USA > Texas > The Confederate capital and Hood's Texas brigade > Part 17
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We again give extracts from private letters:
"SWEETWATER, TENN., Nov. 2.
"Left camp at Lookout Mountain, after exploring its top. sides, and subterranean passages, on the 5th, and reached this place last night, and have orders to march again at to this morning. We are traveling the direct road from Chattanooga to Knoxville-Longstreet's corps and cavalry. Of course we know nothing of its object, but suppose it is to maneuver or drive the enemy from East Tennessee. Everything points to a stirring campaign, for what may be left of suitable weather. General Robertson, who has been for several days relieved of his command, is this morning restored. He has been undergoing a thorough examination as to his qualifications and capacity to command. I presume he has passed the ordeal satisfactorily.
"We are now evidently operating independently of Captain Bragg(?). Have become well acquainted with General Jenkins, of S. C., who is at present in command of the division in Hood's place, and like him very much. He honors me with his confi- dence when he wishes a picket line established in the immediate vicinity of the enemy. Colonel Key, who has been absent since Gettysburg, is now with us."
General Longstreet was disappointed with the number of men placed at his disposal, but managed to subsist his army upon the country, and November 8th, drove the enemy from his advance lines in front of Knoxville, close under his works. His invest- ment of Knoxville was nearly complete, the enemy could only obtain supplies from one side of the river, and the men were already restricted in their rations, when news of Bragg's disaster reached Longstreet, and caused him to make an assault, when perhaps only a few days of starvation would have compelled the enemy to surrender; but his communication with Bragg was cut off, and he must do the best he could possible.
The attack was made by three brigades, and was not partici- pated in by the Texans, developing a piece of wonderful heroism. It was, however, unsuccessful, in spite of men climbing upon the enemy's breast-works and planting their flags side by side with the Federals'. Seven hundred men were lost in a few moments. while the Federals had only about twenty killed and wounded.
AND HOOD'S TEXAS BRIGADE.
General Longstreet wisely raised the siege, and made a change in his base of operations.
It not being possible to join Bragg, he moved up where he could establish communication with Bristol, Lynchburg and Richmond, and retreated to Russellville and Bean Station suc- cessively.
He organized his forces, entrenched himself, and proceeded to overrun the entire northeastern portion of the State, and gathered into his lines all that was valuable in supplies of food in a poor country, making his army quite self-subsisting where it had been thought impossible to remain without external aid.
While General Longstreet was doing all he could to maintain himself in an isolated situation, keeping his keen eye upon his communication with Richmond, yet it was a season of greater suffering and privation than anything experienced by the Texas brigade during the whole struggle. Not only was food scarce and innutritious, but they suffered for want of clothing during the cold weather, many of them barefooted.
General Robertson, who was very much beloved by his men. who had followed him upon so many battle-fields, did all be could for their comfort, and when the corps went into winter quarters got furloughs for them, as far as practicable.
On one occasion, General Robertson protested against march- ing his barefooted men in the snow, when their bleeding feet. the day before, had left stains along the road, and took upon himself the responsibility of ignoring the order sent down from headquarters.
From a humane standpoint, he showed a tender regard for his faithful soldiers, wholly commendable and noble, but from a military standpoint, where unquestioned and blind obedience is the only standard of action, it savored of insubordination, and he was relieved of his command and court-martialed. General john Gregg, who had commanded a brigade in Bragg's army, was appointed to command of the Texas brigade.
Before leaving the camp at Lookout Mountain. the Texans were very much cheered by the news of the brilliant affair at Sabine Pass, Texas, where the little Confederate garrison, under command of Major Dowling, with about two hundred men, re- sisted the attack of five gun-boats, capturing the gun-boats, two- hundred prisoners, fifteen heavy guns, with some fifty killed. while the garrison lost neither one man, nor had a gun injured. This disaster caused General Banks to abandon an elaborate ex- pedition he had planned against Texas.
The Confederate capital was crowded during this winter with
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the best society of the Sunny South, gathered here from all parts of the country-a glittering phalanx of notable people, intel- lectual, literary, beautiful.
