Life of Jefferson Davis, with a secret history of the Southern Confederacy, gathered "behind the scenes in Richmond." Containing curious and extraordinary information of the principal southern characters in the late war, in connection with President Davis, and in relation to the various intrigues of his administration

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Preface

I HAVE long meditated writing the life of Jeflerson Davis, and divulging in this work a mass of curious and extraordinary information which I have possessed, concerning the private and interior history of his Government, in Richmond. It was a most remarkable singularity of the Southern Confederacy, that, though holding out to the world the forms of Republican Government, it was as closely veiled in its operations, as secret and recluse as the most absolute and arrogant despotism. Thus many things happened behind that curtain which Mr. Davis so studiously spread before his Government, of which the world has as yet no knowledge, and of which even people living in Richmond, and in the shadow of that Government, have had ,only the faintest conception, or, at best, a chequered and imperfect revelation.

The writer may say, without vanity or self-assertion, that he is peculiarly fitted to be the biographer of Jefferson Davis. He was near him during the whole war. He had occasion to study his character assidu-

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ously, and to pursue him in his administration with a curious and critical industry; and his opportunities as a journalist, in Richmond, enabled him to learn much of the veiled mysteries and inner scenes of the weak and anomalous government that wrecked the fortunes of the Southern Confederacy. The writer thus obtained much of the secret and unwritten history of the Confederacy, involving Mr. Davis ; information which, for obvious causes, he could not give to the newspaper press, and which, since the war, he has not yet published in any of his memoirs, for peculiar and impressive reaso7is.

The fact is, the writer has been, for a long time, persuaded by friends standing between him and the Confederate President, to withhold the work he now contemplates, as it was thought it would give information concerning various conspiracies and vengeful plots in the war, which might be used against Mr. Davis on his expected trial, or might inflame against him a fatal prejudice. For this reason alone, the writer has, for a long time, deferred the publication he has now determined upon ; and he may claim that in this he has shown an extreme and punctilious regard for Mr. Davis's safety. But he can no longer defer to this solicitude for Mr. Davis ; it has become a mere punctilio, since there is no longer now a reasonable expectation that the Ex-President will ever be brought to trial, or be disturbed in the foreign land, in which he is reported to have descended to the commonplaces of

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trade and an unnoticed existence. At least, it would be unreasonable that the writer should longer weigh a calculation so tender and remote against a debt severely due to history.

Jefferson Davis should have a truthful and acute biographer, one who would do something more than echo the shallow clamors and interested opinions of the day. Whatever the estimate of his person, he performed a great part in history; and his character, mixed, angular, abounding in surprises, full of caprices and apjDarent inconsistencies, is precisely that which affords the most interesting and vivid subjects for biography. The writer is conscious of attempting a high and difficult task — an extraordinary work. He comes to it not only with ample literary preparation, but with an unusual animation. He has been accused of personal hostility to Mr. Davis; and is to-day, perhaps, in all his literary capacities, most widely known to the country as censor of the Confederate Chief. He repels the accusation of any prejudice, in the very front of his work ; he is able and willing to do exact justice to Mr. Davis ; and if he ever attacked him it was through supreme devotion to a great cause, and from a just resentment toward the man who misguided and wrecked it.

Those who suppose that they will find in the work of the writer a declamation against Mr. Davis — a mere amplitude of rhetoric, or an excess of passion — will be disappointed. The writer designs to give

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facts, many of them now, and all of them capable of di.stinct and impressive evidence. lie proposes to address himself to the serious and inevitable historical question : — Whoioere responsible for the faiJnre of the Southern Confederacy? — and on this issue he will insist upon asserting that rule familiar to the world, that those who assume power are responsible for its discharge, according to the exact measure of their assumption, and that responsibility in any great cause is not to be squandered through subordinates. To do this, indeed, would be to scatter and enfeeble all the lessons of history; to render impossible its unity of narrative and to nullify its philosophy. Responsibility must rest somewhere in history; it naturally and inevitably ascends ; and in regarding Mr. Davis as the prime cause of the failure of the South in the late war, the author has but simply recognized and submitted to the great law of logic in historical composition : — that, in political affairs, where a certain result is clearly not an accident or misadventure, but must have come from a well defined cause, that cause ultimately and inevitably rests in the head of the government.

