Memphis, Wednesday, Feb. 18. Raw and windy. Health not very good.
Monday, February 18, 2013
February 18th. When my man met me yesterday with my gray, a horse I had always considered unequaled in appearance, both horse and man looked shabby, and as I looked them over, and the great number of muddy soldiers everywhere about, I am afraid I wished myself back again in New York. Why I should see through such jaundiced eyes, I scarcely know, for the army has been my home and delight for the past two years. I think I shall not apply for any more leaves of absence. I noticed yesterday what an immense accumulation of stores had been collected on the sheltered ground, where the trains stop. The spot is admirably adapted to the purpose, entirely out of sight, although so close to the river the abrupt hills afford the most complete protection. There are no visible roads now. The trains just cut across the country to the various camps the shortest way, resulting in the whole district becoming a quagmire. One must see this muddy country in winter to know how bad it really is.
Colonel Zook is going to leave us in the morning for a twenty days’ leave, and Frank is to remain in command of the brigade, keeping his own regimental quarters, however, and I am to run the brigade for him. I hope Colonel Zook will return on time. It makes so much difference when he is absent; we are always busy when he is in command.
La Valley of the Fifty-seventh, who for many months was acting brigade commissary, most unaccountably disappeared, and has been dropped from the muster rolls. This is a great surprise to us. A French Canadian, well educated, unusually bright, served in the regular army, and is a capital soldier and boon companion, we had always considered him the soul of honor, and would have trusted him with all we had. Lieutenant C. B. Curtiss, a scholar and man of attainments, has been promoted to be captain of his Company K, at one time the best company in the regiment, and perhaps so now. Captain L. L. Rose, A. C. Subsistence, has been assigned to the brigade permanently. He is a peculiar genius of first rate ability, and possessed of more than the usual amount of common sense, but has many weak points. He is about fifty years of age, a great gambler and I think an experienced one; is a lover of poetry, and can recite from memory from his favorite author, Burns, by the hour, and takes great pleasure in entertaining us. He keeps good horses, is a most accommodating and excellent commissary, and genial companion. Our quartermaster, Leffingwell, we see little of. He is a typical Yankee, unsociable and uninteresting, but a good quartermaster and seldom at headquarters, living almost wholly with his train. The assistant inspector general, Captain James D. Brady of the Sixty-third, is a brave, accomplished, and very bright officer. He is an Irishman, American born, and hails from Portsmouth, Va. He has recently been assigned to us.
FEBRUARY 18Th.—Mr. H_____s, another of Gen. Winder’s detectives, has gone over to the enemy. He went on a privateering cruise from Wilmington; the vessel he sailed in captured a brig, and H_____s was put in command of the prize, to sail into a Confederate port. Instead of this, however, H_____s sailed away for one of the West India islands, and gave up his prize to Corn. Wilkes, of the United States Navy.
One or two of the regiments of Gen. Lee’s army were in the city last night. The men were pale and haggard. They have but a quarter of a pound of meat per day. But meat has been ordered from Atlanta. I hope it is abundant there.
All the necessaries of life in the city are still going up higher in price. Butter, $3 per pound; beef, $1; bacon, $1.25; sausage-meat, $1; and even liver is selling at 50 cents per pound.
By degrees, quite perceptible, we are approaching the condition of famine. What effect this will produce on the community is to be seen. The army must be fed or disbanded, or else the city must be abandoned. How we, “the people,” are to live is a thought of serious concern.
Gen. Lee has recommended that an appeal be made to the people to bring food to the army, to feed their sons and brothers; but the Commissary-General opposes it; probably it will not be done. No doubt the army could be half fed in this way for months. But the “red tape” men are inflexible and inscrutable. Nevertheless, the commissaries and quartermasters are getting rich.
February 18.—At Charleston, S. C, General Beauregard issued the following proclamation: “It has become my solemn duty to inform the authorities and citizens of Charleston and Savannah that the movements of the enemy’s fleet indicate an early land and naval attack on one or both cities, and to urge that persons unable to take an active part in the struggle shall retire. It is hoped, however, that this temporary separation of some of you from your homes will be made without alarm or undue haste, thus showing that the only feeling which animates you in this hour of supreme trial is the right of being able to participate in the defence of your homes, your altars, and the graves of your kindred. Carolinians and Georgians! the hour is at hand to prove your country’s cause. Let all able-bodied men from the sea-board to the mountains rush to arms. Be not too exacting in the choice of weapons. Pikes and scythes will do for exterminating your enemies, spades and shovels for protecting your firesides. To arms, fellow-citizens! Come to share with us our danger, our brilliant success, or our glorious death.”—About noon to-day ten wagons sent out on a foraging expedition from Memphis, were attacked and captured in Nonconnah Bottom, by a party of one hundred and fifty rebel cavalry.
—Secretary Chase transmitted to Congress to-day a report of Hiram Barney, Government cotton agent at New-York, the footings of which showed that he had sold at public auction since the blockade commenced, three thousand three hundred and twenty-five bales of sea island and upland cotton, and one thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine bales of unginned cotton, valued at six hundred and ninety-six thousand five hundred and sixty-two dollars.
—The siege of Vicksburg was commenced to-day by the Union mortar-boats, which threw a number of shells into the city. The rebels opened three batteries of heavy guns on the boats, but their shot fell short, and did no injury.
—By order of General R. B. Mitchell, commanding the National forces at Nashville, Tenn., G. W. Donegan and W. H. Calhoun, two wealthy citizens of that place, were arrested and confined in the State penitentiary, as hostages for the safe return within the National lines of John A. Galty and T. T. Tabb, Union men held by the rebels at Chattanooga.—Clifton, Tenn., was captured and destroyed by a detachment of the Third Michigan cavalry under the command of Captain Cicero Newell.—Philadelphia Inquirer.
—A Democratic Convention which met to-day at Frankfort, Ky., for the purpose of nominating candidates for State officers for the ensuing August election, was broken up and dispersed by Colonel S. A. Gilbert, under orders received from Brigadier-General Q. A. Gillmore, commanding the district. The members of the Convention were said to be avowed rebel sympathizers.
