December 21st.—Raining; rained all night.
The following dispatch was received this morning:
“Wilmington, December 20th, 1864, 10 A.M.—The head of the enemy’s fleet arrived off this port during last night. Over thirty steamers are now assembling, and more are following.—Braxton Bragg.”
It may be hoped that Gen. Bragg will do something more than chronicle the successes of the enemy this time. He is nearer to him than when he remained at Augusta; and yet the press could be made reticent on arrivals, etc.
Lieut.-Col. Sims, Assistant Quartermaster General, has contracted with the Southern Express Company to transport all the funds of the Quartermaster’s Department—hundreds of millions!
Mr. Hunter was with the Secretary this morning, when I laid before the latter Bragg’s dispatch. I doubt not it failed to contribute to a mollification of their painful forebodings.
By Northern papers I see President Lincoln disapproves Gen. Dix’s order to troops to cross the Canada line in pursuit of raiders. Gold is $45 for one to-day.
The army has no meat this day, the commissaries, etc. have it all, and are speculating with it—it is said. So many high officials are interested, there is no remedy. We are at the mercy of the quartermasters, commissaries, railroad companies, and the Southern Express Company. The President and Secretary either cannot or will not break our shackles.
An official account states the number of houses burnt by the enemy in Atlanta to be 5000!
There is a rumor of another and a formidable raid on Gordonsville. The railroad is now exclusively occupied with the transportation of troops—perhaps for Wilmington. The raid may be a ruse to prevent reinforcements being sent thither.
The Andersonville Report belongs to the Adjutant-General’s Office, and therefore has not come back to me.