As the author has said in another historical work : '' Jefferson Davis cannot escape the syllogism that has been applied to every public ruler since the world began. However he may be plastered with ^glittering generalities ;' however paltry publications may consult the passions of the hour; however newspapers,

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made up of di.sh-water and the paste-pot, may deprecate the vigorous hiquiries of history and counsel the suppression of unpleasant facts; however partisans may dress the leaders in garish colors and the brilliant and exaggerated uniform of a class, the question comes at last : How are those failures of the Confederacy, which are accounted errors, and not misfortunes, to be ascribed, if not to the folly of rulers ? Mr. Davis was supreme in his administration, and singularly unembarrassed in directing and controlling public affairs. There was no question of disconcerted authority. For the major part of his administration he had a servile Congress, a Caljinet of dummies, and a people devoted to his person." * ''' * "'

In these circumstances, the responsibility of President Davis was well defined, and, taken along with his autocracy, was almost exclusive. But it is not necessary to insist upon this rigidity of construction. The author has simply sought to place Mr. Davis in his true logical position as President of the Southern Confederacy. He has not been content to rest on secondary causes, or disposed to enter the province of hypothesis and overrefinements ; and he has done nothing more than apply t^j Mr. Davis's four years of Presidential life the same rule of responsibility that is familiar in all history, and has been applied to every administration of puljlic affairs in the annals of America.

It is thus that the author, with no disaffection toward Mr. Davis, and with no desirrn to discriminate

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personally agaiust him, yet feels impelled by the reasonable logic of history to make him, as it were, a head and centre of responsibility in the late war, and to gather around him the causes of the failure of the Southern Confederacy. He risks himself upon the facts of his work, not upon its ingenuity. He designs a severe narrative, and he challenges the naked application to it of the common rules of logic. It has already been said that Mr. Davis had determined to reply to this work. If so, he is welcomed to the task, and is challenged to the combat. He shall have facts to oppose ; and in such conspicuous, stern, and unrelenting contest, the world will decide who falls, who retreats, or who covers himself with defeat.

Finally, the writer, careless as he is in the just sense of history of the person of Mr. Davis, and disdaining whatever criticisms may grow out of personal feelings, is yet sensible that he has undertaken a great and serious work, and protests that he approaches it in a becoming and collected spirit. He attempts no mean and evanescent commentary on the late war. In betaking himself to a literary task, excelling all his former ones, and in which he is fired by various desires, he proudly ventures to produce a work that will not only interest these present times, but that " will live " permanently and assuredly, if even among the humbler monuments of the liistorical literature of America.

EDWARD A. POLLARD.

CONTEISTTS.

Introduction

A Theory of tlis Greatness of Men — Two Interestiug Rollections — A now llule in tho Composition of lUography — Application of it to JefTurson Davis 18

Chapter I

Life of Mr. Davis Anterior to the War — His Karly Military Career — Abrupt Kesignation of It — Elglit Years of Itetirement — An Karly Insiglit into Mr. Davis's Character — Passion for Self-Culture — His 8tuilent-IJfe — An Imperfect Intellectual Character as tho Result of Solitude — Mr. Davis's First Koniarkablo Ailvonturo in Public Life — Tho " Pons Asiuoruni" — Curious Kxplanation of a Slander — Mr. Davis and tho Mississippi "Repudiation" — His Career in the Mexican War — Tho "V" Movement at Ruena Vista — Return of Mr. Davis to Congress — His Senatorial Career 17

Chapter II

Mr. Davis in tho Senate of tho United States — Distinction as an Orator — Definition of tho term " Eloquence" — Mr. Davis in tho World of Letters — Brilliant Remnant of his Reputation — His Stylo as a Speaker — His Figure and Manners in the Senate — Tho art of" Selfcontinence" in Oratory — Reference to Stephen A. Douglas — His "Specialty" — Anecdotes of his Life — How Jefterson Davis Compared with tho " Littlo Ciiaut " — Tho Former Scorns "Quarter" — Tho Kansas Controversy — Mr. Davis's Reply to Douglas — A burst of Temper — A Noble Speech — The Senatorial Career of Mr. Davis, tho Most Honorable Part of bis Public Life 27

