Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: December 14, 1863

We have President Lincoln's message today, and his proclamation of amnesty to all who take an oath of allegiance, etc., and advocate emancipation. There are some whom he exempts, of course. It is regarded here as an electioneering document, to procure a renomination for the Presidency in the radical Abolition Convention to assemble in a few months. But it will add 100,000 men to our armies; and next year will be the bloody year.

Congress spent much of the day in secret session.

A Baltimorean, last week, seeing a steamer there loading with goods of various kinds for the Federal prisoners here, bought a box of merchandise for $300, and put it on board, marked as if it contained stores for the prisoners. He ran the blockade so as to meet the steamer here; and obtained his box, worth, perhaps, $15,000. But all this is forbidden hereafter.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 2, p. 115

Brigadier-General John A. Rawlins to Mary Emeline Hurlburt Rawlins, January 29, 1864

Nashville, Jan. 29, 1864.

. . . All reports confirm the statements you see in the newspapers. President Lincoln's amnesty proclamation is having a very salutary effect. Many are deserting from the Confederate army and coming into our lines to avail themselves of it by taking the oath it prescribes.

My health is good — my cough has ceased to annoy me. General Grant has not returned from St. Louis, but will be back next Tuesday.

SOURCE: James H. Wilson, The Life of John A. Rawlins, p. 392

Reading Old Abe’s Proclamation to the Rebels

A correspondent with General Sherman’s army narrates the following:

“Brigadier General Morgan informs me of an incident that occurred on his line of operations, that is too good to be lost: While his brigade occupied the gap between Oak Knob and Rocky Face, recently a corporal of company I, 60th Illinois, broke from the line and under cover of projecting ledges got up within twenty feet of a squad of rebels on the summit. Taking shelter from the sharpshooters he called out:

“I say, rebs, don’t you want to hear Old Abe’s amnesty proclamation?”

“Yes!” was the unanimous cry “give us the ape’s proclamation.”

“Attention!” commanded the corporal, and in a clear and resonant voice he read the amnesty proclamation to the rebels, beneath the cannon planted by the rebels to destroy the fabric of government established by our fathers. When he arrived at those passages of the proclamation where the negro was referred to he was interrupted by the cries of “none of your d—d Abolition. Look out for rocks! And down over his hiding placed descended a shower of stones and rocks. – Having finished the reading the corporal asked,

“Well, rebs, how do you like the terms? Will you hear it again?

“Not to-day, you bloody Yank. Now crawl down in a hurry and we won’t fire,’ was the response, and the daring corporal descended and rejoined his command, which had distinctly heard all that passed. I regret I could not learn the name of the corporal, for he must get promotion at the hand of Father Abraham and Governor Dick Yates.”

– Published in The Union Sentinel, June 18, 1864