was killed in the battle of Gen. Breckinridge, in the valley, shot through the head; and she resolves to set out for Staunton at once, to recover his body. Her father and sister died a few months ago, and she has just heard of her aunt's death.

A lady living next door to us had two brothers wounded on Monday, and they are both here, and will recover.

Gen. Breckinridge is now marching to reinforce Lee. It is said Butler will set sail to join Grant. If so, we can send Lee 20,000 more men, and Beauregard's victory will yield substantial fruits.

MAY 21ST.--Sun all day, but a little hazy; perhaps a battle.

There was quite a battle yesterday on the south side. The accounts in the morning's paper fall short of the whole of our success. The enemy, it is said to-day, did not regain the works from which they were driven, but are now cooped up at Bermuda Hundred. Nothing is feared from Butler.