Chapter III

Tho Election of Abraham Lincoln, President, not tho cause of tho war — A Peculiar Aristocracy in tho South — ^Tho Power of this Section in tho hands of Politicians rather than Slaveholders — Remarkable Speeches in tho Convention of South Carolina — Tho State Convention Mure Puppets — Tho Centre of the Conspiracy at Washington — Jeffersou Davis Among tho Conspirators — Critical Examination of Ilis Record on tho Question of Disunion — Its Inconsistency — His Early Extravagances for tho Union — His Conduct in Congress in 1850 — Prophetic Warning of Henry Clay — Mr. Davis's Ambition to succeed Calhoun — His Effrontery — Connection with the " Resistanco" Party of Mississippi as its Candidate for Oovornor — His Remaikablo Explanation of tho Designs of this Party — Incousistoncy of this Explanation — Mr. Davis enters tho Cabinet of I'resident I'ierco as a Union Mau— Repudiates tho "Resistanco" Party — Ills Kespousibility for tho Kaneas-Nohraslca

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Bill — TTtiion Spepcli in Mississiinii — >Ir. Pavis ]?cgnnls tlio Kansas Sotllonieiit as a Ti'iumph for tho South — IIo is Bit by tho Ambition for a ProsiJential Nomination — An Electioneering Tour in Now York ami Maine— "Slaver" of Fraternal AlTei'tinu— Insincerity of Mr. Davis's Record on the Question of Disunion— The Cause of the South Disfigured by tho Ambition of its Leaders, but not therefore to be Dishonored— A Brief History of Disunion — Tlio South Suftored from a General Apprehension Rather than a Specific Alarm — Tho Action of her Politicians, neitlier a Test of Ilor Spirit, nor a Measure of the Justice of Ilcr Cause— The Condition of Washington, iu December, 18G0 43

Chapter IV

Remarkable Effect of the Messatce of President Buchanan — A Spectacle in tho AVhite House — A Singular Pause in the Movement of Secession — Mr. Keitt's Remarks on tho Situation — Tho Southern Loaders Actually Abandon tho Scheme of Disunion — It is Resumed on Major Anderson's Occ\ipation of Port Sumter — A Question of Concealed Importanco— Hovr tho Question of " tho Ports " determined tho AVar — Mr. Floyd's Adroitness — Secret History of the Junta of Fourteen in Washington — A Revolutionary Cotnicil iu the Shadow of the Capitol — Their Extraordinary Usurpations — Jefferson Davis and "tho Committee of Throe " — True Date of tho Commencoment of the Wai- — Why Mr. Davis was Chosen Leader — In tho First Programme of tho Southern Confederacy, R. M. T. Hunter of A''irginia, Designed for President — How ho Lost tho Position of Leader — A Fatal Motion in tho Senate — Comparison of tho Claims of Hunter and Davis for the Position of Loader 58

Chapter V

The Sectional Debate in the United Stales Senate — How DilToreut from that in the House of Representatives — Intellectual Poverty of the Debate iu Congress — Explanation of this — A Game of Pretences — A Class oflntennodiate Politicians Sincerely Affected — References to Crittenden and Douglas — Andrew .Tohnsou the Champion Par Excellence, of the Union — His Extraordinary Life — Compared with Jefferson Davis — Johnson's Literary Style — What Senator Douglas Thought of Him — His Extraordinary Courage — Mr. Davis's Singular Criticism of Johnson — Reticouce of the Former in the Debate in tho Senate — His Explanation of the Secession Sentiment — Sinister Conduct — He offers an Amendment to tho Constitution — Andrew Johnson's Appeals for the Union — A Curious History of the Vote on the Crittenden Resolutions — Colloquy of Johnson and Benjamin — Mr. Davis makes His Farewell Speech in the Senate — Wigfall's Picture of the Dead Union — Last Effort in tho Senate to Save tho Peace of the Country — A Memorable Scene 67

