Culpepper C. H., Va., April 23, 1864.
. . . Clear, dry weather. . . .
Burnside's corps commenced moving up from Annapolis today to
join this army. The moment it arrives we will be ready for action. Reports from
Sherman, Butler and Sigel are all as cheering as we could hope for under the
circumstances. The enemy have attacked Plymouth in Butler's Department and been
repulsed. This initiatory move of theirs will delay Butler somewhat in his
preparations for cooperation with the movements of this army. Sherman and Sigel
will both be in readiness without doubt at the appointed time, as will, we
trust, General Butler, notwithstanding this attack at Plymouth. In Sherman,
Meade and Butler, General Grant has three Generals, all in important commands,
whom he can trust. They are all three loyal to their country, friends of the
General, and consequently with no ambitions to be gratified that look not to
the success of our arms in obedience to and in accordance with his orders and
plans.
General Sigel shows a fine disposition, and I have great
hopes that he is a much better officer than General Pope gave him credit for
being. He is active in his preparations for the part he is to perform in the
coming campaign, is subordinate as far as I am able to judge, and has
unquestionably the interest of the country at heart.
As yet no official report has been received from General
Banks. General Grant has discharged his duty faithfully in this matter by
suggestions to the President that Banks be relieved by General J. J. Reynolds
in the command of the Gulf Department. What the President will do we don't as
yet know. General Banks may be, and I have no doubt is, a splendid man on
presentations, but certainly as a soldier he is a failure. The men under his
command are to all intents and purposes dead to the service. Private
information would indicate that we have retrieved much that we had lost in the
Red River affair. I hope this may be true.
The Fort Pillow Massacre is one of the most brutal and horrible
acts of fiendishness on record. If it is true as reported, and the Confederate
authorities endorse and approve it, I hope the tongue of every Northern person
who would speak in justification of them or their cause may cling to the roof
of their mouths. This might make dumb many who profess to be my friends, but
certainly could not hush to me the sweet voice of the wife I love, for at such
acts of cruelty and barbarism her noble and queenly nature will ever revolt.
Reports from the front are that Lee is massing all his
cavalry near Fredericksburg with a view to advance against us, which may be
true, but I doubt it. . . .
SOURCE: James H. Wilson, The Life of John A. Rawlins,
p. 422-3
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