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 compensate for it.--The
enemy kills an old hare.--Missouri secedes.--Mason and Slidell
captured.--French Consul and the actresses.--The lieutenant in
disguise.--Eastern Shore of Virginia invaded.--Messrs. Breckinridge
and Marshall in Richmond.
NOVEMBER 1ST.--There is an outcry against the appointment of two
major-generals, recommended, perhaps, by Mr. Benjamin, Gustavus W. Smith
and Gen. Lovell, both recently from New York. They came over since the
battle of Manassas. Mr. Benjamin is perfectly indifferent to the
criticisms and censures of the people and the press. He knows his own
ground; and since he is sustained by the President, we must suppose he
knows his own footing in the government. If defeated in the legislature,
he may have a six years' tenure in the cabinet.
NOVEMBER 2D.--It has culminated. Mr. Benjamin's quarrel with Beauregard
is openly avowed. Mr. Benjamin spoke to me about it to-day, and
convinced me at the time that Gen. B. was really in the wrong. He said
the general had sent in his report of the battle of Manassas, in which
he stated that he had submitted a plan to the department for the
invasion of Maryland; and no such plan having been received, as Mr. B.
says, and the matter being foreign to the business in hand, the
department had seen proper to withhold the report from publication. But
this did not concern him, Mr. B., because he was not the Secretary of
War when the alleged plan had been sent to Richmond. But his difference
with the general grew out of an attempt of the latter to organize troops
and confer commands without the sanction of the department. He had
rebuked the general, he said; and then the general had appealed to the
President, who sustained the Secretary. Mr. B. said that Gen. B. had
ascertained who was _strongest_ with the President.
NOVEMBER 3D.--From this day forth, I hope Mr. Benjamin and I will be of
better accord. I have an official order, directed by him and written by
Col. Bledsoe, to the effect that no more alien enemies are to have
passports. On the contrary, when any one avows himself an alien enemy,
and applies for permission to leave the country, Gen. Winder is to take
him in charge.
NOVEMBER 4TH.--Several were arrested yesterday. Still I doubt whether we
are dealing fairly, even with enemies. They have been _encouraged_ to
come into and go out of the country by the facilities afforded them; and
now, without any sort of notification whatever, they are to be arrested
when they present themselves. I hate all traps and stratagems for the
purpose of stimulating one to commit a wrong; and hence this business,
although it seems to afford employment, if not delight, to Gen. Winder
and his Baltimore detectives, is rather distasteful to me. And when I
reflect upon it, I cannot imagine how Mr. Benjamin may adjust the matter
with his conscience. It will soon cure itself, however; a few arrests
will alarm them all.
NOVEMBER 5TH.--To my amazement, a man came to me to-day for a passport
to Norfolk, saying he had one from the Secretary to pass by flag of
truce to Fortress Monroe, etc. He wished me to give him one to show at
the cars, not desiring to exhibit the other, as it might subject him to
annoying looks and remarks.
NOVEMBER 6TH.--All accounts from the North indicate that great
preparations are being made to crush us on the coast this winter. I see
no corresponding preparations on our side.
NOVEMBER 7TH.--We hear of the resignation of Gen. Scott, as
Commander-in-Chief of the U. S. forces.
NOVEMBER 8TH.--There are many applications for passports to leave the
country. I have declared my purpose to sign no more for the Secretary
without his official order. But he is signing them himself, as I find
out by the parties desiring the usual passports from me to leave the
city. They, like guilty men, dislike to exhibit their permits to leave
the country at the depots. And the Northern press bears testimony of the
fact that the spies in our midst are still at work, and from this I
apprehend the worst consequences. Why did Mr. Benjamin send the order
for every man to be arrested who applied for permission to leave the
country? Was it merely to deceive _me_, knowing that I had some
influence with certain leading journals? I am told he says, "no one
leaves the country now."
NOVEMBER 9TH.--Gen. Winder and all his police and Plug Ugly gang have
their friends or agents, whom they continually desire to send to
Maryland. And often there comes a request from Gen. Huger, at Norfolk,
for passports to be granted certain parties to go out under flag of
truce. I suppose he can send whom he pleases.
We have news of a bloody battle in the West, at Belmont. Gen. Pillow and
Bishop Polk defeated the enemy, it is said, killing and wounding 1000.
Our loss, some 500.
