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

Lee snuffs a battle in the breeze.--Hooker's army supposed to be 100,000 men.--Lee's perhaps 55,000 efficient.--I am planting potatoes.--Part of Longstreet's army gone up.--Enem...

Waning confidence in the President.--Blockade running.--From the South.-- Beauregard on Sherman.--The expeditions against Wilmington.--Return of Mr. Pollard.--The Blairs in Rich...

Gen. Lee appointed General-in-Chief.--Progress of Sherman.--The markets.-- Letter from Gen. Butler.--Return of the Peace Commissioners.--The situation.--From Gen. Lee.--Use of n...

The great crisis at hand.--The rage for speculation raises its head.-- Great battle of Fredericksburg.--The States called on for supplies.-- Randolph resigns as Brigadier-Genera...

Situation at Wilmington.--Situation at Charleston.--Lincoln thinks there is hope of our submission.--Market prices.--Ammunition turned over to the enemy at Vicksburg.--Attack on...

Vicksburg refuses to surrender to Grant.--Spiritualism at the White House.--Lee is pushing a little northward.--It, is said Grant has lost 40,000 men.--He is still pounding Vick...

Suffering of our wounded at Gettysburg.--Prisoners from the battle of Chickamauga.--Charleston.--Policy in the Southwest.--From Gen. Bragg.--Letter from President Davis.--Religi...

From the North.--Rumored defeat of Gen. Early.--Panic among officials.-- Moving the archives.--Lincoln's inaugural.--Victory in North Carolina.--Rumored treaty with France.--She...

Some desertion.--Lee falling back.--Men still foolishly look for foreign aid.--Speculators swarming.--God helps me to-day.--Conscripts.-- Memminger shipping gold to Europe.--Our...

Desertions.--Bragg and Kilpatrick.--Rents.--Gen. Winder's management of prisoners.--Rumored disasters in Tennessee.--Prices.--Progress of Sherman.--Around Richmond.--Capture of...

Enemy threatening Richmond.--The city is safe.--Battle of Gettysburg.-- Great excitement.--Yankees in great trouble.--Alas! Vicksburg has fallen.--President is sick.--Grant marc...

Dispatch from Gen. J. E. Johnston.--Dispatch from Gen. Lee.--Mr. Saulsbury's resolution in the U. S. Senate.--Progress of the enemy.-- Rumored preparations for the flight of the...

Letters from various sections.--The President and Gen. Bragg.--State of the markets.--Causes of the President's tour.--Gen. Duff Green-- Return of the President.--Loss of Hoke's...

Lee in winter quarters.--Bragg's victory in the Southwest.--The President at Mobile.--Enemy withdraw from Vicksburg.--Bragg retreats as usual.--Bureau of Conscription.--High ren...

Attempt to retake Fort Harrison.--A false alarm.--Dispatches from Gen. Lee.--Impressments.--Gen. Butler's generosity.--Matters in and about the city.--Beverly Tucker's contract...

Proclamation for a day of public worship.--Gov. Allen, of Louisiana.-- Letter from Gen. Beauregard.--Departure for Europe.--Congress assembles.--Quarrel between Gens. Kemper and...

The Federal Presidency.--The Chicago Convention.--Fall of Atlanta.-- Bureau of Conscription.--From Gen. Hood.--Vice-President Stephens on the situation.--Letter from Mrs. Menden...

Gen. Lovell applies for a command.--Auspicious opening of 1864.--Mr. Wright's resolutions.--Rumored approach of Gen. Butler.--Letter from Gov. Brown.--Letter from Gen. Lee.--Dis...

General Lee in Richmond: beard white.--First proposition to trade cotton to the enemy.--Secretary in favor of it.--All the letters come through my hands again.--Lee falling back...

Symptoms of bread riots.--Lee forming depots of provisions near the Rappahannock.--Beauregard ready to defend Charleston.--He has rebuffed the enemy severely.--French and Britis...

Removed into Clay Street.--Gen. Toombs resigned.--Lincoln dictator.--He can call 3,000,000 of men.--President is sick.--His office is not a bed of roses.--Col. Gorgas sends in h...

McClellan has crossed the Potomac.--Another battle anticipated.--I am assured here that Lee had but 40,000 men engaged at Sharpsburg.--He has more now, as he is defending Virgin...

MAY 1ST.--Troops are coming in from all directions, cavalry and infantry; but I learn that none scarcely are accepted by the State. This is great political economy, with a venge...

