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

by John Beauchamp Jones

            JULY 8TH.—Clear; hot and dusty.

            The news of the falling back of Gen. Johnston onAtlanta,Ga., causes no uneasiness, for the destruction ofSherman’s army is deemed the more certain the farther he penetrates.

            There is nothing of interest fromPetersburg, but there are rumors of demoralization and disaffection in Grant’s army. His men suffer for water.

            Still we get no letters from the South, beyond the point on the Danville Railroad reached by the raiders, who tore up 18 miles of the track.

            We have nothing definite from Early’s column yet, but no doubt there is alarm enough inPennsylvania and inWashingtonCity by this time.

by John Beauchamp Jones

            JULY 7TH.—Hot and dry, but a light shower at 2 P.M., laying the dust.

A letter from Gen. Gilmer states that the Danville Railroad will not be fully repaired before the last of this month. But there is a good wagon road, and the army can be supplied by wagons when the cars cannot run, sonic 25 miles.

            There is an idle rumor thatWilmington has been taken by the enemy. This, indeed, would hurt us. But we get neither letters nor dispatches from beyondPetersburg.

            Last week, when the local forces were recalled, one of the clerks in the Treasury Department, upon being dismissed, fell upon his lieutenant, who had insulted him while in the military service, and as a civilian, gave him a beating. To-day the officer, after consulting his lieutenant-colonel commanding, and, it is said, the Secretary of War, sent a subaltern to the department to arrest the clerk, who resisted. The subaltern said he acted by authority of the lieutenant-colonel and the Secretary of War, and would arrest him and throw him in prison, if he had to come with force enough to pull down the building. To all this the Secretary of the Treasury demurred, and made a formal complaint to the President, who most indignantly indorsed on the paper that the conduct of the officer was “very reprehensible,” that if when the offense was committed, the battalion had been dismissed, the military authority of the officers ceased, and as civil officers, all were on the same footing. He ordered the Secretary to make this known to the officers, etc. None believe now that the President ever threatened to turn the clerks out of office, as represented, nor wished them put in the army, as hinted.

by John Beauchamp Jones

            JULY 6TH—Hot and dry.

            We have no news to-day, but there are rumors that Grant is preparing to abandon his position. He cannot remain where he is, inactive. There is a scarcity of water, and the location is unhealthy.

            We had corn bread and gravy for dinner, with a tremendous dessert, the suggestion of Custis, consisting of whortleberry fitters, with butter and sugar sauce, costing about $16.

by John Beauchamp Jones

            JULY 5TH.—Cool and dry, everything suffering for rain.

            All quiet about Petersburg, but later in the day a rumor sprung up that fighting had recommenced there. I doubt it, because by Northern accounts I see Gen. Early is destroying railroads beyond the Potomac, and will undoubtedly threatenWashington itself. If Grant fails to send troops there, Early may even throw shell into the Federal city.

            Peter V. Daniel sends the Secretary of War a letter from Mr. Westmoreland, Wilmington, complaining that he is not allowed by government agents to transport cotton to that port, where his steamers are, in redemption of Confederate States bonds, while private persons, for speculative purposes, are, through the favor (probably for a consideration) of government officials, enabled to ship thousands of bales, and he submits a copy of a correspondence with Col. Sims, Assistant Quartermaster-General, and Lieut.-Col. Bayne, who is charged with the control of the exporting and importing business. Mr. Daniel thinks there is some “bribery and corruption” even in the South. But Mr. Seddon is incredulous sometimes.

            The express company has an arrangement with Col. Sims, the Assistant Quartermaster-General, by which much freight is transported.

            New potatoes are selling at $4 per quart in the market.

by John Beauchamp Jones

            JULY 3D.—Clear and dry; pleasant temperature.

            I learn thatPetersburg has not been much injured by the enemy’s batteries, and that Gen. Lee has ordered the casting of mortars for use immediately.

            To-morrow being the anniversary of the surrender of Vicksburg to Grant, I should not be surprised if that general let off some fire-works, not only in commemoration of that event, but in pursuance of some desperate enterprise against Richmond. I don’t see how he can feel any veneration for the day ofIndependence for the “rebels” of 1776, without sympathy for the “rebels” of 1864, struggling also for independence.

            After the failure of the enemy’s next move, I think the tempest of war will rapidly abate. Nearly every movement in this (I think final) effort to captureRichmond has failed.Sheridan failed to destroy the Central, Hunter the South Side, and Wilson the Danville Railroad—each losing about half his men and horses. Grant himself, so far, has but “swung round” a wall of steel, losing 100,000 men, and only gaining a position on theJames River which he might have occupied without any loss. On the other hand, Lee wields a larger army than he began with, and better armed, clothed, and fed.

            This ought to end the vain attempt at subjugation. But if not, the Confederate States, under the new policy (defensive), might maintain the contest against a half million of invaders. Our crop of wheat is abundant, and the harvest over; our communications will be all re-established in a few days, and the people being armed and drilled everywhere, the enemy’s raiders will soon be checked in any locality they may select as the scene of operations. All the bridges will be defended with fortifications. Besides, Lee is gathering rapidly an army on the Potomac, and may not only menace the enemy’s capital, but take it. Early and Breckinridge, Imboden and Morgan, may be at this moment inflicting more serious injury on the enemy’s railroads and canals than we have sustained inVirginia. And it is certain the stores of the Federal army inGeorgia have been captured or destroyed to a very serious extent.

