February 20, Saturday. Two or three committees are investigating naval matters, — contracts, supplies, engineering, etc. Senator Hale labors hard to find fault with the Department; is searching, as with a lantern, for errors and mistakes. Has detectives, rotten and disappointed contractors, and grouty party men of the Navy, as well as politicians of every kind of politics, to aid him, but has thus far seemed to injure his friends as well as himself and not the Department.
February 2014
by John Beauchamp Jones
FEBRUARY 20TH.—Bright, calm, but still cold—slightly moderating. Roads firm and dusty. Trains of army wagons still go by our house laden with ice.
Brig.-Gen. Wm. Preston has been sent to Mexico, with authority to recognize and treat with the new Emperor Maximilian.
I see, by a letter from Mr. Benjamin, that he is intrusted by the President with the custody of the “secret service” money.
Late papers from the United States show that they have a money panic, and that gold is rising in price. In Lowell not a spindle is turning, and 30,000 operatives are thrown out of employment
From England we learn that the mass of the population are memorializing government to put an end to the war!
I saw a ham sell to-day for $350; it weighed fifty pounds, at $7 per pound.
February 20th, 1864.—Two more Georgia regiments passed through today en route for Lake City. I am afraid that means a fight. God help us.
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Note: Since there are 3 more entries for February followed by entries for the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd, the extra entries are included here to maintain the sequence of entries in the book.
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February _ _, 1864. We have had a grand time but now it is over. We have had rides and walks and drives; we have had parties, picnics and serenades; we have had a merry two weeks and now our play-mates are gone. They looked so handsome and they held their heads so proudly and marched away with such steady steps. As they went they sang, “The Girl I Left Behind Me.” Poor boys–I hope and pray they may some day come home again.
February _ _, 1864.—Blind Tom is to play at the Capitol tonight. We are going to hear him for he is too wonderful to miss. I am staying at Aunt Margaret’s. Cousin Jim will take Mart and Sue and me to town. It is not very far and I had an invitation to go from a captain in a gorgeous uniform. I would have liked to go with him but Mother does not like us to go around without a chaperon. If I was at Goodwood, Aunt Sue would go; she is the very best aunt a girl ever had.
February _ _, 1864.–Blind Tom is wonderful! He plays the Battle of Manassas and, before he begins to play, his master tells you how Tom came to compose this piece. His master, Colonel Bethune, is so proud of him and Tom loves him and is so affectionate; just like some sweet-tempered animal that you have petted.
This Battle of Manassas begins with the booming of cannon; the rattle of musketry and above all the clear notes of the bugle. Faintly in the distance the strains of Dixie float upon the air, these strains grow louder and louder and mingle with the clashing of guns, the tramping of horses and the sharp commands of officers. He intersperses the music with the names of the different Generals, who took the most prominent parts in the day’s work. How an imbecile (for Tom is plainly that) could ever be taught a connected description of Manassas, is certainly a miracle.
(This diary was written in pencil and in many instances the dates are almost, or quite, illegible. The month and year are plain but the figures are not so plain; particularly is this the case during the years of warfare, possibly the pencils were poor, or the paper might have been. At any rate we ask our readers to be lenient if some little mistakes occur.)
February 20.—The battle of Olustee, Florida, was fought this day by the National forces under the command of General Seymour and the rebels under General Caesar Finnegan.—(Doc. 87.)
—The rebel schooner Henry Colthurst, from Kingston, Jamaica, with a cargo of the munitions of war for the confederate government, and other articles of merchandise, was captured, near San Luis Pass, by the National schooner Virginia.
Friday, 19th—The quartermaster is sending out large foraging parties today, while the army is preparing to start back toward Vicksburg tomorrow, after destroying everything within our lines. There are no more rebels to be found in this vicinity.
Adjutant’s And Inspector Gen’l’s. Office,
Richmond, February 19th, 1864
Special Orders No. 42.
XVI. The following named privates will be discharged from the service of the Confederate States: John C. West, Company E., Fourth Texas Volunteers.
* * * * * * * * * *
By command of the Secretary of War.
John Withers,
Assistant Adjutant General.
John C. West,
Thro. General Longstreet.
Huntsville, Friday, Feb. 19. Weather continued raw and cold. On guard. Suffering from a severe cold and the hours passed slowly and heavily. No drill. No mail.
Feb. 19. We have again got somebody to look after us. Two young lieutenants have been sent here from the 148th New York at Yorktown to take command. They have taken the colonel’s quarters and seem to have settled down for a good time by themselves, at any rate they don’t trouble us any. They come out in the morning, and look on at guard mounting, and that is about all we see of them. I reckon they are pretty good fellows, and when I get time shall try and cultivate their acquaintance.
Friday, 19th.—Hardee’s Corps reported going to Mississippi.
February 19, Friday. Am perplexed about charges and specifications against Wilkes. His conduct has been bad, — such as will perhaps break him. I think it might, if pressed to extremes, but I do not wish to be severe. Although insubordinate, disobedient, selfish, arrogant, and imperious towards inferiors, and somewhat insolent to all, I hoped to let him off without a trial. But he would not permit; the more forbearing I was, the more presumptuous and offensive he became, trampling on regulations and making public issue with the Department on false assumptions and misrepresentations. The Navy dislike him and would treat him harshly; I have no malevolence towards him and do not want him punished to the extent he deserves and is liable, but he cannot be permitted to go unrebuked.
As I went into the Cabinet-meeting a fair, plump lady pressed forward and insisted she must see the President, —only for a moment, — wanted nothing. I made her request known to the President, who directed that she should be admitted. She said her name was Holmes, that she belonged in Dubuque, Iowa, was passing East and came from Baltimore expressly to have a look at President Lincoln. “Well, in the matter of looking at one another,” said the President, laughing, “I have altogether the advantage.” She wished his autograph, and was a special admirer and enthusiastic.