APRIL 8TH, 1861. BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY.--The expedition sails to-day from New York. Its purpose is to reduce Fort Moultrie, Charleston harbor, and relieve Fort Sumter, invested...

Attempt to capture Richmond.--Governor Vance and Judge Pearson-- Preparations to blow up the "Libby" prisoners.--Letter from General Lee.--Proposal to execute Dahlgren's raiders...

Hospitalities of the city to Gen. Morgan.--Call for a Dictator.--Letter from Gen. Lee.--Letters from Gov. Vance.--Accusation against Gen. Winder.--Treatment of Confederate priso...

At 7-1/2 A.M. cannon and musketry heard northeast of the city, which either ceased or receded out of hearing at 12 M.; or else the hum of the city drowned the sounds of battle....

Rumors of battles.--Excitement in the churches.--The South Side Road captured by the enemy.--Evacuation of Richmond.--Surrender of Gen. Lee.--Occupation of Richmond by Federal f...

Gen. Lee's dispatch announcing Gen. Hampton's victory.--Cost of a cup of coffee.--From Gens. Johnston and S. D. Lee.--Gen. Early in Maryland. Rumored capture of Baltimore.--Lett...

We have nothing yet from Atlanta, but no doubt there has been another battle. I hope no disaster has befallen us there. No doubt the wires have been cut by the raiders, and road...

Return of Mr. Ould and Capt. Hatch from Fortress Monroe.--Quarrel between Mr. Memminger and Mr. Seddon.--Famine.--A victory in Louisiana.-- Vice-President Stephens's speech.--Vi...

Proposed fixture of prices.--Depreciation in the North.--Gen. Hooker in command of the U. S. forces.--Lee thinks Charleston will be attacked.--Congress does nothing.--Some fears...

My family in North Carolina.--Volunteers daily rejected.--Gen. Winder appears upon the stage.--Toombs commissioned.--Hunter Secretary of State.--Duel prevented.--Col B. Secretar...

DECEMBER 1ST.--This morning the ground is frozen hard. There was no battle yesterday, only heavy skirmishing. Both armies were drawn up in line of battle, and the front lines sl...

JUNE 1ST.--In the absence of the Secretary, I arranged the furniture as well as I could, and took possession of the five offices I had selected. But no business, of course, coul...

Disloyalists entrapped.--Norfolk abandoned.--Merrimac blown up.--Army falling back.--Mrs. Davis leaves Richmond.--Preparing to burn the tobacco.--Secretary of War trembles for R...

Huger fails again.--A wounded boy.--The killed and wounded.--Lee assumes command.--Lee prepares to attack McClellan--Beauregard watches the gold.--Our generals scattered.--Hasty...

Lee announces a victory.--Crosses the Potomac.--Battle of Sharpsburg.-- McClellan pauses at the Potomac.--Lee moves mysteriously.--The campaign a doubtful one in its material re...

My son Custis appointed clerk in the War Department.--N. Y. Herald contains a pretty correct army list of the C. S.--Appearance of "Plug Uglies."--President's rupture with Beaur...

An order for the publication of the names of alien enemies.--Some excitement.--Efforts to secure property.--G. A. Myers, lawyer, actively engaged.--Gen. Price gains a victory in...

Gen. Lee ordered South.--Gen. Stuart ambuscaded at Drainsville.--W. H. B. Custis returns to the Eastern Shore.--Winder's detectives.--Kentucky secedes.--Judge Perkins's resoluti...

Terrific fighting.--Anxiety to visit the battle-field.--Lee prepares for other battles.--Hope for the Union extinct.--Gen. Lee brings forward conscripts.--Gen. Cobb appointed to...

Quarrel between Gen. Beauregard and Mr. Benjamin.--Great Naval preparations in the North.--The loss of Port Royal, S. C., takes some prestige.--The affair at Belmont does not co...

Four hundred thousand troops to be raised.--Want of arms.--Yankees offer to sell them to us.--Walker resigns.--Benjamin succeeds.--Col. J. A. Washington killed.--Assigned, tempo...

JANUARY 1ST, 1862.--Seward has cowered beneath the roar of the British Lion, and surrendered Mason and Slidell, who have been permitted to go on their errand to England. Now we...

MARCH 1ST.--It is certain that the City of Nashville has been evacuated, and will, of course, be occupied by the enemy. Gen. Johnston, with the remnant of his army, has fallen d...