President Davis opened the doors of the Executive Mansion, and held a series of weekly receptions, the most brilliant occa- sions of these troublous days, attended not only by the creme-de- la-creme of the land, but where the humble private was as wel- come as the distinguished officer -- where all classes mixed and mingled in social reunion.
These receptions were held at night, the large building lighted, a band in attendance, and as the surging crowd swept through the handsome rooms, only pausing to pay their respects to the President and his majestic wife, the scene can never be forgotten. Here were military and civil officers, beautiful, well-dressed women, stately matrons, elegant gentlemen, gay young girls- all that gives society its charm-whiling away a leisure hour. when perchance the morrow would call the soldier to battle, and duty would lead the women to wipe the death-damp from manly brows, smitten down in their prime.
This interchange of sociability was like an oasis in the desert. and all the more keenly enjoyed from the clouds that hung heavy above the horizon. The most beautiful marriage ceremony the writer ever witnessed was during this winter. The bride was the acknowledged belle of the city, the groom a surgeon in the army. There were twelve attendants, ladies dressed in pure white, the groom and other gentlemen in their uniforms of Confederate gray, and as the glittering gold lace flashed in rivalry of the bright eyes of the young girls, the tableau was one of artistic loveliness, and has lingered as one of the attractive pictures of the period.
The heated discussions in Congress drew throngs to the capi- tol, unless momentous matters kept the Senate in secret session, when visitors were excluded. So the days went on and on, and some flashes of brightness filled the passing hours.
"NEAR BULL'S GAP, EAST TENNESSEE, March 7th.
"Most of the Texans have re-enlisted for the war-in the 4th there are few exceptions. We have gone into camp, and hearing General Gregg had commenced a chimney to his tent, supposed we were likely to remain here some time, and concluded to do likewise, and by to-night our mess will have comfortable. quar- ters. Have no idea what our movements are to be, our orders prescribe drill in the morning, dress parade in the evening. We are living on poor beef and flour made of sick wheat.
"March 18th .- We start to the Gap in a few moments to work
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on the fortifications. General Longstreet has gone to Richmond --- for what purpose not known. General Robertson was reprimanded by his court-martial and hoped to be sent back to his old brigade, but has been transferred to the trans-Mississipi department. General Field, of Virginia, has made rather a favorable impres- sion as our new division commander. General Gregg is becom- ing quite a favorite with both officers and men.
"March 13th .-- Our brigade is picketing two mountain passes -so far unmolested. We have no notice of the enemy anywhere near us, or any prospect of an early engagement. Have had an opportunity of visiting the entire division of our army, and am glad to say it is in good health and spirits, and now tolerably well shod and clothed, the greatest need now being undercloth- ing. Our brigade has received some packages of these articles from the ladies of Georgia, and those of Lynchburg, Va., which were very acceptable.
"Lieutenant Brown, adjutant of the 4th, who was wounded and captured at Gettysburg last summer, was among the returned prisoners who recently arrived at Richmond, reached camp last night, and being a good talker, has given us some interesting accounts of the doings of the rebels 'back in the Union, and his experience during an imprisonment of eight months in the Northern bastile. While at Point Pleasant he and his party were guarded by a regiment of North Carolina negroes. He shows off the darkey playing soldier quite amusingly.
"On one occasion an officer was passing a negro sentinel, when the negro jerked off his hat, and sticking it under his arm, ex- claimed: 'Don't come here massa; it's 'gin orders.' Another time an officer was going to the well for water, when the black sentinel ordered him to halt! and told him he couldn't go by widout de pass word.' Said the officer: "What is it?' .Wash- ington,' said the sentinel. 'Washington,' repeated the officer. when the woolly head, with hat under his arm, bowed low and told him he could pass.
"While at Johnson's Island, the sentinels got in the habit of shooting at the prisoners upon the slightest, and without any provocation, and under this system one of our officers was badly wounded, when one of our generals wrote to the commanding general that the thing was unbearable, and if the practice was continued the prisoners would have to protect themselves, and if another man was shot they would take possession of the island. This threat had the desired effect, and firing on prisoners ceased.
