Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 28.djvu/297

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February 2. General Longstreet buried his third child to-day, a boy of twelve summers all victim's of scarlet fever. Although a stranger to him I felt acutely which carried me to join my sorrow with his stricken heart.

February 13. Lanier, who kept the hotel at Athens, was taken prisoner at Hatteras and died in Fort Warren. The New York Herald says the rebellion must be crushed in the next thirty days or the Northern government is bankrupt. If so we may expect a struggle by McClellan at every point. The spring campaign will evidently settle the issue of this war.

March 16. Davis vetoed the bill making a commanding general yesterday on constitutional grounds and it is raising a perfect storm in Congress. I heard last night that the House of Representatives were debating secretly the propriety of deposing him. He would be deposed if the Congress had any confidence in Stephens. Gen- eral Lee is acting as commanding general and is doing good. He seems determined to concentrate our forces, undertake less and do it better.

Marrch 20. Kellock Davenport is reported to have been on the Cumberland and to have gone down with her. I can't say I am sorry; I have more feeling against Georgians who have decided against us than I have about the Yankees. General Lee is showing consider- able activity in his new office, and I have great hopes of him.

Lee's Mills, April 13, 1862. General Joe Johnston came last night, and is passing down our lines. It is said he comes to super- sede Magruder.

April 15. The conscription act is raising a stir among the twelve months' men. The date of service of Cash's South Carolina regi- ment expired to-day. More than three hundred of them wanted to go home with the enemy in our front, The Troup Artillery, to a man, said they would stay.

Dam No. 2, April 19. The enemy has kept up a constant fire for six days along our lines, and several of my men have been killed. General Johnston is very taciturn, and keeps his counsel to himself, so I do not know whether I may be ordered to cross or to commence a retreat.

April 28. The colonel who led the assault on us the i6th is named Lord, the son of Professor Lord, of Dartmouth College, who has written so much in favor of slavery. These people are incom- prehensible to me.