February 16, 1863, The Charleston Mercury
(CORRESPONDENCE OF THE MERCURY.)
RICHMOND, Thursday, February 12.
Some queer things are said to be occurring in our army at Fredericksburg, with respect to absent officers. For example, when a Brigadier leaves for home on urgent business, his command is distributed to other brigades, so that on his return he is functus officio. This has occurred with Toombs, who, for a month past, has been forced [….] said, to employ his leisure in cock fighting. General T. is now in this city.
With regard to Gen. G. W. Smith, I hear further, on what I deem good authority, that he will resign. This was stated to my informant two or three days ago, with the addition that all the facts in the case would be published at an early day. Perhaps the matter has been composed.
Under the caption of ‘Exaggeration,’ the Enquirer laments the sparse fruits of the recent exploits off your harbor, and informs us that the Princess Royal might have been recaptured with a little energy, as she was only a mile and a half from your shore batteries.
The Dispatch acknowledges the receipt, through THE MERCURY office, of $600, contributed for the relief of the Fredericksburg sufferers. Next to Hood’s brigade, the South Carolina brigades have been the most liberal of all the army contributors to the sacked city.
Street reports say that the flour contract has been investigated to some purpose by the Special Committee. Mr. Ruffin is exonerated, but other parties are seriously implicated. It is stated that an honest quartermaster has turned up and exposed glaring frauds.
Papers as late as the 9th came to the Examiner last night. They contain nothing very encouraging either from the United States or from abroad. No signs of recognition. With these papers came a copy of Harper’s Magazine for February, which shows no traces of war in respect to its size or its pictures. It has a novel by the author of ‘Adam Bede,’ and a long editorial on the ‘Indivisibility of the Union,’ based on geographical considerations – a la Lincoln’s Messages.
Mr. Davis, in his ‘Campaign from Texas to Maryland,’ tells a good story of an Indian in the 1st Texas Regiment. Having taken a Yankee prisoner, he handed him over, saying, ‘Major Yank yours; gun mine.’ Musketry he stood very well, but the first shell went screaming by startled him, and when the second burst over his head, he exclaimed, ‘Ugh! no good for Indian,’ and made for the rear with the speed of an antelope.
It is said the substitutes won’t fight. That depends upon their officers in a great measure. An artillery company in Lee’s army, made up mainly of substitutes, is brave to a fault. At the battle of Fredericksburg a round shot cut off a stout young tree, which in its flight hurled to the earth a little fellow who was running with ammunition from the caison to the gun. He cried out, ‘I’m dead! I’m dead!’ ‘It’s a d—-d lie,’ said the gunner, sternly; ‘you’re not dead; bring that ammunition here, quick, you d—-d fool!’ Thus assured, the boy jumped up and kept to his post throughout the fight.
Seven hundred tons of East India coffee came in a vessel that ran the blockade the other day. It’s all for the soldiers, so they tell me here.
HERMES.