"March 18th. - We are having pretty tight times here now in the way of rations. Usually we have bread and beef of the very poorest quality and deficient in quantity, but on yesterday for
+
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breakfast we had bread and a small bit of bacon; for dinner. bread and boiled rice, and for supper, bread alone, and the same this morning; so, if my letter is uninteresting, it is attributable to something else than over-eating.
"The action of the last Congress on the subject of rations for officers, which was intended as a benefit, has turned out a disad- vantage, for wliile we draw rations the same as the men, we are prohibited from purchasing, while by the old regulations we could purchase double rations and in this way keep something to eat; and again, the men get passes and go into the surrounding country'and buy, while an officer is required to stay at his post, so that, in the matter of feeding, we are really worse off than the met, nor is this all. Officers, in order to properly attend to their duties, must have servants to cook-they have no time to do this themselves, and now they find their servants only by dividing their own scanty allowance. But I am willing, if I can do no better, to live on bread and water and fight to the bitter end.
"19th .- On yesterday, while our regiment was at work on the heights to the left of the Gap, several hundred feet below us in the valley we saw a large body of men drawn up in a "hollow square," and saw the smoke ascend, followed by the report of a volley of musketry, and some poor fellow, who thought more of his own comfort than his duty, was suddenly ushered into the presence of his maker. These military executions are fearful affairs, though necessary for the discipline of large armies and the success of our righteous cause. Who this was or what his offense, I have not the slightest idea-most probably a deserter.
"April 3, Zollicoffer, Tenn .- On the morning of the 28th our division, under Major-General Field, took up the line of march from the vicinity of Bull's and Harvard's Gaps, traveling in an easterly direction, and after a hard day's trudging through mad and rain, bivouacked for the night at Greenville, the former home of Andy Johnson, the Lincoln governor of Tennessee. We had pitched our tent and John was preparing our scanty break- fast, when we were agreeably surprised by the appearance of Lieutenant Marchant with a letter and a box. The enjoyment of the letter was interrupted by the clamor for the opening of the box, and then it was that Virginia ladies, always at par with all soldiers, were at a premium. Before the work of devouring commenced, a toast was drank to the health of the sender. That ham* was fine, the biscuit excellent, and the cake could not have been beaten by any confectioner in Richmond, and all was a great treat for half-famished soldiers.
*Price of ham, fifty dollars. Only three found in Richmond from which to make a selection.
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"The next morning it was showing, but our mess ate breakfast from the box, and stored away the remainder in our haversacks. We continued our march through a terrible snow-storm. over the worst roads I have ever seen, and on the ist we reached this place, which is ten miles from the line of the Old Dominion. The balmy, spring-like atmosphere this morning. enlivened by the music of the songsters of the grove, gives us reason to hope that grim winter has taken its flight for the north pole, leaving us poor, shivering Southerners in the enjoyment of our own climate. .
"As to the probability of General Longstreet being ordered back to Virginia, I believe, if the reports concerning General Graut are true, we will turn up there ere many weeks. It is be- lieved by some we are concentrating a force in the vicinity of Bristol, Tenn., preparatory to a move through Pound Gap into Kentucky. My own impression is, we are gathering here to be in readiness for a move in any direction needed, and if Grant is re-enforcing with the view of attacking Richmond. think it likely we will be more needed there than elsewhere. Colonel Key re- turned to the command yesterday, but in such feeble health he intends retiring under the recent act of Congress creating an In- valid Corps.'
"Have seen none of the inhabitants of this part of the coun- try, though learn from a member of the regiment who was out a few miles, that there is a decided improvement over those we lett behind, and among whom we were so long, cut off from the rest of the world, sometimes for weeks without a newspaper.
"April 5th .- Every day, I am strengthened in the belief, when we leave this region. we will go to the support of the Virginia army, and soon be back in our old stamping ground in front of our old enemies, with whom we have so often contended, and so frequently beaten on the field. Every one is buoyant at the thought of again meeting in the field the 'Army of the Potomac.' We had rather see another 'On to Richmond,' than any other form of campaign. There is talk of our moving to-day-a quar- termaster has just come in who says he is going to Virginia with his train.
