ersed on the approach of troops, and hid in their mountain retreats; or, following by-paths, escaped to the enemy in Kentucky.
Some of the ringleaders were arrested, and a few men were captured in arms; but there was no disposition on the part of the authorities to treat them with severity, and, after a brief detention, most of them were released on taking the oath of allegiance to the Confederate States.
General W. H. Carroll, commanding at Knoxville, proclaimed martial law on the 14th of November; but, becoming satisfied that there was no longer a necessity for its enforcement, rescinded the order on the 24th of November.
His order said:
It is not the purpose of the commanding general at this post to impose any restrictions or enforce any law not required by stern necessity.
Those persons who remain at home, submitting to the established laws of the country, will not be molested, whatever their previous political opinions may have been.
Though there was considerable
by the highest sense of duty and the irresistible instincts of manhood.
To defend your birthright and mine, which is more precious than domestic ease, or property, or life, I exchange, with proud satisfaction, a term of six years in the Senate of the United States for the musket of a soldier.
Breckinridge returned to Richmond soon after issuing this address.
He was appointed a brigadier-general, and sent to General Johnston, who assigned him to the command of the Kentucky Brigade, November 14th.
We here behold a man, who had lately been Vice-President and a candidate for President, exchanging the senatorial rank for the command of a little band of exiles, in obedience to principle; and this they call treason!
In Breckinridge's eloquent peroration, quoted above, there was an antithesis that struck agreeably on the popular ear. A friend has sent the writer a shrewd remark of General Johnston in regard to it. To one inquiring of him what had become of Breckinridge, he replied
en 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 12
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 13
Dry goods have risen more than a hundred per cent. since spring, and rents and boarding are advancing in the same ratio.
November 14
The enemy, knowing our destitution of gunboats, 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 15
We have intelligence that Misso
hould be a rebellion in the North, as the Tribune predicts, this intervention of the Democrats will be regarded altogether in our favor.
Let them put down the radical Abolitionists, and then, no doubt, they will recover some of our trade.
It will mortify the Republicans, hereafter, when the smoke clears away, to learn that Gen. Butler was trading supplies for our army during this November, 1862-and it will surprise our secessionists to learn that our government is trading him cotton!
November 14
An order has gone forth to-day from the Secretary of War, that no more flour or wheat shall leave the States.
This order was given some time ago — then relaxed, and now reissued.
How soon will he revoke it again?
Never before did such little men rule such a great people.
Our rulers are like children or drunken men riding docile horses, that absolutely keep the riders from falling off by swaying to the right and left, and preserving an equilibrium.
There is no rule for anything,
oil, $4 to $5 per gallon.
tobacco.-Common article, not sound, $1 to $1.25; medium, pounds, dark, $1.30 to $2; good medium bright, $2 to $2.75; fine bright, $2 to $4; sweet 5's and 10's scarce and in demand, with an advance.
My friend Capt. Jackson Warner sent me, to-day, two bushels of meal at government price, $5 per bushel.
The price in market is $20. Also nine pounds of good beef, and a shank — for which he charged nothing, it being part of a present to him from a butcher.
November 14
Some skirmishing between Chattanooga and Knoxville.
From prisoners we learn that the enemy at both those places are on half rations, and that Grant intends to attack Bragg soon at Lookout Mountain.
Either Grant or Bragg must retire, as the present relative positions cannot long be held.
Mr. A. Moseley, formerly editor of the Whig, writes, in response to a letter from the Secretary of War, that he deems our affairs in a rather critical condition.
He is perfectly willing to resume
nnessee, understood to be good news.
I did not wait to see, knowing the papers will have it to-morrow.
Mr. Hunter was with Mr. Secretary Seddon, as usual, this Sunday morning, begging him not to resign.
This is flattery to Mr. Seddon.
November 14
Clear and cold.
Lincoln is re-elected, and has called for a million of men!
This makes many of our croaking people despondent; others think it only a game of brag.
I saw the President to-day in earnest conversation with several memdepartment clerks, and sheriffs, commonwealth's attorneys, commissioners of the revenue, ec. etc., who win his favor, get his certificate of exemption, as necessary for the State administration.
A dispatch from Gen. Wheeler, Jonesborough, November 14th, says Sherman has three corps at Atlanta, and is destroying railroads between him and Marietta, probably intending to move forward-farther South.
Another dispatch from Gen. W., dated 14th inst., Lovejoy's, Georgia, says scouts from enemy'
of the South-and I regard the majority of them as such — I have no objection to repeat seventy and seven times.
But I have bad men to deal with, both North and South; men who are eager for something new upon which to base new misrepresentations; men who would like to frighten me, or at least to fix upon me the character of timidity and cowardice.
Alexander H. Stephens of Georgia, who afterward became Confederate Vice-President, made a strong speech against secession in that State on November 14; and Mr. Lincoln wrote him a few lines asking for a revised copy of it. In the brief correspondence which ensued, Mr. Lincoln again wrote him under date of December 22:
I fully appreciate the present peril the country is in, and the weight of responsibility on me. Do the people of the South really entertain fears that a Republican administration would, directly or indirectly, interfere with the slaves, or with them about the slaves?
If they do, I wish to assure you, as once a frie
in command of all the troops of his military division save the four army corps and cavalry division he designed to move with through Georgia.
With the troops thus left at his disposal, there was little doubt that General Thomas could hold the line of the Tennessee, or in the event Hood should force it, would be able to concentrate and beat him in battle.
It was therefore readily consented to that Sherman should start for the sea-coast.
Having concentrated his troops at Atlanta by the 14th of November, he commenced his march, threatening both Augusta and Macon.
His coming out point could not be definitely fixed.
Having to gather his subsistence as he marched through the country, it was not impossible that a force inferior to his own might compel him to head for such point as he could reach, instead of such as he might prefer.
The blindness of the enemy, however, in ignoring his movement, and sending Hood's army, the only considerable force he had west of Richmond and east of the M
supplied.
Early's reconnoissance north of Cedar Creek ended in a rapid withdrawal of his infantry after feeling my front, and with the usual ill-fortune to his cavalry; Merritt and Custer driving Rosser and Lomax with ease across Cedar Creek on the Middle and Back roads, while Powell's cavalry struck McCausland near Stony Point, and after capturing two pieces of artillery and about three hundred officers and men, chased him into the Luray Valley.
Early got back to New Market on the 14th of November, and, from lack of subsistence, being unable to continue demonstrations to prevent my reinforcement of General Grant, began himself to detach to General Lee by returning Kershaw's division to Petersburg, as was definitely ascertained by Torbert in a reconnoissance to Mount Jackson.
At this time General Grant wished me to send him the Sixth Corps, and it was got ready for the purpose, but when I informed him that Torbert's reconnoissance had developed the fact that Early still retained
November 11.
At Columbus, Ky., a Dahlgren gun exploded, killing two lieutenants and six privates.
General Polk narrowly escaped.
A portion of his clothes were torn off.--N. Y. Evening Post, November 14.
One hundred and ten men of the Kansas Jayhawkers, under Col. Anthony, attacked a rebel camp on the Little Blue, near Kansas City, defeated the rebels, and captured a large number of horses.
The Federal loss was eight killed and eight wounded. The rebel loss is not known.--(Doc. 151.)
The Richmond Enquirer gives the subjoined list of property subject to the war tax in the South:
Real estate, including all lands and estates therein, with ferries, bridges, and mines; slaves of all ages; merchandise, of all kinds, for sale, except agricultural products of the country; bank stock, except such as may be returned by the bank, by its proper officer; railroad and other corporate stock; money at interest, including bills and all notes and securities bearing interest, e
