November 1st.
Again stagnation; not the smallest intention
of moving; General Scott's resignation, of which I was
aware long ago, is publicly known, and he is about to go to
Europe, and end his days probably in France. McClellan
takes his place, minus the large salary. Riding back from
camp, where I had some trouble with a drunken soldier, my
horse came down in a dark hole, and threw me heavily, so
that my hat was crushed in on my head, and my right thumb
sprained, but I managed to get up and ride home; for the
brute had fallen right on his own head, cut a piece out of his
forehead between the eyes, and was stunned too much to run
away. I found letters waiting from Mr. Seward and others,
thanking me for the game, if canvas-backs come under the
title.
November 2d.
A tremendous gale of wind and rain blew
all day, and caused much uneasiness, at the Navy Department
and elsewhere, for the safety of the Burnside expedition.
The Secessionists are delighted, and those who can, say "Afflavit
Deus et hostes dissipantur." There is a project to send
secret non-official commissioners to Europe, to counteract the
machinations of the Confederates. Mr. Everett, Mr. R. Kennedy,
Bishop Hughes, and Bishop McIlwaine are designated
for the office; much is expected from the expedition, not only
at home but abroad.
November 3d.
For some reason or another, a certain set
of papers have lately taken to flatter Mrs. Lincoln in the
most noisome manner, whilst others deal in dark insinuations
against her loyalty, Union principles, and honesty. The poor
lady is loyal as steel to her family and to Lincoln the First;
but she is accesssible to the influence of flattery, and has permitted
her society to be infested by men who would not be
received in any respectable private house in New York.
The gentleman who furnishes fashionable paragraphs for the
Washington paper has some charming little pieces of gossip
about "the first Lady in the Land" this week; he is doubtless
the same who, some weeks back, chronicled the details of
a raid on the pigs in the streets by the police, and who concluded
thus: "We cannot but congratulate Officer Smith on
the very gentlemanly manner in which he performed his disagreeable
but arduous duties; nor did it escape our notice,
that Officer Washington Jones was likewise active and energetic
in the discharge of his functions."
The ladies in Washington delight to hear or to invent
small scandals connected with the White House; thus it is
reported that the Scotch gardener left by Mr. Buchanan has
been made a lieutenant in the United States Army, and has
been specially detached to do duty at the White House, where
he superintends the cooking. Another person connected with
the establishment was made Commissioner of Public Buildings,
but was dismissed because he would not put down the
expense of a certain state dinner to the public account, and
charge it under the head of "Improvement to the Grounds."
But many more better tales than these go round, and it is not
surprising if a woman is now and then put under close arrest,
or sent off to Fort McHenry for too much esprit and inventiveness.
November 4th.
General Frémont will certainly be recalled.
There is not the smallest incident to note.
November 5th.
Small banquets, very simple and tolerably
social, are the order of the day as winter closes around
us; the country has become too deep in mud for pleasant excursions,
and at times the weather is raw and cold. General
McDowell, who dined with us to-day, maintains there will be
no difficulty in advancing during bad weather, because the
men are so expert in felling trees, they can make corduroy
roads wherever they like. I own the arguments surprised
but did not convince me, and I think the General will find
out his mistake when the time comes. Mr. Everett, whom I
had expected, was summoned away by the unexpected intelligence
of his son's death, so I missed the opportunity of seeing
one whom I much desired to have met, as the great
Apostle of Washington worship, in addition to his claims to
higher distinction. He has admitted that the only bond which
can hold the Union together is the common belief in the
greatness of the departed general.November 6th.
Instead of Mr. Everett and Mr. Johnson,
Mr. Thurlow Weed and Bishop Hughes will pay a visit to
Europe in the Federal interests. Notwithstanding the adulation
of everything French, from the Emperor down to a
Zouave's gaiter, in the New York press, there is an uneasy
feeling respecting the intentions of France, founded on the
notion that the Emperor is not very friendly to the Federalists,
and would be little disposed to expose his subjects to privation
and suffering from the scarcity of cotton and tobacco if, by intervention,
he could avert such misfortunes. The inactivity
of McClellan, which is not understood by the people, has
created an under-current of unpopularity, to which his enemies
are giving every possible strength, and some people are beginning
to think the youthful Napoleon is only a Brummagem
Bonaparte.
November 7th.
After such bad weather, the Indian summer,
l'été de St. Martin, is coming gradually, lighting up the
ruins of the autumn's foliage still clinging to the trees, giving
us pure, bright, warm days, and sunsets of extraordinary loveliness.