"April 14th. - We have moved down to the railroad and sent off our baggage. The general understanding is we go to Char- lottesville. There is no doubt we are going to General Lee, or sufficiently near to co-operate with his forces.
"Cobham, Va., April 28th .- This place is on the Central rail- road, seven miles from Gordonsville, eighteen miles from Char- lottesville. This morning the court-martial, of which I have been appointed a member, assembled and we tried three offend-
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ers. We have cases enough to consume several days. Sentences only promulgated by order. Have had no opportunity for ascer- taining how long We are likely to remain here, though the im- pression prevails we will go farther down the line. General Field held a division review to-day-everything passed off pleas- antly. There is some talk of a corps review to-morrow, under the eye of General Lee himself.
"May Ist. -- On the 29th, General Lee reviewed the Ist army corps (Longstreet's), which was quite an imposing affair. He paid the Texas brigade a high compliment, speaking of it as the best fighting brigade in the corps.
"General Lee's army say they can cope with Grant without the Ist army corps, though they confess they feel more comfortable to know we are about. After the struggle is over, it will be a proud boast for a man to make that he belonged to Longstreet's corps, and many a wife will also boast her husband was of that body of men. Our boys have received a good supply of cloth- ing, and are in good health and spirits, never better. Have never seen an army so hopeful and confident of success, as this just now. If the people at home could only see the spirit of the army, I am confident Confederate currency would appreciate in value, and be worth as much as Federal gold."
When the Federal Congress met in December, 1863, President Lincoln, along with his message, issued his famous "peace proc. lamation," in which his demands upon the Southern people, if they returned to the allegiance of the United States, were so dis- tasteful as not to be entertained by the authorities at Richmond, and were rejected by soldiers and people as impossibilities.
The provisions were: Emancipation of the slaves, and all surrender of property rights thereto, pardon on condition of an oath of allegiance, but debarring from this pardon all who held office under the Confederate government, all who had left judi- cial station under the United States to join the rebellion, all who had served in the army and navy above the rank of colonel, offering reconstruction to one-tenth the voters of any State that would take such an oath of allegiance, and granting to such States a republican form of government, and protection against invasion or domestic violence on application of the legislature, etc.
This could not be considered at all. Lincoln had distinctly stated in his first message after becoming President, he had "no legal right to interfere with slavery in the South," had after- wards issued the emancipation proclamation, and proceeded to colonize in Southern districts the slaves who had been simple enough to flock to the protection of the Union army, and then,
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Lad enlisted all the able-bodied negroes into the army, unde: command of white officers.
His excuse was that the work of the slaves was an assistance to the rebels in building fortifications and raising supplies for the Confederate armies, hence giving them freedom was a miil :- tary necessity.
His terms of peace were the ratification of his proclamation, yielding to the demands of the abolition party of the North and relinquishing, without compensation, the property rights inherited from our forefathers.
"It was stated by Mr. Seward in a diplomatic circular dated August 12, 1863, that nearly seventy thousand negroes were at that time employed in the Federal armies, of whom twenty-two thousand were actually bearing arms in the field, and when Con- gress assembled in December, the whole number of African allies of the North was said to exceed one hundred thousand. The employment as soldiers against the Confederacy of this immense number of blacks was a brutality and crime in sight of the world, the ignoring of civilization in warfare-a savage atrocity inflicted upon the South; but it was no benefit to the negro. It could be no benefit to him that he should be exposed to the fury of war, and translated from a peaceful and domestic sphere of labor to the hardships of the camp and the mortal perils of the battle-field."
A French writer at this time uses the following language: "The Northern idea of the abolition of slavery by making the negro food for bullets or by exiling him from his home to die of hunger, is now thoroughly understood in Europe. Our notions of philanthropy and our moral sense alike revolt from these fero- cious exaggerations of the love of liberty."
When the Confederate Congress met, President Davis said in his message: "We now know that the only reliable hope for peace is in the vigor of our resistance, while the cessation of the enemy's hostility is only to be expected from the pressure of their necessities."