Chapter VI

Organization of the Confederate Government, at Montgomery — Mississippi Proposes a Southern Confederacy — Singular Instance of Rebellion Unchallenged — Explanation of the Remissness of the North — Tlie Error of Mr. Lincoln — Secession as a Popular Sentiment, and Secession as a.i Organized Fact — Failure of tho North to Distinguish between the Tvvo^ Rapid Action of the Montgomery Government — Interesting Historical Problem as to the Extent of the Idea of ''Reconstruction" in tho Sauthern Mind — Mr. Davis had no such \i\cA — Why not — His Defiant Speeches at Montgomery — Evidence of a Popular Sentiment in the South for " Reconstruction" — Why it was Ineffectual — Extraordinary and remarkable Exclusion of tho Popular Element from tho Southern Confederacy — A Usurpation almost Unparalleled iu History 87

Chapter VII

Causes which iletermincil Mr. Davis's Election as PiesiJont of tho CoufcJfiratfe States — Tho claims of Uowell Cubb Secretly considered at Montgomery — Davis'H Kesentnient of Cobb as a Possible Rival — Popular Congratulations on the Selection of Mr. Davis a« Leader — His Qualifications fur such a Position — Steady Line of Distinction between Davis and tho South — A Katal Weakness of the New President — An Attempt to Define tho Objects of the War — Mr. Davis as a "Mixed" Character — A Remarkable Presentiment at Montgomery — A Criticism of Mr. Davis in Anticipation of His Administration

Chapter VIII

The Fire on Fort Sumter— The First Shot of the War— Congratulations in President Davis's Cabinet — Thu Second Socessionary Movement, — Fatal Mistake of Mr. Lincoln — Tie Adds a now Breadth to the War — Preparations at Montgomery — Mr. Davis and an OlHce-Seeker — Secret Design of Mr. Davis in his Display of Military Preparations — Sudden Disappearance of the Union Party Accounted for — Secession of Virginia — A Torch-Light Procession in Richmond — Robert E. Leo Appoii/ted Commander-in-Chief of the Virginia Forces — Ilis Motives in Leaving tho Federal Service — His Political Opinions — The Character — His Fallacy of "Petitio Principii" — General Leo Accepting a Sword in the State-House — The Confederate States Government Removed to Richmond — Howell Cobb's Pledge for tho Congressmen — Arrival of President Davis in Richmond — Popular Raptures — Eloijuent Speeches of tho President — "No Surrender.".. 109

Chapter IX

Some Account of tho City of Richmond — A Provincial City before the W.ar — What its Decoration as Capital of tho Confederacy cost it — Early Scones of the War in Richmond — Brilliant and Picturesque Days — A Confederate Soldier and a Little Lady — The Red River Men — Early Clamor for Aggressive Warfare — Why it was Impossible at This Time — "On-to-Washington" — Horace Greeley wants tho War Limited to a Single Battle — Tho Great Victory of Manassas — The Three Stages of tho Battle — President Davis on tho Field — A Curious Omtrelemps — How Mr. Davis was disappointed by General Beaurfgard — Instance of his Personal Courage on tho Field — A Night Scone at General Beauregard's Quarters — Singular Figure of the President 129

Chapter X

The South Intoxicated by the Victory of Manassas — Who was Responsible for not Pursuing the Enemy to Washington — A Larger and nioro Important Question than tliat — The Tiuo History of a Secret and Notable Council of War — President Davis Rejects tho Advice of his Three Principal Generals — Ho Decides for tho Policy of Dispersion or Frontier-Defence — A Glance at the Character of General .Johnston — President Davis's Quarrel with General Beauregard — An Interval of Infamous Intrigues at Riclimond — How Mr. Hunter was Driven from tho Cabinet — Conceit of tlio President — "Waiting for Europe" — Demoraliza^ tion of Inactive Annies — Rapid Corruption of Society in Richmond — "The Wickedest City" — Mr. Davis at a Fancy Dre.ss Ball — Unpopular Conduct of liis Wife — Anecdote of tho President — Criticism of a "Tar Heel " — Mr. Davis and tho Faitliful Sentinel of the Libby Prison — A Historical Parallel — Connubial Fondness of Mr. Davis — His Collection of Small and Mean Favorites — A Curious Sort of Obstinacy, and some Reflections thereon Ill