Drove out to Bladensburgh with Captain Haworth, and
discovered that my wagon was intended to go on to Richmond
and never to turn back or round, for no roads in this part of
the country are wide enough for the purpose. Dined at the
Legation, and in the evening went to a grand ball, given by
the Sixth United States Cavalry in the Poor House near their
camp, about two miles outside the city.
The ball took place in a series of small whitewashed rooms
off long passages and corridors; many supper tables were
spread; whiskey, champagne, hot terrapin soup, and many luxuries
graced the board, and although but two or three couple
could dance in each room at a time, by judicious arrangement
of the music several rooms were served at once. The Duke
of Chartres, in the uniform of a United States Captain of
Staff, was among the guests, and had to share the ordeal to
which strangers were exposed by the hospitable entertainers,
of drinking with them all. Some called him "Chatters"—
others, "Captain Chatters;" but these were of the outside polloi,
who cannot be kept out on such occasions, and who shake
hands and are familiar with everybody.
The Duke took it all exceedingly well, and laughed with
the loudest in the company. Altogether the ball was a great
success—somewhat marred indeed in my own case by the
bad taste of one of the officers of the regiment which had
invited me, in adopting an offensive manner when about to be
introduced to me by one of his brother officers. Colonel
Emory, the officer in command of the regiment, interfered,
and, finding that Captain A—was not sober, ordered him
to retire. Another small contretemps was caused by the master
of the Work House, who had been indulging at least as
freely as the captain, and at last began to fancy that the paupers
had broken loose and were dancing about after hours below
stairs. In vain he was led away and incarcerated in one
room after another; his intimate knowledge of the architectural
difficulties of the building enabled him to set all precautions
at defiance, and he might be seen at intervals flying along
the passages towards the music, pursued by the officers, until
he was finally secured in a dungeon without a window, and
with a bolted and locked door between him and the ballrooms.
November 8th.
Colonel Emory made us laugh this morning
by an account of our Amphitryon of the night before, who
came to him with a very red eye and curious expression of
face to congratulate the regiment on the success of the ball.
"The most beautiful thing of all was," said he, "Colonel, I
did not see one gentleman or lady who had taken too much
liquor; there was not a drunken man in the whole company."
I consulted my friends at the Legation with respect to our inebriated
officer, on whose behalf Colonel Emory tendered his
own apologies; but they were of opinion I had done all that
was right and becoming in the matter, and that I must take no
more notice of it.
November 9th.
Colonel Wilmot, R. A., who has come down
from Canada to see the army, spent the day with Captain
Dahlgren at the Navy Yard, and returned with impressions
favorable to the system. He agrees with Dahlgren, who is
dead against breach-loading, but admits Armstrong has done
the most that can be effected with the system. Colonel Wilmot
avers the English press are responsible for the Armstrong
guns. He has been much struck by the excellence of the
great iron-works he has visited in the States, particularly that
of Mr. Sellers, in Philadelphia.
November 10th.
Visiting Mr. Mure the other day, who
was still an invalid at Washington, I met a gentleman named
Maury, who had come to Washington to see after a portmanteau
which had been taken from him on the Canadian frontier
by the police. He was told to go to the State Department and
claim his property, and on arriving there was arrested and confined
with a number of prisoners, my horse-dealing friend,
Sammy Wroe, among them. We walked down to inquire
how he was; the soldier who was on duty gave a flourishing
account of him—he had plenty of whiskey and food, "and,"
said the man, "I quite feel for Maury, because he does business
in my State." These State influences must be overcome,
or no Union will ever hold together.
Sir James Ferguson and Mr. Bourke were rather shocked
when Mr. Seward opened the letters from persons in the South
to friends in Europe, of which they had taken charge, and cut
some passages out with a scissors; but a Minister who combines
the functions of Chief-of-Police with those of Secretary
of State must do such things now and then.
November llth.
The United States have now, according
to the returns, 600,000 infantry, 600 pieces of artillery, 61,000
cavalry in the field, and yet they are not only unable to crush
the Confederates, but they cannot conquer the Secession ladies
in their capital. The Southern people here trust in a breakdown
in the North before the screw can be turned to the utmost;
and assert that the South does not want corn, wheat,
leather, or food. Georgia makes cloth enough for all—the
only deficiency will be in metal and matériel of war. When
the North comes to discuss the question whether the war is to
be against slavery or for the Union leaving slavery to take
care of itself, they think a split will be inevitable. Then the
pressure of taxes will force on a solution, for the State taxes
already amount to two to three per cent., and the people will
not bear the addition. The North has set out with the principle
of paying for everything, the South with the principle
of paying for nothing; but this will be reversed in time. All
the diplomatists, with one exception, are of opinion the Union
is broken for ever, and the independence of the South virtually
established.