Port Royal, on the coast of South Carolina, has been taken by the
enemy's fleet. We had no casemated batteries. Here the Yankees will
intrench themselves, and cannot be dislodged. They will take negroes and
cotton, and menace both Savannah and Charleston.
NOVEMBER 10TH.--A gentleman from Urbana, on the Rappahannock, informs me
that he witnessed the shelling of that village a few days ago. There
are so few houses that the enemy did not strike any of them. The only
blood shed was that of an old _hare_, that had taken refuge in a hollow
stump.
NOVEMBER 11TH.--Bad news. The Unionists in East Tennessee have burnt
several of the railroad bridges between this and Chattanooga. This is
one of the effects of the discharge of spies captured in Western
Virginia and East Tennessee. A military police, if properly directed,
composed of honest men, true Southern men, might do much good, or
prevent much evil; but I must not criticise Gen. Winder's inefficiency,
for he acts under the instructions of Mr. Benjamin.
The burning of these bridges not only prevents the arrival of an immense
amount of clothing and provisions for the army, contributed by the
patriotic people, but it will embarrass the government in the
transmission of men and muniments of war, which an emergency may demand
at any moment. Until the avenues by which the enemy derives information
from our country are closed, I shall look for a series of disasters.
NOVEMBER 12TH.--We have news of the enemy's gun-boats penetrating the
rivers of South Carolina. It is said they got some cotton. Why was it
not burnt?
NOVEMBER 13TH.--Dry goods have risen more than a hundred per cent. since
spring, and rents and boarding are advancing in the same ratio.
NOVEMBER 14TH.--The enemy, knowing our destitution of gun-boats, and
well apprised of the paucity of our garrisons, are sending expeditions
southward to devastate the coast. They say New Orleans will be taken
before spring, and communication be opened with Cairo, at the mouth of
the Ohio. They will not succeed so soon; but success is certain
ultimately, if Mr. Benjamin, Gen. Winder, and Gen. Huger do not cease to
pass Federal spies out of the country.
NOVEMBER 15TH.--We have intelligence that Missouri has joined the
Confederacy. She will be scourged by the vengeful enemy; but will rise
some day and put her foot on the neck of the oppressor. Missouri is a
giant.
NOVEMBER 16TH.--It is sickening to behold the corruption of the
commercial men, which so much wounds our afflicted country. There are
large merchants here who come over from Baltimore breathing vengeance
against the Northern "despots," and to make a show of patriotism they
subscribed liberally to equip some volunteer companies in the city; but
now they are sending their agents North and importing large amounts of
merchandise, which they sell to the government and the people at most
fabulous prices. I am informed that some of them realize $50,000 per
month profit! And this after paying officials on both sides bonuses to
wink at their operations.
After the order of Mr. Benjamin for applicants for passports to leave
the country to be arrested, some of these men applied to me, and I
reported the facts to Gen. Winder; but they were not molested. Indeed,
they came to me subsequently and exhibited passports they had obtained
from the Secretary himself.
NOVEMBER 17TH.--There are also quite a number of _letter-carriers_
obtaining special passports to leave the Confederacy. They charge $1.50
postage to Washington and Maryland, and as much coming hither. They take
on the average three hundred letters, and bring as many, besides diverse
articles they sell at enormously high prices. Thus they realize $1000
per trip, and make two each month. They furnish the press with Northern
journals; but they give no valuable information: at least I have not
conversed with any who could furnish it. They seem particularly ignorant
of the plans and forces of the enemy. It is my belief that they render
as much service to the enemy as to us; and they certainly do obtain
passports on the other side.
Gen. Winder and his _alien_ detectives seem to be on peculiar terms of
intimacy with some of these men; for they tell me they convey letters
for them to Maryland, and deliver them to their families. This is an
equivocal business. Why did they not bring their families away before
the storm burst upon them?
NOVEMBER 18TH.--To-day the Secretary told me, in reply to my question,
that he had authentic information of the seizure of Messrs. Slidell and
Mason, our commissioners to Europe, by Capt. Wilkes, of the U. S. Navy,
and while on board the steamer Trent, a British vessel, at sea. _I said
I was glad of it._ He asked why, in surprise. I remarked that it would
bring the Eagle cowering to the feet of the Lion. He smiled, and said it
was, perhaps, the best thing that could have happened. And he cautions
me against giving passports to _French_ subjects even to visit Norfolk
or any of our fortified cities, for it was understood that foreigners at
Norfolk were contriving somehow to get on board the ships of their
respective nations.
