March 2015

March 23d.—Clear, with high wind. Nothing further from North Carolina. A dispatch from Gen. Lee states that he has directed Gen. Cobb to organize an expedition into Tennessee, to cut the enemy’s communications. Gen. Wafford, of Kentucky, is in Georgia, with 2000 mounted men, etc.

Beef in market this morning sold at $12 to $15 per pound; bacon at $20, and butter at $20.

The parade of a few companies of negro troops yesterday was rather a ridiculous affair. The owners are opposed to it.

Gen. Rains sends in an indorsement, alleging that owing to the deception of Quartermaster Rhett (not furnishing transportation), he failed to arrest the approach of the enemy on a narrow causeway; and Columbia, S.. C., and his shells, etc. fell into the hands of the enemy.

A dispatch from Lee states that Gen. Thomas is at Knoxville, and that the enemy has commenced his advance from that direction—is repairing railroads, etc. The same dispatch says Gen. J. E. Johnston is removing his wounded to Smithsville from Bentonville; that the intrenchments of the enemy and greatly superior numbers of Sherman render further offensive operations impracticable.

Grant’s grand combination is now developed. Sherman from the Southwest, 70,000; Grant himself from the South, 70,000; Thomas, from the West, 40,000; and Sheridan, with 15,000 cavalry from the North—some 200,000 men converging toward this point. To defend it we shall have 120,000 men, without provisions, and, without some speedy successes, no communications with the regions of supply or transportation! Now is coming the time for the exercise of great generalship!

Gen. Early has been sent to the West—Tennessee.

March 22d.—Rained last night; clear and cool this morning. The report of another battle, since Sunday, in North Carolina, is not confirmed.

The “Bureau of Conscription” still lives, notwithstanding the action of Congress! The President himself, who favored its abolition, yet being displeased with some of the details of the act, seems to have finally withheld his approval; and so Col. G. W. Lay, son-in-law of Judge Campbell, is again acting Superintendent. The great weight (wealth) of Gen. Preston perhaps saved it—and may have lost the cause. However, it is again said Judge Campbell will soon retire from office. He considers the cause already lost—the work quite accomplished.

To-day some of our negro troops will parade in the Capitol Square.

The Texas cavalry in Virginia—originally 5000—now number 180!

Congress adjourned without adopting any plan to reduce the currency, deeming it hopeless, since the discovery of a deficiency, in Mr. Memminger’s accounts, of $400,000,000! So the depreciation will go on, since the collection of taxes is rendered quite impracticable by the operations of the enemy. Yet buying and selling, for what they call “dollars,” are still extensively indulged; and although the insecurity of slave property is so manifest, yet a negro man will bring $10,000 at auction. This, however, is only equivalent to about $100. Land, when the price is reduced to the gold standard, is similarly diminished in price.