November 12th.
An irruption of dirty little boys in the
streets shouting out, "Glorious Union victory! Charleston
taken!" The story is that Burnside has landed and reduced
the forts defending Port Royal. I met Mr. Fox, Assistant
Secretary to the Navy, and Mr. Hay, Secretary to Mr. Lincoln,
in the Avenue. The former showed me Burnside's despatches
from Beaufort, announcing reduction of the Confederate
batteries by the ships and the establishment of the Federals
on the skirts of Port Royal. Dined at Lord Lyons', where
were Mr. Chase, Major Palmer, U. S. E., and his wife, Colonel
and Mrs. Emory, Professor Henry and his daughter, Mr. Kennedy
and his daughter, Colonel Wilmot and the Englishry of
Washington. I had a long conversation with Mr. Chase, who
is still sanguine that the war must speedily terminate. The
success at Beaufort has made him radiant, and he told me that
the Federal General Nelson[1]
—who is no other than the
enormous blustering, boasting lieutenant in the navy whom I met
at Washington on my first arrival—has gained an immense
victory in Kentucky, killing and capturing a whole army and
its generals.
A strong Government will be the end of the struggle, but
before they come to it there must be a complete change of administration
and internal economy. Indeed, the Secretary of
the Treasury candidly admitted that the expenses of the war
were enormous, and could not go on at the present rate very
long. The men are paid too highly; every one is paid too
much. The scale is adapted to a small army not very popular,
in a country where labor is very well paid, and competition
is necessary to obtain recruits at all. He has never disguised
his belief the South might have been left to go at first, with a
certainty of their return to the Union.
November 13th.
Mr. Charles Green, who was my host at
Savannah, and Mr. Low, of the same city, have been arrested
and sent to Fort Warren. Dining with Mr. Seward, I heard
accidentally that Mrs. Low had also been arrested, but was now
liberated. The sentiment of dislike towards England is increasing,
because English subjects have assisted the South by
smuggling and running the blockade. "It is strange," said
Mr. Seward the other day, "that this great free and civilized
Union should be supported by Germans, coming here semi-civilized
or half-savage, who plunder and destroy as if they were
living in the days of Agricola, whilst the English are the great
smugglers who support our enemies in their rebellion." I reminded
him that the United States flag had covered the smugglers
who carried guns and matériel of war to Russia, although
they were at peace with France and England. "Yes, but
then," said he, "that was a legitimate contest between great
established powers, and I admit, though I lament the fact, that
the public sympathy in this country ran with Russia during
that war," The British public have a right to their sympathies
too, and the Government can scarcely help it if private individuals
aid the South on their own responsibility. In future, British
subjects will be indicted instead of sent to Fort La Fayette.
Mr. Seward feels keenly the attacks in the "New York Tribune"
on him for arbitrary arrests, and representations have
been made to Mr. Greeley privately on the subject; nor is he
indifferent to similar English criticisms.
General McDowell asserts there is no nation in the world
whose censure or praise the people of the United States care
about except England, and with respect to her there is a morbid
sensitiveness which can neither be explained nor justified.
It is admitted, indeed, by Americans whose opinions are
valuable, that the popular feeling was in favor of Russia
during the Crimean war. Mr. Raymond attributes the circumstance
to the influence of the large Irish element; but
I am inclined to believe it is partly due at least to the feeling
of rivalry and dislike to Great Britain, in which the mass of
the American people are trained by their early education, and
also in some measure to the notion that Russia was unequally
matched in the contest.
November 14th.
Rode to cavalry camp, and sat in front
of Colonel Emory's tent with General Stoneman, who is chief
of the cavalry, and Captain Pleasanton; heard interesting
anecdotes of the wild life on the frontiers, and of bushranging
in California, of lassoing bulls and wild horses and buffaloes,
and encounters with grizzly bears—interrupted by a one-armed
man, who came to the Colonel for "leave to take away
George." He spoke of his brother who had died in camp,
and for whose body he had come, metallic coffin and all, to
carry it back to his parents in Pennsylvania.
I dined with Mr. Seward—Mr. Raymond, of New York,
and two or three gentlemen, being the only guests. Mr.
Lincoln came in whilst we were playing a rubber, and told
some excellent West-country stories. "Here, Mr. President,
we have got the two 'Times'—of New York and of London
—if they would only do what is right and what we want,
all will go well." "Yes," said Mr. Lincoln, "if the bad
Times would go where we want them, good Times would be
sure to follow." Talking over Bull Run, Mr. Seward remarked
"that civilians sometimes displayed more courage
than soldiers, but perhaps the courage was unprofessional.
