A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital Part 72

Congress spent much of the day in secret session.

A Baltimorean, last week, seeing a steamer there loading with goods of various kinds for the Federal prisoners here, bought a box of merchandise for $300, and put it on board, marked as if it contained stores for the prisoners. He ran the blockade so as to meet the steamer here; and obtained his box, worth, perhaps, $15,000. But all this is forbidden hereafter.

DECEMBER 15TH.--Bright, beautiful day--but, alas! the news continues dark. Two companies of cavalry were surprised and taken on the Peninsula day before yesterday; and there are rumors of disaster in Western Virginia.

Foote still keeps up a fire on the President in the House; but he is not well seconded by the rest of the members, and it is probable the President will regain his control. It is thought, however, the cabinet will go by the board.

DECEMBER 16TH.--The _Examiner_ to-day discovers that if the President's project of enrolling all men, and detailing for civil pursuits such as the Executive may designate, be adopted, that he will then be const.i.tuted a DICTATOR--the best thing, possibly, that could happen in the opinion of many; though the _Examiner_ don't think so. It is probable the President will have what he wants.

_Per contra_, the proposition of Senator Johnson, of Arkansas, requiring members of the cabinet to be renominated at the expiration of every two years, if pa.s.sed, would be a virtual seizure of Executive powers by that body. But it won't pa.s.s.

DECEMBER 17TH.--Averill (Federal) made a raid a day or two since to Salem (Roanoke County, Va.), cutting the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, destroying the depot, bridges, court-house, etc.

Gen. J. E. Johnston has been ordered to take command of Bragg's army.

I saw a communication from Lieut.-Col. Ruffin (Commissary Bureau), suggesting the trade of cotton to the enemy in New Orleans for supplies, meat, etc., a Mr. Pollard, of St. Louis, having proposed to barter meat for cotton, which Col. Ruffin seems to discourage.

Gen. Halleck has proposed a plan of exchange of prisoners, so far as those we hold go. We have 15,000; they, 40,000.

A letter from Mr. Underwood, of Rome, Ga., says our people fly from our own cavalry, as they devastate the country as much as the enemy.

We have a cold rain to-day. The bill prohibiting the employment of subst.i.tutes has pa.s.sed both Houses of Congress. When the Conscription act is enlarged, all subst.i.tutes now in the army will have to serve for themselves, and their employers will also be liable.

DECEMBER 18TH.--Yesterday evening the battalion of clerks was to leave for Western Virginia to meet the _raiders_. After keeping them in waiting till midnight, the order was countermanded. It is said now that Gen. Lee has sent three brigades after Averill and his 3000 men, and hopes are entertained that the enemy may be captured.

It is bright and cold to-day.

DECEMBER 19TH.--Bright and cold. A resolution pa.s.sed Congress, calling on the President to report the number of men of conscript age removed from the Quartermaster's and Commissary's Departments, in compliance with the act of last session. The Commissary-General, in response, refers only to _clerks_--none of whom, however, it seems have been removed.

Capt. Alexander, an officer under Gen. Winder, in charge of Castle Thunder (prison), has been relieved and arrested for malfeasance, etc.

Gen. C. J. McRae, charged with the investigation of the accounts of Isaacs, Campbell & Co., London, with Major Huse, the purchasing agent of Col. J. Gorgas, Chief of Ordnance, reports irregularities, overcharges, etc., and recommends retention of gold and cotton in this country belonging to I., C. & Co.

Mr. ---- informed me to-day that he signed a contract with the Commissary-General last night to furnish meat on the Mississippi in Tennessee, in exchange for cotton. He told me that the proposition was made by the Federal officers, and will have their connivance, if not the connivance of Federal functionaries in Washington, interested in the speculation. Lieut.-Col. Ruffin prefers trading with the enemy at New Orleans.

It is rumored that Mr. Seddon will resign, and be succeeded by Gov.

Letcher; notwithstanding Hon. James Lyons a.s.serted in public (and it appears in the _Examiner_ to-day) that Gov. L. told Gen. J. R. Anderson last year, subsequent to the fall of Donelson, "he was still in favor of the Union."

DECEMBER 20TH.--We have nothing new yet from Averill's raiders; but it is said Gen. Lee has set a trap for them. From East Tennessee there is a report that a battle has taken place somewhere in that region, but with what result is not yet known.

There is much consternation among the Jews and other speculators here, who have put in subst.i.tutes and made money. They fear that their subst.i.tutes will be made liable by legislative action, and then the princ.i.p.als will be called for. Some have contributed money to prevent the pa.s.sage of such a law, and others have spent money to get permission to leave the country. Messrs. Gilmer and Myers, lawyers, have their hands full.

The Confederate States Tax act of last session of Congress is a failure, in a great measure, in Virginia. It is said only 30,000 bushels of wheat have been received! But the Governor of Alabama writes that over 5,000,000 pounds of bacon will be paid by that State.

DECEMBER 21ST.--We have dispatches to-day from Western Virginia, giving hope of the capture of Averill and his raiders.

Such is the scarcity of provisions, that rats and mice have mostly disappeared, and the cats can hardly be kept off the table.

DECEMBER 22D.--Averill has escaped, it is feared. But it is said one of his regiments and all his wagons will be lost.

