Chapter XX

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.--5000 negroes at work on the fortifications.--Active
operations looked for.--Beauregard advises non-combatants to
leave the city.--Semmes's operations.--Making a nation.--
Salt works lost in Virginia.---Barefooted soldiers.--
Intrigues of Butler in New Orleans.--Northern army advancing
everywhere.--Breach between the President and Secretary of
War.--President's servant arrested for robbing the
Treasury.--Gen. J. E. Johnston in town.--Secretary has
resigned.--Hon. J. A. Seddon appointed Secretary of War.--
The enemy marching on Fredericksburg.--Lee writes that he
will be ready for them.--Kentuckians will not be hog
drivers.--Women and children flying from the vicinity of
Fredericksburg.--Fears for Wilmington.--No beggars.--Quiet
on the Rappahannock.--M. Paul, French Consul, saved the
French tobacco.--Gen. Johnston goes West.--President gives
Gov. Pettit full authority to trade cotton to France. 179

CHAPTER XXI.

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.--South Carolina honor.--Loss at
Fredericksburg.--Great contracts.--Lee's ammunition
bad.--Small-pox here. 199

CHAPTER XXII.

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 rents.--Flour contracts in Congress.--
Efforts to escape conscription.--Ships coming in freely.--
Sneers at negro troops.--Hopes of French intervention.--
Gen. Rains blows himself up.--Davis would be the last to
give up.--Gov. Vance protests against Col. August's
appointment as commandant of conscripts.--Financial
difficulties in the United States. 228

CHAPTER XXIII.

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 for Vicksburg.--Pemberton commands.--Wise
dashes into Williamsburg.--Rats take food from my
daughter's hand.--Lee wants the meat sent from Georgia
to Virginia, where the fighting will be.--Gen. Winder
uneasy about my Diary.--Gen. Johnston asks to be relieved
in the West. 252

CHAPTER XXIV.

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 his oath of allegiance.--Confederate gold $5 for $1.--
Explosion of a laboratory.--Bad weather everywhere.--
Fighting on the Mississippi River.--Conflict of views in
the Conscription Bureau.--Confederate States currency $10
for $1.--Snow a foot deep, but melting.--We have no negro
regiments in our service.--Only 6000 conscripts from East
Tennessee.--How seven were paroled by one.--This is to be
the crisis campaign.--Lee announces the campaign open. 265