Chapter XI

President Davis ijliiying the Adorned Conqueror — Decay of the Confederacy — Review of the Military Situation — Share of Congress in the Mahidministration of Sir. Davis — Weak and Infamous Character of tliat Body — IIow it Expelled the Best Intellect of the South — A Notable Rule against Military Officers — IIow the rolitical Affairs of the Confederacy were Entirely Surrendered to Mr. Davis and his Party — Two Measures that Brought the South to the Brink of Ruin — The Army of Virginia almost Disbanded — Protests of Oene-

, rals Johnston and Beauregard — The Civil or Internal Administration of Mr. Davis -Its Intellectual Barrenness — Not One Act of Statesmanship in the Whole History of the Confederacy — Richmond a Reflex of Washington — A New Rule by which to Measure Mr. Davis's Responsibility — A Literary Dyspeptic, with more Ink than Blood in his Veins — Comjilaints Breaking Out Against Mr. Davis — Ilia Vaunt of the Blockade as a Blessing in Disguise — Dethronement of King Cotton — Extreme Scarcity of Ax'Uis at the South 159

Chapter XII

The Finances of the Southern Confederacy — Early Measures of Taxation at Jlonteoinery — A Civil List Voted of a Million and a half Dollars; — The Five Million Loan — Deficiency of American Politicians in Finance — Extreme and Grotesque Ignorance of Mr. Davis om this Subject — Secretary Memminger a Curiosity in his Cabinet — A Race of Absurd Fancies — , History of the Produce Loan — Extravagant Expectations from it — Its Complete and Ludicrous Failure — Mr. Do Bow's Office "To Let" — The Confederate Government Abandons its First Proposition of Finance — How the Connnissariat was Relieved — History of a Grand Financial Scheme — Proposition for the Government to Buy all the Cotton in the South — Extraordinary Virtues of this Scheme — It might have Decided the War — IIow Mr. Memminger Derided the Scheme — Mr. Davis's After-thought in the Prison at Fortress Monroe — A Shallow and Miserable Subterfuge — Supplements of the Financial Policy of the Confederacy — Conversion of Private Debts Duo iu the North — The Sequestration Law — The Administration of Mr. Davis Cliallcnged on it — A Scathing Denunciation by Mr. Pettigru, of South Carolina — Mr. Davis attempts to Use the Credit of the States — He Fails in this Recourse — His Government Thrown Back to the Beginiling of its Financial Policy — He Proposes Paper Money as a Panacea — Distinction Between Currency and Beveuito — Stupidity of Mr. Davis in Financial Matters — The First Seeds of Corruption Sown in the Confederate Finance — Jlr. Memminger's Funding Juggle — "Flush Times" iu Richmond — Silly Self-Congratulations of the President — The Road to Ruin 171

Chapter XIII

John M. Daniel's New Year's Article — A Philosopher's Mourn for the Union — No Thought yet of the Subjugation of the South — Analysis of the Popular Sentiment, concerning President Davis — Description of the Military Lines of the Confederacy — Reflections on the Spirit and Character of the Southern People — Their Conceit about the War — The "Raccoon Roughs, " and Mr. Lincoln's Hair — Why Mr. Davis was not Excusable for his Short Vision in the War — A Train of Disasters — Alarm and Demoralization of the People — A Cruel Mistake concerning General A. S. Johnston — Inauguration of Mr. Davis as Permanent President — A Gloomy Scene in the Public Square at Richmond — Piteous Prayer of the President — Significance of the Change from a Provisional to a Permanent Form of Government — Some Account of a Secret Debate at Montgomery — Why the Adoption of

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a Pormanont Constitution was a Mistake— Tlie New Congress at Ricliinoml — i?ij,'iiificant Speech of Speaker Bocock — Who was the author of tlie Conscription Law? — How Narrowly it Saved the Confederacy — A Statement of President Davis Shamelessly False — Two Remarkable Men in the Confederate Congress— Mr. Koote (" Gubernalor Pes,") of Mississippi— Mr. Boyco of South Carolina— A Remarkable Effort of these Two Men to Impel the Confederate Armies into the North — Tlio EITort is Defeated — Traces of a Remarkable Conspiracy 189

