March 22.—Our most Christian enemy, profiting by the teaching of such men as Beecher, not content to employ the scum of the earth to destroy us, have formed a plot foul enough to blacken the name of a Nero. They sent a band of assassins into Virginia for the purpose of freeing the prisoners and setting them loose on the helpless inhabitants, with full power to do their worst and lay waste the whole country. Positive orders were given to give no quarter to President Davis and his cabinet. They were to be murdered. Richmond was to be left a mass of ruins. Colonel Dahlgren, one of the leaders in this dark conspiracy, has gone to his final account. Papers with the whole design and the names of his accomplices were found on his person. Some of the men in his command have been captured. Many of our people are insisting to have them hung as brigands, as they have forfeited all claim to be treated as prisoners of war; but our high-souled president is firm in his resolve not to have them punished. It is said that some of his cabinet have protested against this leniency, but to no effect.
We have had a very heavy fall of snow. All enjoyed it. Old and young were out snow-balling each other. Drs. H. and B. got up a very fine equipage in the way of a sleigh. The runners were made by one of the men, and the carriage part was a packing-box. Instead of furs, blankets were used. The whole affair would have been a most attractive turnout in Broadway. After giving some of the Newnan ladies a drive, Dr. H. called and took Miss W. On her return she gave me a ludicrous description of her ride; said that the doctor had to get out and push her, the sleigh, and horse along. I did not venture in it, as it gave signs of dissolution, and I did not like the idea of being dumped into a bed of slush, or being forced to walk home through it .
I have just received a letter from an officer who is in Longstreet’s corps. Ho says our army has fallen back from Knoxville to a place called Lick Creek, on the Virginia road. This gentleman says that East Tennessee is completely sacked, and that he thinks many of the inhabitants will die of starvation. He also says there has been a religious revival in the army. The whole of that corps has re-enlisted for the war, no matter how long it may last . Our whole army has done the same.
I have been told that nearly all of East Tennessee is Union. One of the soldiers informed me that while passing through portions of it with prisoners, the ladies gave the best they had to the prisoners; and although our men were as much in want of food, they would not give them a mouthful.
