登陆注册
15471300000036

第36章 Desperate Remedies(2)

The Richmond Government was unable to detach any considerable force from the northern front. Its contribution to the forces in Georgia was accomplished by such pathetic means as a general order calling to the colors all soldiers furloughed or in hospital, "except those unable to travel"; by revoking all exemptions to farmers, planters, and mechanics, except munitions workers; and by placing one-fifth of the ordnance and mining bureau in the battle service.

All the world knows how futile were these endeavors to stop the whirlwind of desolation that was Sherman's march. He spent his Christmas Day in Savannah. Then the center of gravity shifted from Georgia to South Carolina. Throughout the two desperate months that closed 1864 the authorities of South Carolina had vainly sought for help from Richmond. Twice the Governor made official request for the return to South Carolina of some of her own troops who were at the front in Virginia. Davis first evaded and then refused the request. Lee had informed him that if the forces on the northern front were reduced, the evacuation of Richmond would become inevitable.

The South Carolina Government, in December, 1864, seems to have concluded that the State must save itself. A State Conscription Act was passed placing all white males between the ages of sixteen and sixty at the disposal of the state authorities for emergency duty. An Exemption Act set forth a long list of persons who should not be liable to conscription by the Confederate Government. Still a third act regulated the impressment of slaves for work on fortifications so as to enable the state authorities to hold a check upon the Confederate authorities. The significance of the three statutes was interpreted by a South Carolina soldier, General John S. Preston, in a letter to the Secretary of War that was a wail of despair. "This legislation is an explicit declaration that this State does not intend to contribute another soldier or slave to the public defense, except on such terms its may be dictated by her authorities. The example will speedily be followed by North Carolina and Georgia, the Executives of those States having already assumed the position."

The division between the two parties in South Carolina had now become bitter. To Preston the men behind the State Exemption Act appeared as "designing knaves." The Mercury, on the other hand, was never more relentless toward Davis than in the winter of 1864-1865. However, none or almost none of the anti-Davis men in South Carolina made the least suggestion of giving up the struggle. To fight to the end but also to act as a check upon the central Government--as the new Governor, Andrew G. Magrath, said in his inaugural address in December, 1864,--was the aim of the dominant party in South Carolina. How far the State Government and the Confederate Government had drifted apart is shown by two comments which were made in January, 1865. Lee complained that the South Carolina regiments, "much reduced by hard service," were not being recruited up to their proper strength because of the measures adopted in the southeastern States to retain conscripts at home. About the same date the Mercury arraigned Davis for leaving South Carolina defenseless in the face of Sherman's coming offensive, and asked whether Davis intended to surrender the Confederacy.

And in the midst of this critical period, the labor problem pushed to the fore again. The revocation of industrial details, necessary as it was, had put almost the whole male population--in theory, at least--in the general Confederate army. How far-reaching was the effect of this order may be judged from the experience of the Columbia and Augusta Railroad Company. This road was building through the interior of the State a new line which was rendered imperatively necessary by Sherman's seizure of the lines terminating at Savannah. The effect of the revocation order on the work in progress was described by the president of the road in a letter to the Secretary of War:

"In July and August I made a fair beginning and by October we had about 600 hands. General Order No. 77 took off many of our contractors and hands. We still had increased the number of hands to about 400 when Sherman started from Atlanta. The military authorities of Augusta took about 300 of them to fortify that city. These contractors being from Georgia returned with their slaves to their homes after being discharged at Augusta. We still have between 500 and 600 hands at work and are adding to the force every week.

"The great difficulty has been in getting contractors exempt or definitely detailed since Order No. 77. I have not exceeded eight or nine contractors now detailed. The rest are exempt from other causes or over age."

It was against such a background of economic confusion that Magrath wrote to the Governor of North Carolina making a revolutionary proposal. Virtually admitting that the Confederacy had been shattered, and knowing the disposition of those in authority to see only the military aspects of any given situation, he prophesied two things: that the generals would soon attempt to withdraw Lee's army south of Virginia, and that the Virginia troops in that army would refuse to go. "It is natural under the circumstances," said he, "that they would not." He would prepare for this emergency by an agreement among the Southeastern and Gulf States to act together irrespective of Richmond, and would thus weld the military power of these States into "a compact and organized mass."