Chapter XIV

Military Condition of the Southern Confederacy — Immense I'olifical Sip,nificai)fo of tlie Conscription Law — It necessarily Changed the Character of the Government — First Appearance of Political Parties against President Davis — Some Account of Governor Jo. Brown of Georgia — An Infamous Underplot against the Confederacy — The Conscription Law Unconstitutional, but Justiliablo — Mr. Davis's Boast of Superior Liberty in tile South E.\ploded — How ho had to Swallow his Words — X Military Despotism at Richmond — Two Notable Sequels to the Conscription Law — A Terrible Reproof from Mr. Hunter in the Senate — Outrages of Winder's Police — A Description of the Fouche of the Southern Confederacy- Anecdote of Winder — Alarm in Richmond at McClellan's Advance — The Federal Commander up a Tree — Shameful and Cowardly Flight of the Confederate Congress — President Davis Secretly Resolves to Evacuate Richmond — He Changes his Resolution — A Witticism of General Lee — Excitement in Richmond on account of the Destruction of tho Virginia-Merrimac — A Littleness of Expedients as Characteristic of tho Confederate Administration — It Advertises for Scr.ap Iron and Old Brass — Anecdote of Secretary Memmingcr — Appeal of "The Old Lady" — A Notable Assembly in Richmond — "Tho Ladies' Gun-Boat" and an Oyster Supper 209

Chapter XV

The City of Richmond Saved — General Lee Appointed to Command before it — IiKiilouts an<l Anecdotes of his previous Military Career — A Private Understanding between Generals Johnston and Lee — The Latter Promises to Resign — Changes of Military Policy of the Confederacy — Great Influence of Leo over President Davis — How the Latter was Managed — The " Seven Days' " Battles — Terrible Scenes in Richmond — Refusal of tho Southern People to Mourn their Dead — Some Reminiscences of Richmond Hospitals — Significant Address of President Davis — Tho First Experiment by the Confederacy of an Aggressive Campaign — Plans of the Campaign on both sides of the Alleghany — The period of Greatest Effulgence of the Confederate arms — Results of Bragg's Campaign in Kentucky — Tho Dramatic Battle of Shai'psburgh — A Secret Agent of the Confederacy Prepared to Visit Washington—Mr. Foote's Confidences with President Davis — Romance of "Tho Lost Dispatch" — Review of the Autumnal Campaign of 1862 — A Brilliant Record on the Valor of the Confederate Troops — Why was this Valor so Unavailing — Tho Outcry of Wasted Blood against Jefferson Davis — Silly Transports of the Confodorato President — His Fulsome Address to the Mississippi Legislature — A Remarkable Private Letter from General Floyd — Two Notable Views of the War in Contrast 228

Chapter XVI

Some Account of the Secret .Misgivings or Private Calculationsof Mr. Davis concerning tho War — His Delinquency on the Subject of Retaliation — A Record of Weak Threats — The

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Kmauoipatinn Proclamationof President Lincoln the Supronie Act of Outrage in the War— K.xcited Propositions in the Coiifoderate Congress — Various Resolutions for Retaliation — Tlie Response of Mr. Davis practically Nothing — His Infamous Subterfuge, Suggesting Retaliation by the States — How Mr. Yancey Ridiculed it — A Distinct Law of Retaliation Passed by the Confederate Congress — Mr. Davis Refuses to Execute it — Curious E.xplauation of Mr. Davis's Unwillingness to Retaliate on the Enemy — A Detestable Calculation for his Personal Safety — Singular Apology for Mr. Davis by South Carolina Ladies — Moral Cowardice of Mr. Davis — Some Reflections on the True Nature of Courage — Excessive Admiration in the South of Mere Physical Manhood — Bravado of Mr. Davis — The Emancipation Proclamation an Encouragement to the North — Review of the Military Situation at the Close of 1S62— Tha South Retires to a Defensive Policy — Summary of its Military Plans 251

