Following the American Civil War Sesquicentennial with day by day writings of the time, currently 1863.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

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Rebel War Clerk

December 13, 2012

A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, By John Beauchamp Jones

DECEMBER 13TH.—After all, Fredericksburg was severely shelled—whether designedly or incidentally in the fight, does not yet appear.

Our army has fallen back a little—for a purpose. Lee knows every inch of the ground.

Again we have rumors of a hostile fleet being in the river; and Major-Gen. G. W. Smith has gone to Petersburg to see after the means of defense, if an attack should be made in that quarter. Some little gloom and despondency are manifested, for the first time, in this community.Major-Gen. S. Jones writes that although the Federal Gen. Cox has left the valley of the Kanawha, 5000 of his men remain; and he deems it inexpedient, in response to Gen. Lee’s suggestion, to detach any portion of his troops for operations elsewhere. He says Jenkins’s cavalry is in a bad condition.

Here is an instance of South Carolina honor. During the battle of Williamsburg, last spring, W. R. Erwin, a private in Col. Jenkins’s Palmetto sharpshooters, was detailed to take care of the wounded, and was himself taken prisoner The enemy supposing him to be a surgeon, he was paroled. He now returns to the service; and although the mistake could never be detected, he insists on our government exchanging a private of the enemy’s for himself. With the assurance that this will be done, he goes again to battle.

Yesterday flour and tobacco had a fall at auction. Some suppose the bidders had in view the contingency of the capture of the city by the enemy.

In the market-house this morning, I heard a man speaking loudly, denounce a farmer for asking about $6 a bushel for his potatoes, and hoping that the Yankees would take them from him for nothing!

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A Diary of American Events.

December 13, 2012

The American Civil War,The Rebellion Record—A Diary of American Events; by Frank Moore

December 13.—To-day the battle of Fredericksburgh, Va., was fought, between the Union army of the Potomac, under the command of Major General Burnside, and the rebel forces, under General Lee. The battle was fiercely and stubbornly contested on both sides, and resulted in the repulse of the Unionists.—(Docs. 25, 68.)

—Jefferson Davis reviewed the rebel forces, under General Bragg, at Murfreesboro, Tenn.— John N. Cocke and company, of Portsmouth, Va., having refused to pay their debts to Northern citizens, on the ground that a law of the rebel Congress had released them from all obligations to Northern creditors, General Viele issued a proclamation informing them that their excuse was not valid, and that they must pay or a sufficient amount of their property would be seized and sold.—Two regiments of Union infantry, and one company of cavalry, surprised a band of rebels, at Tuscumbia, Ala., completely routing them, and capturing seventy prisoners, their horses and baggage. The National loss was four killed and fourteen wounded.

—Governor Johnson, of Tennessee, this day issued an order assessing certain individuals in the city of Nashville, in various amounts, to be paid in five monthly instalments, “in behalf of the many helpless widows, wives, and children in the city of Nashville, who have been reduced to poverty and wretchedness in consequence of their husbands, sons, and fathers having been forced into the armies of this unholy and nefarious rebellion.”

—The Michigan Twenty-sixth infantry, Colonel J. S. Farrar, numbering nine hundred and three men, this day left Jackson, Mich., for the seat of war in Virginia.—A fight took place at South-West Creek, N. C, between a detachment of the expeditionary forces, under General Foster, and a body of rebel troops, in which the latter were routed with the loss of a number of prisoners, a six-pounder gun, caisson, etc.—(Doc. 73.)

—A fleet of small boats, under the command of Captain Murray, left Newbern, N. C, to attack the rebel works on the river at Kinston; but owing to the lowness of the water, only one boat— under Colonel Manchester, marine artillery—was brought into action, and the works being found too strong, she was obliged to retire.—(Doc. 73.)

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