188 



CONFEDERATE STATES. 



his overwhelming forces. Before he had ad- 

 vanced ten days from Savannah, it was evident 

 the enemy could not resist him, and he would 

 be left free to destroy the communications by 

 which supplies were brought to the armies de- 

 fending Richmond, and, what was worst of all, 

 to demoralize the labor system and the disci- 

 pline of the slaves at the most populous points 

 on his route. Thus the Confederacy was broken 

 into fragments, and the annihilation of the mili- 

 tary strength of the most important one of 

 these was fearfully threatened. 



At the same time the forces actually held in 

 the field were so reduced as to be unable to 

 attempt any serious offensive operation. Mr. 

 Davis, a few months previous, declared in 

 Georgia, that one- third of the army was ab- 

 sent without leave ; and probably the number 

 absent was in truth nearer one-half. It was 

 stated in Richmond that from October 1, 

 1864, to February 4, 1865, nearly 72,000 men 

 had deserted from the Confederate armies east 

 of the Mississippi. The men were at home. 

 In many instances they took no trouble to con- 

 ceal themselves. Yet there were laws with 

 penalties to be enforced, under which all de- 

 serters might be brought back to their posts. 

 Not only was more than half the original terri- 

 tory of the Confederacy now lost, but Savan- 

 nah and Wilmington had just been taken, and 

 the last of its remaining seaports, Mobile and 

 Charleston, were about to be more seriously 

 threatened than ever before. 



At the same time the finances of the Confed- 

 eracy had reached an exhausted condition. The 

 Treasury was empty, and the Government un- 

 able to turn to an available account the large 

 resources of cotton in its possession. The 

 money of the people, which now consisted of 

 Government notes, had declined to such a 

 point as to indicate that the credit of the Gov- 

 ernment was nearly gone. During the early 

 part of the summer of 1861 gold and silver re- 

 mained in circulation, although the State banks 

 had suspended specie payments immediately 

 after the secession of each State, but was so 

 rapidly hoarded or bought up for speculation, 

 that it soon disappeared, and gave place to 

 every denomination of "fractional currency" 

 known as < " shinplasters." These soon became 

 scattered over the States, and very few were 

 ever redeemed. The Legislatures of the States 

 during the winter gradually caused many of 

 these notes to disappear, leaving the field clear 

 for county and corporation fractional issues. 

 These in turn, during the ensuing year, were 

 made to give way, by further legislative action, 

 to the postage stamps and half dollar notes of 

 the Confederate Treasury. In the summer of 

 1862 this money became plentiful ; but the first 

 issues were limited, and being made upon in- 

 ferior paper and in a poor style, they were 

 rapidly worn, and soon assumed a miserable- 

 appearance. However, bank notes were now 

 withdrawn, although at a premium, and Con- 

 federate money formed the entire currency. 



Standing face to face with these gloomy re- 

 alities" on the one hand, and beholding the 

 North on the other hand swelling still more 

 the numbers of its vast armies and replenishing 

 their stores from almost exhaustless resources, 

 the Southern leaders gave no signs of wavering, 

 nor uttered apprehensions of failure; but the 

 effects of this apparent state of weakness upon 

 the minds of the people were manifest from the 

 measures taken to meet the crisis. 



The assembly of the Legislature of Virginia 

 early in January adopted a resolution for the 

 appointment of Gen. Lee to the command of 

 all the armies, which was laid before Mr. Davis, 

 and to which he replied as follows : 



EXECUTIVE OFFICE, RICHMOND, January 18th. 



Messrs. James F. Johnson, President pro tern, of the Vir- 

 ginia Senate, and Hugh W. Sheffey, Speaker of the Vir- 

 ginia House of Delegates. 



GENTLEMEN : I have the honor to acknowledge the 

 receipt of your joint letter of the 17th inst., enclos- 

 ing a resolution of the General Assembly of Virginia, 

 passed on the 17th inst., and communicated in con- 

 fidence, as directed by the Assembly. This resolu- 

 tion informs me that, in the opinion of the General 

 Assembly of Virginia, the appointment of Gen. 

 Kobert L. Lee to the command of all the armies of 

 the Confederate States would promote their effi- 

 ciency and operate powerfully to reanimate the 

 spirits of the armies, as well as of the people of the 

 several States, and to inspire an increased confidence 

 in the final success of our cause. 



In your communication, you kindly assure me 

 that the General Assembly, with a sincere confidence 

 in my patriotic devotion to the welfare of the coun- . 

 try, desire, in this critical period of our affairs, by 

 such suggestions as occurto them, and by dedication, 

 if need be, of the entire resources of the Common- 

 wealth to the ^olmnon cause, to strengthen my 

 hands and to give success to our struggle for liberty 

 and independence. This assurance is to me a source 

 of the highest gratification; and while conveying to 

 you my thanks for the Expression of confidence of 

 the General Assembly in my sincere devotion to our 

 country and sacred cause, I must beg permission, in 

 return, to bear witness to the unhesitating spirit 

 with which Virginia has, from the moment when sho 

 first drew the sword, consecrated the blood of her 



