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

by John Beauchamp Jones

            AUGUST 7TH.—Hot and dry; but heavy rains in other parts of the State.

            The 1st Army Corps moved through the city last night, via the Central and Fredericksburg Railroads, and this morning Fitzhugh Lee’s cavalry corps is passing in the same direction—9 A.M.

All this indicates a transferrence of the scene of operations nearer the enemy’s country—the relief ofRichmond—the failure of Grant’s MAD BULL campaign, prompted by President Lincoln, who is no general.

            Honor to Lee!—the savior of his country! and the noble band of heroes whom he has led to victory!—but first to God.

by John Beauchamp Jones

            AUGUST 6TH.—Hot and dry.

            The booming of cannon heard yesterday evening was from one of our batteries below Drewry’s Bluff. The enemy answered from their batteries, the existence of which we had no knowledge of before. No one was hurt.

            About the same time Gen. Beauregard sprung a mine under the enemy’s mine, and blew it up, no doubt destroying many lives. This was succeeded by heavy, but, perhaps, harmless shelling along the lines.

            Another raiding party has been defeated and dispersed atMadison,Ga.

            But we have been unfortunate in a naval engagement in the lower bay, atMobile. We have lost Admiral Buchanan’s ram “Tennessee,” and several other steamers. One of the enemy’s monitors was sunk. They had five vessels to our one.

            Battles are momentarily expected atAtlanta andWinchester. We have nothing additional from the North.

by John Beauchamp Jones

            AUGUST 5TH.—Hot and dry. I hope there will be a rain-cloud this evening.

            No war news, except a letter from Gen. Lee, indicating that Gen. Morgan is probably on a raid in Northwest Virginia and inPennsylvania. Morgan proposed going intoGeorgia (rear ofSherman), but the Secretary indorsed that perhaps the matter had as well be left to Gen. Lee. The President quietly indorsed that he “concurred in the conclusion that all the movements of troops inVirginia had best be left to the discretion of Gen Lee.”

            Gen. Hood telegraphs that no important change has occurred in front ofAtlanta. There was some skirmishing yesterday, and shell thrown intoAtlanta.

            My daughter Anne, after ten months’ residence in the country, returned to-day (with Miss Randolph, of Loudon Co.) in perfect health. She brought apples, eggs, a watermelon, cucumbers, etc.

            Mr. Davies sold my reel (German silver) to-day for $75, or about $3.20 in gold—enough to buy a cord of wood. I parted with it reluctantly, as I hope to catch fish yet.

by John Beauchamp Jones

            AUGUST 4TH.—Clear and hot.

            All quiet atPetersburg. President Lincoln was at Fortress Monroe on Sunday last, after the explosion and its failure.

            The Northern papers acknowledge that Grant sustained a terrible disaster atPetersburg, losing in killed, wounded, and missing 5000. They say the negro troops caused the failure, by running back and breaking the lines of the whites. The blacks were pushed forward in front, and suffered most.

            From the same source we learn that our troops have penetratedPennsylvania, and laid the city ofChambersburg in ashes. This may be so, as they have burned some half dozen of our towns, and are now daily throwing shell intoCharleston,Atlanta, andPetersburg.

            A letter to the Secretary from J. Thompson, in Canada (per Capt. Hines), was received to-day. He says the work will not probably begin before the middle of August. I know not what sort of work. But he says much caution is necessary. I suppose it to be the destruction of the Federal army depots, etc. in theUnited States.

            Public meetings and the public press continue to denounce in unmeasured terms the high schedule of prices recently sanctioned by the Commissary and Quartermaster’s bureaus. And, although the schedule has been modified, much odium will attach to all concerned in it. A large farmer, at the rates fixed for his products, would realize, perhaps, $200,000 per annum.

by John Beauchamp Jones

            AUGUST 3D.—Cloudy, but no rain.

            The press dispatches last night assert that still another raiding party, besides Stoneman’s, was dispersed or captured.

            It is rumored to-day that Beauregard has sprung a mine under Grant’s fortifications. This may be so. Later. It was not so.

by John Beauchamp Jones

            AUGUST 2D.—Bright and hot. At 4 P.M. a cloud rising. Fear my wife, and daughter Fannie, and Custis (who has a days’ furlough), who went this morning per Fredericksburg Railroad intoHanoverCounty to gather blackberries, will be caught in a rain. Nevertheless, the rain is wanted.

