Summary:
General Grant forwards Chief of Staff Henry Halleck an intelligence report
concerning February, 1865, conditions in Richmond, VA. The report mentions "men
of Staunton" planning to run the blockade to save themselves.
Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK,
Washington:
CITY POINT, VA.,
February 8, 1865.
(Received 7.40 p. m.)
CITY POINT, VA., February 8, 1865.
Lieut. Col. T. S. BOWERS,
Assistant
Adjutant-Gen.:
We have news from Richmond by our agents who left there yesterday. Failure of
peace negotiations, although used by the party to arouse people, is having very
depressing effect generally. Provisions and gold, which had heretofore fallen,
are again advancing, flour being sold for $1,200 per barrel. This is also partly
due to the fact that cold weather had prevented much movement on the James River
Canal. Day before yesterday only three boats arrived with provisions and forage.
There seems to be considerable movements of troops in the Valley, or of those in
Southwestern Virginia, lately commanded by Breckinridge, which our friends in
Richmond have not been able to sift. They say Central railroad has been bringing
in field artillery for three days past, and that on Saturday last about 2,000
infantry went through Richmond south, probably to our left; whether the infantry
came from the Valley, Western Virginia or from the north side, we are unable to
say, except that the information is contained in the same sentence which states
arrival of the field artillery by the Central railroad. Our friends say with
certainty that Wickham's brigade of cavalry, from Early's late command, has
arrived at Richmond; that it was understood day before yesterday that it was en
route for the enemy's left on the north side; that it was through that Wickham
was to relieve Gary's command, and that latter was to be sent south. Another of
our agents says: "We hear that it is expected to concentrate in North Carolina,
and siege guns are being removed. The Staunton men and detectives of Richmond
have made arrangements to run the blockade to save themselves." Our agent says
he was present at the great meeting on the evening of the 6th instant, and that
in his speech Jeff. Davis made use of an expression that every negro would be
armed, which has been suppressed in the published accounts.
GEO. H.
SHARPE,
Col., &c.
Sent for information without comment.
U. S. GRANT,
Lieut.-Gen.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 46, Serial No. 96, Pages 475, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