FEBRUARY 1ST.--We had a startling rumor yesterday that New Orleans had been taken by the enemy, without firing a gun. I hastened to the Secretary and asked him if it could be tr...

Gen. Beauregard succeeds Gen. Sydney Johnston.--Dibble, the traitor.-- Enemy at Fredericksburg.--They say we will be subdued by the 15th of June.--Lee rapidly concentrating at R...

Vicksburg shelled.--Lee looks toward Washington.--Much manoeuvring in Orange County.--A brigade of the enemy annihilated.--McClellan flies to Washington.--Cretans.--Leo has a mi...

Lee snuffs a battle in the breeze.--Hooker's army supposed to be 100,000 men.--Lee's perhaps 55,000 efficient.--I am planting potatoes.--Part of Longstreet's army gone up.-- Ene...

Gen. Lee in Richmond: beard white.--First proposition to trade cotton to the enemy.--Secretary in favor of it.--All the letters come through my hands again.--Lee falling back.--...

Symptoms of bread riots.--Lee forming depots of provisions near the Rappahannock.--Beauregard ready to defend Charleston.--He has rebuffed the enemy severely.--French and Britis...

McClellan has crossed the Potomac.--Another battle anticipated.--I am assured here that Lee had but 40,000 men engaged at Sharpsburg.--He has more now, as he is defending Virgin...

Removed into Clay Street.--Gen. Toombs resigned.--Lincoln dictator.--He can call 3,000,000 of men.--President is sick.--His office is not a bed of roses.--Col. Gorgas sends in h...

Enemy threatening Richmond.--The city is safe.--Battle of Gettysburg.--Great excitement.--Yankees in great trouble.-- Alas! Vicksburg has fallen.--President is sick.--Grant marc...

Suffering of our wounded at Gettysburg.--Prisoners from the battle of Chickamauga.--Charleston.--Policy in the Southwest.--From Gen. Bragg.--Letter from President Davis.-- Relig...

Situation at Wilmington.--Situation at Charleston.--Lincoln thinks there is hope of our submission.--Market prices.-- Ammunition turned over to the enemy at Vicksburg.--Attack o...

Lee in winter quarters.--Bragg's victory in the Southwest.--The President at Mobile.--Enemy withdraw from Vicksburg.--Bragg retreats as usual.--Bureau of Conscription.--High ren...

Vicksburg refuses to surrender to Grant.--Spiritualism at the White House.--Lee is pushing a little northward.--It is said Grant has lost 40,000 men.--He is still pounding Vicks...

Proposed fixture of prices.--Depreciation in the North.-- Gen. Hooker in command of the U. S. forces.--Lee thinks Charleston will be attacked.--Congress does nothing.-- Some fea...

Letters from various sections.--The President and Gen. Bragg.--State of the markets.--Causes of the President's tour.--Gen. Duff Green.--Return of the President.--Loss of Hoke's...

Quarrel between Gen. Beauregard and Mr. Benjamin.--Great naval preparations in the North.--The loss of Port Royal, S. C., takes some prestige.--The affair at Belmont does not co...

Hospitalities of the city to Gen. Morgan.--Call for a Dictator.--Letter from Gen. Lee.--Letters from Gov. Vance.--Accusation against Gen. Winder.--Treatment of Confederate priso...

Gen. Lovell applies for a command.--Auspicious opening of 1864.--Mr. Wright's resolutions.--Rumored approach of Gen. Butler.--Letter from Gov. Brown.--Letter from Gen. Lee.-- Di...

Attempt to capture Richmond.--Governor Vance and Judge Pearson.--Preparations to blow up the "Libby" prisoners.-- Letter from General Lee.--Proposal to execute Dahlgren's raider...

Some desertion.--Lee falling back.--Men still foolishly look for foreign aid.--Speculators swarming.--God helps me to-day.--Conscripts.--Memminger shipping gold to Europe.-- Our...

Huger fails again.--A wounded boy.--The killed and wounded.--Lee assumes command.--Lee prepares to attack McClellan.--Beauregard watches the gold.--Our generals scattered.--Hast...

The Federal Presidency.--The Chicago Convention.--Fall of Atlanta.--Bureau of Conscription.--From Gen. Hood.-- Vice-President Stephens on the situation.--Letter from Mrs. Menden...