When we were cut off from Baltimore, and the United States
troops at Annapolis were separated by a country swarming
with malecontents, not a soldier could be found to undertake
the journey and communicate with them. At last a civilian"
—(I think he mentioned the name of Mr. Cassius Clay)—
"volunteered and executed the business. So, after Bull Run,
there was only one officer, General Sherman, who was doing
anything to get the troops into order when the President and
myself drove over to see what we could do on that terrible
Tuesday evening." Mr. Teakle Wallis and others, after the
Baltimore business, told him the people would carry his head
on their pikes; and so he went to Auburn to see how matters
stood, and a few words from his old friends there made him
feel his head was quite right on his shoulders.November 15th.
Horse-dealers are the same all the world
over. To-day comes one with a beast for which he asked
£50. "There was a Government agent looking after this
horse for one of them French princes, I believe, just as I was
talking to the Kentuck chap that had him. 'John,' says he,
'that's the best-looking horse I've seen in Washington this
many a day.' 'Yes,' says I, 'and you need not look at him
any more.' 'Why?' says he. 'Because,' says I, 'it's one
that I want for Lord John Russell, of the London" "Times,"'
says I, 'and if ever there was a man suited for a horse, or a
horse that was suited for a man, they're the pair, and I'll give
every cent I can raise to buy my friend, Lord Russell, that
horse.'" I could not do less than purchase, at a small reduction,
a very good animal thus recommended.
November 16th.
A cold, raw day. As I was writing, a
small friend of mine, who appears like a stormy petrel in
moments of great storm, fluttered into my room, and having
chirped out something about a "Jolly row,"—"Seizure of
Mason and Slidell,"—"British flag insulted," and the like,
vanished. Somewhat later, going down 17th Street, I met
the French Minister, M. Mercier, wrapped in his cloak, coming
from the British Legation. "Vous avez entendu quelque
chose de nouveau?" "Mais non, excellence." And then, indeed,
I learned there was no doubt about the fact that Captain
Wilkes, of the U. S. steamer "San Jacinto," had forcibly
boarded the "Trent," British mail steamer, off the Bahamas,
and had taken Messrs. Mason, Slidell, Eustis, and McClernand
from on board, by armed force, in defiance of the protests
of the captain and naval officer in charge of the mails.
This was indeed grave intelligence; and the French Minister
considered the act a flagrant outrage, which could not for a
moment be justified.
I went to the Legation, and found the young diplomatists in
the "Chancellerie" as demure and innocent as if nothing had
happened, though perhaps they were a trifle more lively than
usual. An hour later, and the whole affair was published in
full in the evening papers. Extraordinary exultation prevailed
in the hotels and bar-rooms. The State Department
has made of course no communication respecting the matter.
All the English are satisfied that Mason and his friends must
be put on board an English mail packet from the "San Jacinto"
under a salute.
An officer of the United States navy—whose name I shall
not mention here—came in to see the buccaneers, as the knot
of English bachelors of Washington are termed, and talk over
the matter. "Of course," he said, "we shall apologize, and
give up poor Wilkes to vengeance, by dismissing him; but
under no circumstances shall we ever give up Mason and
Slidell. No, sir; not a man dare propose such a humiliation
to our flag." He says that Wilkes acted on his own responsibility,
and that the "San Jacinto" was coming home from the
African station when she encountered the "Trent." Wilkes
knew the rebel emissaries were on board, and thought he
would cut a dash and get up a little sensation, being a bold
and daring sort of a fellow, with a quarrelsome disposition and
a great love of notoriety, but an excellent officer.
November 17th.
For my sins I went to see a dress parade
of the 6th Regular Cavalry early this morning, and underwent
a small purgatory from the cold, on a bare plain, whilst
the men and officers, with red cheeks and blue noses, mounted
on horses with staring coats, marched, trotted, and cantered
past. The papers contain joyous articles on the "Trent"
affair, and some have got up an immense amount of learning
at a short notice; but I am glad to say we had no discussion
in camp. There is scarcely more than one opinion among
thinking people in Washington respecting the legality of the
act, and the course Great Britain must pursue. All the Foreign
Ministers, without exception, have called on Lord Lyons,
—Russia, France, Italy, Prussia, Denmark. All are of
accord. I am not sure whether the important diplomatist
who represents the mighty interests of the Hanse Towns has
not condescended to admit England has right on her side.November 18th.