            Still, in this hour of destitution and suffering among certain classes of the people, we see no beggars in the streets.

            Likewise, notwithstanding the raiding parties penetrate far in the rear of our armies, there has been no instance of an attempt on the part of the slaves to rise in insurrection.

by John Beauchamp Jones

            JULY 2D.—Hot and dry.

            A dispatch from Gen. Lee (will be published on Monday) says Gen. Beauregard reports the number of prisoners taken from Wilson’s south side raiding party about 1000, besides the killed and wounded, and several hundred negroes recaptured, 13 guns, many small arms, wagons, etc. It is said the killed and wounded amount to 1500, of whom there are not exceeding 300 of the latter, leaving 1200 killed.

            Gen. Morgan has got back toWestern Virginia with 1800 men, having lost but 200. He did not fight a battle with Gen. Bur-bridge at all; hence the Federal account of Morgan’s defeat was without foundation. Morgan will probably soon be inMaryland andPennsylvania, attending to the enemy’s railroads, bridges, mills, etc.

            The President said (so reported) to Dr. Garnett, yesterday, he hoped to hear of no more raids, since the last fared so badly.

            I drank two cups of coffee this morning, which seem to have had an extraordinary effect upon my strength, activity, and spirits; and indeed the belief that the discontinuance of the use of this beverage, about two years ago, may have caused the diminution of all. I am, and have long been, as poor as a church mouse. But the coffee (having in it sugar and cream) cost about a dollar each cup, and cannot be indulged in hereafter more than once a week. We had also boiled beans to-day, followed by fritters, the cherries from our garden, with sugar-sauce. This the family consider a sumptuous dinner—with no meat!

by John Beauchamp Jones

            JULY 1ST.—Clear, hot, and dry; my snap beans, corn, etc. burning up.

            The papers this morning fail to confirm the capture of as many prisoners, near Petersburg, as were reported yesterday. But the dispatch (subjoined) of Gen. Lee renders it certain that the enemy was routed. There is a suspicion that our exasperated men refused quarter to some hundreds of the raiders, on the plea that they ravish, murder, burn, pillage, etc. It may be so.

“HEADQUARTERS ARMY NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
“June 29th, 1864—8.30 P.M. “

HON. SECRETARY OF WAR.
            “SIR :—Gen. Hampton reports that he attacked the enemy’s cavalry yesterday afternoon, on their return from Staunton River bridge, this side of Sappony Church, and drove them beyond that point.
            “The fight continued during the night, and at daylight this morning he turned their left and routed them.
            “When they reached Ream’s Station, they were confronted by a portion of Mahone’s division, who attacked them in front, while their left flank was turned by Gen. Fitz Lee’s cavalry.
            “The enemy was completely routed, and several pieces of artillery, with a number of prisoners, wagons, ambulances, etc., captured. The cavalry are in pursuit.
                                    “R. E. LEE, General.”

            Gen. Early, with perhaps 10,000 men, is believed to be inWinchester to-day. He will probably be soon playing havoc with the enemy’s railroads, stores, etc., and perhaps may threatenWashington orHarrisburg, or both; and so have Grant called off from his “siege ofRichmond.”

            We were paid our salaries yesterday, and Custis, after his campaign and his sickness, resolved on a little indulgence. So he had a couple of small saucers of ice-cream—one for his mother, costing $6; quarter pound of coffee and two pounds of sugar, $25; and to-day a rice pudding, two pounds of rice, $5; one pound of sugar, $10; two quarts of milk, $5; total, $51!

            Col. Shields, Commandant of Conscripts, etc., informed me today that he received only yesterday the order to proceed to the enrollment ofMaryland and foreign residents. Thus the express orders of the President are delayed in the execution, and in such an exigency as this! I know Judge Campbell, Assistant Secretary of War, more than a year ago, attempted to interpose grave constitutional obstacles; but surely he can hardly have had the temerity to thwart the President’s wishes, so plainly expressed. Nevertheless, the delay has been caused by some one; and Col. S. has apprehensions that some wheel within a wheel will even now embarrass or defeat the effective execution of the order.

            Brig.-Gen. Gardner, successor of Brig.-Gen. Winder, has not yet assumed supervision of the passport business, and it remains in the hands of Judge Campbell and Provost Marshal Carrington. Very many persons are going to theUnited States via thePotomac.

by John Beauchamp Jones

            JUNE 30TH.—Clear and cool—afterward warm and cloudy.

            Our people are made wild with joy to-day, upon hearing of the capture of a whole brigade of the raiders on the south side, the same that have been tearing up theDanville Road. The details, with Gen. Lee’s dispatch, will be in the paper to-morrow. It is said we have the general commanding the raid, etc.

            Judge Reagan said to me to-day, when I told him the news, his dark eye flashing, that sooner or later, but inevitably, these raiders must be killed, and not captured. And Mr. Seddon says he was always in favor of fighting under the black flag; but, I believe, he never proposed it.