From the North.--Rumored defeat of Gen. Early.--Panic among officials.--Moving the archives.--Lincoln's inaugural.-- Victory in North Carolina.--Rumored treaty with France.-- Sh...

Proclamation for a day of public worship.--Gov. Allen, of Louisiana.--Letter from Gen. Beauregard.--Departure for Europe.--Congress assembles.--Quarrel between Gens. Kemper and...

My son Custis appointed clerk in the War Department.--N. Y. Herald contains a pretty correct army list of the C. S.-- Appearance of the "Plug Uglies."--President's rupture with...

An order for the publication of the names of alien enemies.--Some excitement.--Efforts to secure property.-- G. A. Myers, lawyer, actively engaged.--Gen. Price gains a victory i...

Terrific fighting.--Anxiety to visit the battle-field.-- Lee prepares for other battles.--Hope for the Union extinct.--Gen. Lee brings forward conscripts.--Gen. Cobb appointed t...

Gen. Lee appointed General-in-Chief.--Progress of Sherman.--The markets.--Letter from Gen. Butler.--Return of the peace commissioners.--The situation.--From Gen. Lee.-- Use of n...

Rumors of battles.--Excitement in the churches.--The South Side Road captured by the enemy.--Evacuation of Richmond.--Surrender of Gen. Lee.--Occupation of Richmond by Federal f...

Waning confidence in the President.--Blockade-running.--From the South.--Beauregard on Sherman.--The expeditions against Wilmington.--Return of Mr. Pollard.--The Blairs in Richm...

Disloyalists entrapped.--Norfolk abandoned.--Merrimac blown up.--Army falling back.--Mrs. Davis leaves Richmond.-- Preparing to burn the tobacco.--Secretary of War trembles for...

Vicksburg shelled.--Lee looks toward Washington.--Much manoeuvring in Orange County.--A brigade of the enemy annihilated.--McClellan flies to Washington.--Cretans.--Lee has a mi...

Lee announces a victory.--Crosses the Potomac.--Battle of Sharpsburg.--McClellan pauses at the Potomac.--Lee moves mysteriously.--The campaign a doubtful one in its material res...

Gen. Lee ordered South.--Gen. Stuart ambuscaded at Drainsville.--W. H. B. Custis returns to the Eastern Shore.--Winder's detectives.--Kentucky secedes.--Judge Perkins's resoluti...

Gen. Lee's dispatch announcing Gen. Hampton's victory.--Cost of a cup of coffee.--From Gens. Johnston and S. D. Lee.-- Gen. Early in Maryland.--Rumored capture of Baltimore.-- L...

Desertions.--Bragg and Kilpatrick.--Rents.--Gen. Winder's management of prisoners.--Rumored disasters in Tennessee.--Prices.--Progress of Sherman.--Around Richmond.--Capture of...

My family in North Carolina.--Volunteers daily rejected.-- Gen. Winder appears upon the stage.--Toombs commissioned.-- Hunter Secretary of State.--Duel prevented.--Col. B. Secre...

The great crisis at hand.--The rage for speculation raises its head.--Great battle of Fredericksburg.--The States called on for supplies.--Randolph resigns as brigadier-general....

Return of Mr. Ould and Capt. Hatch from Fortress Monroe.-- Quarrel between Mr. Memminger and Mr. Seddon.--Famine.--A victory in Louisiana.--Vice-President Stephens's speech.-- V...

Dispatch from Gen. J. E. Johnston.--Dispatch from Gen. Lee.--Mr. Saulsbury's resolution in the U. S. Senate.-- Progress of the enemy.--Rumored preparations for the flight of the...

Four hundred thousand troops to be raised.--Want of arms.-- Yankees offer to sell them to us.--Walker resigns.-- Benjamin succeeds.--Col. J. A. Washington killed.--Assigned, tem...

Gen. Beauregard succeeds Gen. Sydney Johnston.--Dibble, the traitor.--Enemy at Fredericksburg.--They say we will be subdued by the 15th of June.--Lee rapidly concentrating at Ri...

Attempt to retake Fort Harrison.--A false alarm.--Dispatches from Gen. Lee.--Impressments.--Gen. Butler's generosity.-- Matters in and about the city.--Beverly Tucker's contract...

Assembling of Congress.--President's message.--The markets.--No hope for the Confederate currency.--Averill's raid.--Letter from Gov. Vance.--Christmas.--Persons having furnishe...