This realization of the enormity of the struggle against large odds, now began to dawn upon all classes, as well as govern- ment officials, as the "war to the knife" policy of the Federals became more and more manifest, and dissipated forever the hopes hitherto indulged for the speedy termination of the war.
To recruit the army, Congress passed laws extending the con- scription from sixteen to eighteen years, annulling all contracts for substitutes which had hitherto been purchased if desired. and the amalgamation of the whole force of the Confederacy subject to the military necessities of the country, exempting
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only those physically incapacitated from service, or detailed for government work. They also pressed into service all ani- mals, unless needed for working plantations, and all surplus products except what was needed for the sustenance of the people at home, making everything subject to the military. The act of habeas corpus was suspended, and everything managed by martial law.
The volunteers re-enlisted for the war, when their terms of ser- vice expired. Young recruits filled the ranks under the new acts of Congress, the people willingly surrendered everything for the use of the army and the country determined to continue the struggle. No idea of anything else was ever discussed, the greater the demand, the more exalted became their heroism, the more sublime the self sacrifice.
During the summer of 1863, repeated efforts were made for the establishment of a cartel for the general exchange of prison- ers. So large a number was a serious impediment to feeding our own army. The exigencies of the moment caused Vice- Presi- dent Stephens to volunteer to go to Washington, under flag of truce, to seek a proper adjustment of the difficulty.
He went under these instructions: "With a view of making one last solemn attempt to arrange and settle all disputes that may have arisen, or may arise, to the execution of the cartel for the exchange of prisoners of war heretofore agreed on between our respective land and naval forces; also to agree to any modifi- cation that may be found necessary to prevent further misunder- standing of said cartel, and, finally, to enter into any arrange- ment or understanding about the mode of carrying on hostilities between the belligerents, as shall confine the severities of war within such limits as are rightfully imposed, not only by mod- ern civilization, but by our common Christianity.
"JEFFERSON DAVIS.
"To Abraham Lincoln."
Mr. Stephens proceeded down James river under flag of truce, but near Newport News his progress was arrested by order of the admiral of the fleet. His mission was demanded, and when known, he telegraphed to Washington. The reply was: "The request is inadmissible. The customary agents and channels are adequate for all needful military communications and conference between United States forces and the insurgents."
The consequence was that only a limited number were ex- changed; and all deliveries which were afterwards made, was . the result of special arrangements, and lucky, indeed, were those so fortunate as to be the ones selected.
AND HOOD'S TEXAS BRIGADE. .
General Lee's army had remained upon the Rappahannock. closely watching the movements of Meade. Attacks were male at different times by detached troops, but nothing of much in- portance occurred.
In February, 1864, a design of the enemy was developed which, if successful, would have placed Richmond in the hands of the Federals by a bold stroke-nothing less than a raid arosa i to the rear of General Lee's army, which was planned to capture the city by strategy, that had so long bid defiance to the advance of armies under picked leaders.
We have before mentioned the action of Union ladies in Rich- mond who had been suspected of being spies. During the sum- mer of 1863 a Union woman, whose home was a large plantation on the upper James river, in Goochland county, was detected "holding the most brutal and treasonable communication with the enemy, " pointing out to him objects for resentment, and pro- posing to betray a minister of Christ into their hands poder whose roof she was a guest in the city of Richmond.
This attempted betrayal of Rev. M. D. Hoge. pastor of Second Presbyterian Church, a pure, intellectual gentleman, one of the finest pulpit orators of the South, gave Mrs. Patterson Alles an unenviable notoriety, and excited a great deal of indignatioa.
The letter written and intercepted, was sufficient to cause her arrest on the charge of being a spy and traitor, by the Secretary of War, who was her neighbor at home on the river, and against whom she was especially bitter. She was not imprisoned, but confined for six months at the asylum of St. Francis de Sales. and afterwards bailed. She was never brought to trial, and the case never disposed of before the cessation of hostilities, but her guilt was so palpable that many felt Southern chivalry was strained in a romantic wish to evade the punishment of a woman for a grave offense.
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