Gen. Longstreet writes (16th instant) that he must suspend active operations for the want of shoes and clothing. The Quarter-master-General says he sent him 3500 blankets a few days since.

There are fifty-one quartermasters and a.s.sistant quartermasters stationed in this city!

Pound cakes, size of a small Dutch oven, sell at $100. Turkeys, from $10 to $40.

DECEMBER 23D.--Nothing further from the West. But we have reliable information of the burning (accidentally, I suppose) of the enemy's magazine at Yorktown, destroying all the houses, etc.

I learn to-day that the Secretary of War revoked the order confiscating blockade goods brought from the enemy's country.

DECEMBER 24TH.--Another interposition of Providence in behalf of my family. The bookseller who purchased the edition of the first volume of my "Wild Western Scenes--new series," since Mr. Malsby's departure from the country, paid me $300 to-day, copyright, and promises more very soon. I immediately bought a load of coal, $31.50, and a half cord of wood for $19. I must now secure some food for next month.

Among the papers sent in by the President, to-day, was one from Gen.

Whiting, who, from information received by him, believes there will be an attack on Wilmington before long, and asks reinforcements.

One from Gen. Beauregard, intimating that he cannot spare any of his troops for the West, or for North Carolina. The President notes on this, however, that the troops may be sent where they may seem to be actually needed.

Also an application to permit one of Gen. Sterling Price's sons to visit the Confederate States, which the President is not disposed to grant.

The lower house of Congress yesterday pa.s.sed a bill putting into the army all who have hitherto kept out of it by employing subst.i.tutes. I think the Senate will also pa.s.s it. There is great consternation among the speculators.

DECEMBER 25TH.--No war news to-day. But a letter, an impa.s.sioned one, from Gov. Vance, complains of outrages perpetrated by detached bodies of Confederate States cavalry, in certain counties, as being worse than any of the plagues of Egypt: and says that if any such scourge had been sent upon the land, the children of Israel would not have been followed to the Red Sea. In short, he informs the Secretary of War, if no other remedy be applied, he will collect his militia and levy war against the Confederate States troops! I placed that letter on the Secretary's table, for his Christmas dinner. As I came out, I met Mr. Hunter, President of the Senate, to whom I mentioned the subject. He said, phlegmatically, that many in North Carolina were "p.r.o.ne to act in opposition to the Confederate States Government."

Yesterday the President sent over a newspaper, from Alabama, containing an article marked by him, in which he was very severely castigated for hesitating to appoint Gen. J. E Johnston to the command of the western army. _Why_ he sent this I can hardly conjecture, for I believe Johnston has been a.s.signed to that command; but I placed the paper in the hands of the Secretary.

My son Custis, yesterday, distributed proposals for a night-school (cla.s.sical), and has some applications already. He is resolved to do all he can to aid in the support of the family in these cruel times.

It is a sad Christmas; cold, and threatening snow. My two youngest children, however, have decked the parlor with evergreens, crosses, stars, etc. They have a cedar Christmas-tree, but it is not burdened.

Candy is held at $8 per pound. My two sons rose at 5 A.M. and repaired to the ca.n.a.l to meet their sister Anne, who has been teaching Latin and French in the country; but she was not among the pa.s.sengers, and this has cast a shade of disappointment over the family.

A few pistols and crackers are fired by the boys in the streets--and only a few. I am alone; all the rest being at church. It would not be safe to leave the house unoccupied. Robberies and murders are daily perpetrated.

I shall have no turkey to-day, and do not covet one. It is no time for feasting.

DECEMBER 26TH.--No army news. No papers. No merriment this Christmas.

Occasionally an _exempt_, who has speculated, may be seen drunk; but a somber heaviness is in the countenances of men, as well as in the sky above. Congress has adjourned over to Monday.

DECEMBER 27TH.--From Charleston we learn that on Christmas night the enemy's sh.e.l.ls destroyed a number of buildings. It is raining to-day: better than snow.

To-day, Sunday, Mr. Hunter is locked up with Mr. Seddon, at the war office. No doubt he is endeavoring to persuade the Secretary not to relinquish office. Mr. S. is the only Secretary of War over whom Mr.

Hunter could ever exercise a wholesome influence. Mr. Stephens, the Vice-President, is still absent; and Mr. H. is president of the Senate.

Mr. Hunter is also a member of the Committee on Finance, and the protracted consultations may refer mainly to that subject--and a difficult one it is. Besides, if this revolution be doomed by Providence to failure, Mr. Hunter would be the most potent negotiator in the business of reconstruction. He has great interests at stake, and would save his property--and of course his life.

Another letter from Gov. Vance demands the return of some 300 bales of cotton loaned the Confederate States. He likewise applies for the extension of a detail of a North Carolina soldier, "for satisfactory reasons."

DECEMBER 28TH.--Averill has escaped, losing a few hundred men, and his wagons, etc. The Chesapeake, that sailed out of New York, and was subsequently taken by the pa.s.sengers (Confederates), was hotly followed to Canada, where it was surrendered to the British authorities by the United States officers, after being abandoned.

DECEMBER 29TH.--A letter from the President, for the Secretary of War, marked "private," came in to-day at 2 P.M. Can it be an acceptance of his resignation?