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 双生灵魄,灵魂的羁绊

    双生灵魄,灵魂的羁绊

    在宇宙的深处,有一块名叫无痕的大陆,强者为王。有一神级强者统治,有一天,因为地位的觊觎,惨遭埋伏。。。
  • 我的再世魔君

    我的再世魔君

    我以为此生不过萍水相逢,却没想过他周周转转了那么多年,破开三界定律,以不死之身,聚我遗失的三魂七魄,换我一生之情。临了,做人我的尚且但看生死,身为魔君的他,却始终参不透轮回。长歌:玲珑骰子安红豆,入骨相思君知否?云止:你死了,我就来陪你。六道轮回,都随你,横竖不会放开你的手就是了。
  • 相思谋:妃常难娶

    相思谋:妃常难娶

    某日某王府张灯结彩,婚礼进行时,突然不知从哪冒出来一个小孩,对着新郎道:“爹爹,今天您的大婚之喜,娘亲让我来还一样东西。”说完提着手中的玉佩在新郎面前晃悠。此话一出,一府宾客哗然,然当大家看清这小孩与新郎如一个模子刻出来的面容时,顿时石化。此时某屋顶,一个绝色女子不耐烦的声音响起:“儿子,事情办完了我们走,别在那磨矶,耽误时间。”新郎一看屋顶上的女子,当下怒火攻心,扔下新娘就往女子所在的方向扑去,吼道:“女人,你给本王站住。”一场爱与被爱的追逐正式开始、、、、、、、
  • 天赐良缘:老公来自古代

    天赐良缘:老公来自古代

    丈夫出轨,袁水仙平静地签字离婚。转身,却遇见了另一个他。失去的未必就是好的,她的幸福已经在前来的路上。
  • 至尊萌宝之邪王,今晚我在上

    至尊萌宝之邪王,今晚我在上

    她,王牌杀手,一朝重生来到异世大陆。顶级废材?NO!NO!她可是拥有七大种族尊贵血脉的神魔之女。没人要的弃妇?那他身后怎么有这么多的桃花?炼丹师稀缺?炼器师稀缺?阵法师强大?符咒师无敌?驯兽师牛叉?她一不小心都混了个神阶,肿么办?一场意外,她怀上了小baby,从此,神兽圣兽,天材地宝,统统到我怀里来!
  • 银茗街

    银茗街

    末日降临,大地被四分五裂的分成几个区域,就在这时,远古的种族也被这场浩劫唤醒存活在这片九州大地上。但总有挑起事端的的一部分种族,所以规划出一个和平为中心的条约,各族互不干涉互不侵犯。但为了以防万一,减少伤亡,建立了一个维护的治安的组织—殇音。都市中有一个传说,当夜幕降临,在一片空地上会出现一条街,那里有着能让人异想成真而神秘的茶酒庄,人人都想去,但没人能找得到那家茶酒庄。据说,在深夜走进这家店里只要你说出你求助的委托,附上求助的代价,馆内就会有人完成你的委托。接着,又发生了什么有趣的故事呢,敬请期待!!!?≧?≦
  • GT启示录:王者

    GT启示录:王者

    新历1036年9月1日,起源之石自宇宙深处而来,降落于地球之上。随后,王者基因开启,一场血腥盛宴,正式启动。GT病毒爆发,百分之五十的人类瞬间变为丧尸。随之被咬伤感染之人不计其数,剩余存活人数未知。末世里,各种危险生物横行,人类生存艰难,却也因此而开始进化。
  • 风云赞歌

    风云赞歌

    每个人都有故事。故事像锁链一环锁一环,这是宿命。有人与宿命抗争,搅动属于自己的风云。你是其中一环吗?魔鬼,龙侠客,河神,圣光。四个宿命长河中的人会怎样乘风踏上云颠,冰火的视角,不一样的故事。
  • 抗战之暗黑元首

    抗战之暗黑元首

    特战兵王夏凡穿越晚清,以满腔热血投入到革命的大潮中来,以英勇无畏的精神面对世界的挑衅,向世界发出了醒狮的怒吼,让世界为之震动,为之臣服!灭妖魔乱舞的东南亚各国一统南洋!屠英灭法势不可挡!杀小鬼子畅快淋漓!沙俄逞威,有我行不通!美国不服,没事打服你!中华民族复兴,中华盛世来临,万国朝拜!
  • 谁来爱我

    谁来爱我

    大学毕业后,方闽南来到了这个小城,做了一名小小的教师,他有一个红颜知己,也期待着自己的爱情,她终于出现了,不过命运却在折磨着他,他们白头偕老的约定最终会是什么呢。他不知道为什么自己还在等待。明知辉煌,过后是暗淡,仍期待着把一切从头来过。