March 2nd [1863]. Mr. Randolph was here soon after breakfast. He sits a long time and talks wonderfully slow. He had nothing new to tell us of war matters and Mrs. Norton gave him a cut for that—she lives entirely on the daily events without connecting them in her philosophy with other events. The rumors of the hour and the miserable newspapers, falsifying one day what they have given out as truth the day previous, filled with impossible schemes and barefaced braggadocio, fill her mind. She reads scraps of these papers to us before we are up, calling through the door which leads to her room, oftener opening it wide so we are put to straits to dress ourselves in private. Whether I am reading, writing, or thinking, those newspaper scraps are read and their contradictory jargon mangle and cut into pieces any idea which might soothe my brain, whether of mine or another’s. Oh, I am so, so weary. The making of the new Mississippi channel is now occupying the attention of the brave authorities here and elsewhere. Therefore we don’t expect, as we have been expecting, the great attacks at Port Hudson and Vicksburg. We had a solemn “extra” out this morning to tell us that New Orleans is to be made an island; so, also, Vicksburg and Baton Rouge. Mary Harrison came in while Mr. Randolph was here and read the “extra” aloud to us. We laughed a good deal over Yankee boasting. Our batteries on the river which they have been saying were a “mere nothing” to take, are now to be “got round.” The great armies and navies of the United States are to make a new channel for themselves immediately in time to save that poor old Union. Nature may have in contemplation some changes in the bed of this wonderful river, but the Yankees are in this matter—as in most others—mere boasters. The people at large are deceived that a wretched administration may rule with a tyrannical sway—they are robbed that public functionaries may fill their pockets, speculators run riot. I believe the Yankees themselves consider they have but two honest men, Burnside and the President.
McClellan is not a favorite with the party in power, though his soldiers idolized him, and long for his reestablishment. We had a great argument at Judge Ogden’s one night whether McClellan would or would not be the meanest of mankind if he again should accept his old position as Commander-in-Chief. Ginnie, Jule, Lizzie and myself took the stand that no man belongs to himself, but to his country, if his country needs him, he must obey her call, though like any other mother she may have been both unjust and unkind to him. We contended that McClellan was the only approach to a general that the Yankees could boast; therefore, if he really loved the cause and his soldiers, he ought to accept his old place if offered, besides, we argued, his defeat was the result of a party, and the whole country rose to welcome him on his return, and that was a real triumph for him, and the army made bitter complaints about his recall. Mr. Randolph and Mary Harrison sat some time, and the latter carried me off with her to see the Wilkinsons, leaving Mr. B—— with Ginnie and Mrs. Norton. I am afraid of hurting his feelings, as he is very sensitive; he is a good friend of ours and would, I believe, serve us in any way. He has led a wild, rambling life in Mexico, Peru and other places, and in this way has neglected many means of education. He would have made a fine specimen of a man if he had had the proper opportunities. He is quick and sagacious, and his instinctive judgment of’ men and things is good. His ideas have much more range than is usual with city men, whose thoughts (it seems to me) run in but two channels, pleasure or business. But his expression is slow and restricted; he has neglected the means which would have aided his utterance. This man has a true chivalry of nature, which makes him interesting; he is not at all demonstrative or elegant in manner, yet you feel instinctively there is no meanness, no coarseness, no unkindness in his nature, and that he would do anything for a woman—for a woman—without respect to her age or rank. He has dubbed himself a true friend of ours, and indeed I feel that sort of trust in him that would incline me to call on him in any trouble in preference to earlier friends. His brothers, who happen to be unmarried, are both in the army; so, also, are his brothers-in-law, and owing to circumstances he is compelled to remain here and take care of his family and the family of his sister-in-law; she has three children, he has two; they are all quite young, timid and helpless. He pines to be in the army—his brothers have written him that they do not envy his position. I believe Southern men seldom fear in battle and like its terrible excitements.
Many families in Vicksburg have caves under their houses containing stores and furniture, to which they intend to retire when the threatened bombardment of Vicksburg takes place. The house of Mrs. Eccleston, in which Mrs. W—— has been staying, had part of a wall and the tester of a bedstead torn away in the last engagement. Some of our soldiers imprisoned by the Federals were thrust into a house in which negroes had died of smallpox. These prisoners were then returned to us in their diseased state—this horror has since been spreading among our troops, many of whom have died, though we keep this matter as secret as possible. Refugees from New Orleans have been received into all houses by order of General Pemberton. Our soldiers need nurses, lint and bandages more than anything. Poor fellows, how I long to go out and take them something. Mrs. M—— took out a cheese to eat on the way, but as she did not touch it, gave it to the managers of the hospital at Vicksburg. It was received with delight and made much of. I left Mary H—— to get through her visit with Mrs. Pinkhard alone, and returned home. She came to dinner after the visit was over; said she had found some of our mutual acquaintances there dressed in the finest laces, silks and jewels, which added to the rather flashy elegance of the house, made Mary H—— ,
just from the pure circle of the Wilkinson’s discoursing on our trials and patriotic struggles, and the homespun which many ladies wear, feel as if she were in another world. The Misses Norcum, rather noted for extravagance and worldliness, entertained her with their exploits on the levee the day of the trouble there. It is astonishing what latitude Miss M. Norcum allows herself. She says she has gone further than any other woman in the Confederacy. Her father is not rich, but she dresses extravagantly, even in these times when wealthy women generally feel the cares and distress of the day too much to entertain a love of display. Miss Norcum’s patriotism consists in making saucy speeches to and ugly faces at the Federal soldiers. She does not tell her father what she does, she says. She comes of good blood; she has had the education and associations of a lady, and is old enough (being some time out of her teens) to know better. Mary and I heard of hundreds of ludicrous circumstances connected with the levee fight. “The Battle of the Handkerchiefs,” it is called, is rather a good poem composed to honor the occasion and which I will copy here. Each day I hear something more of this scandalous scene. A Captain or Lieutenant Thornton on General Shepley’s staff (I won’t say Governor Shepley) was speaking of the Levee Scene to a lady. “I would have managed them better,” said he. “And what would you have done, sir?” said the lady. “I would not have sent for cannon,” said this Yankee knight, “but I would have had cavalry armed with cowhides, to ride them down, whipping as they went along.” What think you of this, future ages? Those are the civilizers who are prompted by pity to make war upon us lest we should become too savage, when entirely cut off from Northern influences.
This afternoon a great troop of negroes were escorted by our door by Yankee soldiers, bearing bayonets. They were to be taken to a brick yard and “put to work,” the soldiers said, and were mad enough because of it. I could but pity the forlorn looking wretches as they went by. The Federals have done nothing worse than in deceiving this race; they have been made the tools of both politicians and army officers. Mr. Syewart brought us up Blackwood’s, containing an article called, “A month’s stay at Confederate headquarters.” It is by an English officer and written in a spirit which seems wonderfully kindly for one of that nation. The descriptions of our magnificent Lee and Jackson, filled my heart with pleasure. The simple elegance of these two heroes have long ago captured my imagination. They are surrounded by no state, living like their men, yet they are venerated and obeyed. Our people are described as being brave and earnest, bearing ever in their hearts the greatness of the struggle, and a willingness for every sacrifice that can aid it. Read an article by Wendell Holmes entitled, “My Hunt for the Captain.” He met many “Rebel” prisoners, and they were all dirty, or idiotic, or something else which was hateful. They never knew for what they were fighting, except in one instance, and he “loved excitement.” Maryland is spoken of as a State entirely “loyal”—this I know is false, or why have Maryland soldiers crossed the blue, peaceful Potomac to share the fortunes of their Southern brothers!