NOVEMBER 19TH.--To-day Monsieur Paul, French Consul, applied in person
for passports on behalf, I believe, of some French players (Zouaves) to
Norfolk. Of course I declined granting them. He grew enthusiastic, and
alleged that British subjects had enjoyed the privilege. He said he
cared nothing for the parties applying in this instance; but he argued
vehemently against British subjects being favored over French subjects.
I sent a note concerning our interview to the Secretary; and while
Monsieur Paul still sat in the office, the following reply came in from
the Secretary: "All you need do is to say to the French Consul, when he
calls, that you obey your instructions, and have no authority to discuss
with him the rights of French subjects. J. P. B." Monsieur Paul departed
with "a flea in his ear." But he received an invitation to dine with the
Secretary to-day.
NOVEMBER 20TH.--I had a protracted and interesting interview to-day with
a gaudily dressed and rather diminutive lieutenant, who applied for a
passport to the Mississippi River, _via_ Chattanooga, and insisted upon
my giving him transportation also. This demand led to interrogatories,
and it appeared that he was not going under special orders of the
adjutant-general. It was unusual for officers, on leave, to apply for
transportation, and my curiosity was excited. I asked to see his
furlough. This was refused; but he told me to what company he belonged,
and I knew there was such a company in Bishop or Gen. Polk's command.
Finally he escaped further interrogatories by snatching up the passport
I had signed and departing hastily. But instead of the usual military
salute at parting, he _courtesied_. This, when I reflected on the
fineness of his speech, the fullness of his breast, his attitudes and
his short steps, led me to believe the person was a woman instead of a
lieutenant. Gen. Winder coming in shortly after, upon hearing my
description of the stranger, said he would ascertain all about the sex.
NOVEMBER 21ST.--My mysterious lieutenant was arrested this morning, on
the western route, and proved, as I suspected, to be a woman. But Gen.
Winder was ordered by the Secretary to have her released.
NOVEMBER 22D.--We have information that the enemy have invaded and taken
possession of the Eastern Shore of Virginia, Accomac and Northampton
Counties. They invaded the two counties with a force of 8000 men, and we
had only 800 to oppose them. Of course there could be no contest against
such odds. They carried my tenant to Drummondtown, the county seat, and
made him (I suppose) assist in raising the United States flag over the
court-house.
NOVEMBER 23D.--J. C. Breckinridge and Humphrey Marshall, of Kentucky,
have been here; and both have been made brigadier-generals, and assigned
to duty in the West. Although the former retained his seat in the Senate
of the United States for many months after the war began, no one doubts
that he is now with us, and will do good service.
NOVEMBER 24TH.--Gen. Floyd has retreated from Cotton Hill, and the enemy
threatens our western communications. Gen. Lee has been sent to Western
Virginia, but it is not an adequate field for him. He should have
command of the largest army in the service, for his is one of the most
capacious minds we have.
NOVEMBER 25TH.--Yesterday Fort Pickens opened fire on our batteries at
Pensacola, but without effect. One of their ships was badly crippled.
NOVEMBER 26TH.--The enemy occupy Tybee Island, and threaten Savannah.
Vice-President Stephens was in my office to-day, and he too deprecates
the passage of so many people to the North, who, from the admission of
the journals there, give them information of the condition of our
defenses. He thinks our affairs are not now in a prosperous condition,
and has serious apprehensions for the fate of Savannah.
NOVEMBER 27TH.--Saw President Tyler to-day. He augurs the worst effects
from the policy of permitting almost unrestricted intercourse with the
enemy's country in time of war.
NOVEMBER 28TH.--Nothing of importance to-day. There will be no such
quiet time after this year.
NOVEMBER 29TH.--Gen. Sydney Johnston has command of the army in
Tennessee and Kentucky. I wish it were only as strong as the wily enemy
is in the habit of representing it!
NOVEMBER 30TH.--Mr. Benjamin has been defeated for the C. S. Senate. Mr.
Hunter has been named as a candidate for the C. S. Senate from
Virginia. I thought he would not remain in the cabinet, after his
relative was arrested (with no reason assigned) by order of Mr.
Benjamin. Besides, the office is a sinecure, and may remain so for a
long time, if the powers at Washington should "stint, and say aye" to
the demands of England.