January 29.—We are sadly in want of comforts, cotton to make mattresses, spoons, knives and forks, and in fact every thing. Many of our men have to eat their food with their fingers.
A few days ago I went up to Atlanta with the hope of getting some of these things from Dr. Blackie, our medical purveyor, but he had gone to Montgomery. I went into one of the stores to see at what price I could buy them. The commonest kind of knives and forks were one hundred and fifty dollars per dozen; the same for common spoons, and cups and saucers.
I see by the papers, that the people in Atlanta are raising large sums of money to equip General Morgan’s cavalry.
General M. is at present in Richmond, and has had great honors showered on him. He has visited Libby Prison, and says the contrast of our treatment of prisoners with that of the northern people is very great, and he does not wish us to imitate the latter in their severity. There is not much fear of our doing so.