Chapter XVII

The Battles of Murfreesboro', of Fredericksburg, and of Chancellorsville — A Trio of Import- \ ant Contests — A Singular and Romantic Incident of the Field of Fredericksburg — Stone- \ wall Jackson Makes a Proposition to Massacre the Enemy in the Night — Parallel between the Battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville — Death of Jackson — Mr. Davis's Tribute to Him — Character of Stonewall Jackson — Poverty of Genius in the War — Jackson and his Sophomorical Admirers — The Rag Tag Style of Eulogistic Criticism — The Religious Character of Jackson not Admirable — Estimate of Him as a Commander — His Gloomy Ideas of War — He Proposes " the Black Flag " — His Enormous and Consuming Ambition — Description of His Person — In what Respects he was the Representative of the South— A Particular Description of his Last Moments 267

Chapter XVIII

Increased Spirit of the Army of Northern Virginia — A Second Experiment of Invasion Originated by General Lee and Opposed by Mr. Davis — Some Accounts of a Secret Correspondejice between the Commander jtud the President — A Curious and perhaps Fatal Misapprehension concei-ning the Campaign — Failure of Mr. Davis to Order General Beauregard to Virginia — The Battle of Gettysburg the Worst Error of General Lee's Military Life — He Makes a Disingenuous Account of it — True Theory of tlio Action — Reflections on the Military Character of Lee — Gettysburg, a Divided Name in the Calendar of Battles — AVhy there were No Popular Reproaches of Lee — The Disaster of Vicksburg, a Very Different Story — Lee and Johnston, "Par Nobile Fralruin" of the War — The "President's Pets" — John 0. Pemberton, an Obscure Military Man Putin Command of A'icksburg — Extraordinary Protests against the Appointment — The Influence of a Woman Brought to Bear on Mr. Davis — An Infamous Imposture in the Command Given to Johnston — The President Cheats the Public Sentiment — Johnston a Mere Figure-IIead in the West — Proofs of a Dishonoi'able Private Correspondence of Mr. Davis in Derogation of Johnston's Command — The Secret Dispatch to Pemberton — Consequences of the Surrender of Vicksburg — The Most Aggravated Disaster of the War %\%

Chapter XIX

A Pause in the Military History of the Confederacy, and a View thereupon of its Internal Administration — Reference to the Confederate Congress — Its Secret Sessions— The " Col lego Debating Society " in the Capitol — Some of the Notable Members of Congrees— Disgraceful Scenes in Secret Session — An Episode of the Bowie-Knife — Judge Dargan a Curiosity — A Iland-to-IIand I'ight in the Senate — Other Scandals in Congrsss — The Newspapers and " Coatraband Information" — Mr. Davis and his "Back-Door" Conferences — An Ill-natured Keniark about General Beauregard — Bad Results of the Secret Sessions of Confederate Congress — Multitude of Rumors in the South — Comments of the Richmond Examiner and the Charleston Mercury — Newsmongers in Richmond — Two Notable Characters in the Capital — " Long Tom" and the Druggist — Reflections on the Birth and Flight of Rumors concerning the War — IIow Mi'. Davis's Pastor was Deceived — An Anecdote of "Recognition" — The Demoralizing Consequences of False Rumors in the War — The Heart of tlie South Worn Out, Swinging from Hope to Fear — How Mr. Davis Uncaged Rumors — How he Dulled and Destroyed Public Spirit 308

Chapter XX

Decay of the Patriotism of the South — No Possible Explanation of it, but the Maladministration of Mr. Davis — Condition of the Confederate Armies — Aversion to Military Service — Mr. Davis's Appeal to Absentees — False Praise of the South forDaJwtion in the War — Eighteen Hundred Habeas Corpuscs in Richmond — How the Conscription wJt«k^ Dodged — Humors of the Habeas Corpus — The Public Spirit of the South, Mean and Decayed — Senator Wigfall Scathes the Farmers — Utter Loss of Moral Influence by President Davis — Enlargement of the Conscription — A Thorough Military Despotism at Richmond — Conscription and Impressment Twin Measures — The Scarcity of Food in the South, the Result of Mismanagoment — A Notable Law in the Depreciation of a Currency — An Interesting Incident of the First Battle of Manassas — The Errors of the Impressment Law — The War, a Choice of Despots, One at Washington, and One at Richmond — Fearful Attack of Senator Toombs on Mr. Davis's Administration — The South " Already Conquered." 355