            Assistant Secretary Campbell is again “allowing” doubtful characters to pass out of the Confederate States to theUnited States; among these is Dr. McClure, “the embalmer,” who, too, carried others out for bribes.

            The Signal Bureau gives information to-day of Grant’s purpose to spring the mine already sprung, also of a raid, that was abandoned, north and west ofRichmond. They say Grant has now but 70,000 men, there being only a few men left atWashington. Can the agents paid by the Signal Bureau be relied on?

            Gen. Bragg telegraphs fromColumbus,Ga., that Gen. Roddy has been ordered to reassemble his forces in North Alabama, to cutSherman’s communications.

            The news fromGeorgia is more cheering.

            The commissioners (of prices) have reduced the schedule: it was denounced universally. It is said by the Examiner that the extravagant rates, $30 per bushel for wheat, and $50 for bacon, were suggested by a farmer in office.

            Gen. Lee writes that he had directed Morgan to co-operate with Early, but he was sick.

            The enemy’s account of our loss in the battle before Atlanta is exaggerated greatly. Sherman’s army is doomed, I think.

            Seven P.M. No rain here, but my family were-drenched in a hard shower at Hanover Junction, and what was worse, they got no blackberries, the hot sun having dried the sap in the bushes.

by John Beauchamp Jones

            AUGUST 1ST.—Hot and clear; but it rained yesterday three-quarters of an hour in the afternoon.

            Our loss in the affair atPetersburg is about 800, the enemy’s 3500. We captured 2000 small arms.

            We have nothing yet fromAtlanta, but no doubt there has been another battle. I hope no disaster has befallen us there. No doubt the wires have been cut by the raiders, and roads also. It is a critical time inGeorgia. But ifVirginia triumphs over the assaults of Grant, all will go well.

by John Beauchamp Jones

            JULY 31sT.—Clear, dry, and hot.

            A dispatch from Gen. Lee (I have not seen it yet) says, in the repulse of the enemy’s assault on the breach made by their mine, we captured over 800 prisoners—a general and his staff among them—some 12 stands of colors, and killed some 500. Our loss very light.

            The enemy has mostly countermarched from this side of the river, followed, of course, by our army at double-quick, and rumor says there are little or no forces of either party on the north side of the James this morning.

            This was probably Grant’s grand stratagem for our destruction, and it has failed disastrously for him. What will he do next? No matter what, Lee is the master of the situation.

            My daughter’s large pet cat died last night under the cherry-tree, and was buried this morning under a rose-bush. I sympathize with Fannie in the grief natural on such an occasion; but really, the death of the cat in such times as these is a great relief to me, as he was maintained at the cost of not less than $200 per annum. His death was probably occasioned by a surfeit of meat which his mistress obtained unexpectedly, seeing it fall in the street, and sending a servant for it.

            This morning a large fat chicken was found in my yard, picked and prepared for cooking, brought hither by a cat which had stolen it from some kitchen. A portion of the breast only had been eaten, and our cook seized upon the remains for her own benefit. To such straits are we reduced by this cruel war!

by John Beauchamp Jones

            JULY 30TH. —Clear and hot.

            Dispatches from Bragg, atMontgomery, .of yesterday, give no accounts of more fighting, although the press dispatches, etc. did mention four of our generals who have been wounded.

            There is a revival of murmurs against the President. He will persist in keeping Bragg in command, that is “of the armies in the field,” though he does not lead any of them, and Gen. Pemberton really has command of all the batteries defendingRichmond. The raiders are cutting theGeorgia andAlabama Road since Bragg went South, and we have lost four pieces of artillery near this city a few days ago. ILL LUCK is indefensible!

            To-day the enemy sprung a mine atPetersburg, but were repulsed in the attempt to rush in. This is all we know of it yet. Again it is rumored that the major parts of both armies are on this side of the river. This I believe, and I think that unless there be a battle immediately, Grant’s intention is to abandon the “siege” ofRichmond at the earliest practicable moment.

            The local troops are back again. The President directed the Secretary of War to inform Gen. Ewell that he misapprehended the character of these troops. They were only for special and temporary service, having also civil duties to perform, and desired them to be sent back in twenty-four, or at most, forty-eight hours. Gen. E. writes that he will employ them exclusively hereafter in the city fortifications, and only in times of extreme peril. And he says there was peril on Thursday, the enemy’s cavalry being between our infantry and the city, and it will not do to rely always on his want of enterprise.