There is a storm of exultation sweeping
over the land. Wilkes is the hero of the hour. I saw Mr.
F. Seward at the State Department at ten o'clock; but, as at
the British Legation the orders are not to speak of the transaction,
so at the State Department a judicious reticence is
equally observed. The lawyers are busy furnishing arguments
to the newspapers. The officers who held their tongues
at first, astonished at the audacity of the act, are delighted to
find any arguments in its favor.
I called at General McClellan's new head-quarters to get
a pass, and on my way met the Duke of Chartres, who shook
his young head very gravely, and regarded the occurrence
with sorrow and apprehension. McClellan, I understand,
advised the immediate surrender of the prisoners; but the
authorities, supported by the sudden outburst of public approval,
refused to take that step. I saw Lord Lyons, who
appeared very much impressed by the magnitude of the crisis.
Thence I visited the Navy Department, where Captain Dahlgren
and Lieutenant Wise discussed the affair. The former,
usually so calm, has too much sense not to perceive the course
England must take, and, as an American officer, naturally
feels regret at what appears to be the humiliation of his flag;
but he speaks with passion, and vows that if England avails
herself of the temporary weakness of the United States to
get back the rebel commissioners by threats of force, every
American should make his sons swear eternal hostility to
Great Britain. Having done wrong, stick to it! Thus men's
anger blinds them, and thus come wars.
It is obvious that no Power could permit political offenders
sailing as passengers in a mail-boat under its flag, from one
neutral port to another, to be taken by a belligerent, though
the recognition of such a right would be, perhaps, more advantageous
to England than to any other Power. But, notwithstanding
these discussions, our naval friends dined and
spent the evening with us, in company with some other officers.
I paid my respects to the Prince of Joinville, with whom I
had a long and interesting conversation, in the course of
which he gave me to understand he thought the seizure an
untoward and unhappy event, which could not be justified on
any grounds whatever, and that he had so expressed himself
in the highest quarters. There are, comparatively, many
English here at present,—Mr. Chaplin, Sir F. Johnstone,
Mr. Weldon, Mr. Browne, and others,—and it may be readily
imagined this affairs creates deep feeling and much discussion.November 19th.
I rarely sat down to write under a sense
of greater responsibility, for it is just possible my letter may
contain the first account of the seizure of the Southern Commissioners
which will reach England; and, having heard all
opinions and looked at authorities, as far as I could, it appears
to me that the conduct of the American officer, now sustained
by his Government, is without excuse. I dined at Mr. Corcoran's,
where the Ministers of Prussia, Brazil, and Chili,
and the Secretary of the French Legation, were present;
and, although we did not talk politics, enough was said to
show there was no dissent from the opinion expressed by intelligent
and uninterested foreigners.
November 20th.
To-day a grand review, the most remarkable
feature of which was the able disposition made by
General McDowell to march seventy infantry regiments, seventeen
batteries, and seven cavalry regiments, into a very contracted
space, from the adjoining camps. Of the display itself
I wrote a long account, which is not worth repeating here.
Among the 55,000 men present there were at least 20,000
Germans and 12,000 Irish.
November 22nd.
All the American papers have agreed
that the Trent business is quite according to law, custom, and
international comity, and that England can do nothing. They
cry out so loudly in this one key there is reason to suspect
they have some inward doubts. General McClellan invited
all the world, including myself, to see a performance given by
Hermann, the conjurer, at his quarters, which will be aggravating
news to the bloody-minded, serious people in New England.
Day after day passes on, and finds our Micawbers in Washington
waiting for something to turn up. The Trent affair, having
been proved to be legal and right beyond yea or nay, has
dropped out of the minds of all save those who are waiting for
news from England; and on looking over my diary I can see
nothing but memoranda relating to quiet rides, visits to camps,
conversations with this one or the other, a fresh outburst of
anonymous threatening letters, as if I had anything to do with
the Trent affair, and notes of small social reunions at our own
rooms and the Washington houses which were open to us.
November 25th.
I remarked the other evening that, with
all the disorder in Washington, there are no thieves. Next
night, as we were sitting in our little symposium, a thirsty soldier
knocked at the door for a glass of water. He was brought
in and civilly treated. Under the date of the 27th, accordingly,
I find it duly entered that "the vagabond who came in for
water must have had a confederate, who got into the hall
whilst we were attending to his comrade, for yesterday there
was a great lamentation over cloaks and great-coats missing
from the hall, and as the day wore on the area of plunder was
extended. Carl discovers he has been robbed of his best
clothes, and Caroline has lost her watch and many petticoats."
