for sale to the inhabitants and the troops. Another prohibited all officers and soldiers, other than those on provost guard duty, or belonging to the staffs or escorts of generals, from being in the city without a pass; officers and soldiers were expected to remain constantly with their commands unless absent on duty. Another regulation provided that no house should be occupied by any officer or soldier without the order of the general commanding the city.

15

kansas were always warm friends to the FedThe inhabitants of the northern part of Areral Union, and thus continued amid all the desolation. The great opposition made to the ordinance of secession (see ANNUAL CYCLOPÆDIA, 1861, Arkansas), showed a majority of the people, under a fair test, as firmly opposed to fore, large numbers of men began to desert it. Under the existing state of affairs, thereSeven steamboats were successfully destroyed among the people in favor of the Union. These from the enemy, and movements commenced by the enemy. Four, one of which was a ferry- movements were begun by those sincerely atboat, were saved. One of the largest boats on tached to the Union, and were supported by the western waters was drawn up ashore, and others, who thought that the Confederate cause was receiving a plating of railroad iron. It was lost. As usual, the fears of large numbers was also destroyed. persons were afraid to risk the possibility of restrained their action. At Little Rock, such the return of the rebel forces, apprehending in such an event, injury to person and property in case they had been active in the cause of the Union. They pointed to the experience of Union men in the northern part of the State and in other localities. The cause, however, moved forward, and constantly gained vigor. A newspaper was established at Little Rock. Union meetings were held, and resolutions, pledging unconditional support to the Union, organized for the army, both white and colwere adopted. Regiments of citizens were ored. Citizens of distinction came forward to advocate the Union cause; among others, Brig.-Gen. E. W. Gantt, of the Confederate army, once held as a prisoner of war. described the feeling of the people near the close of the year: He thus

The capture of Little Rock was a fatal blow to the Confederate authority in the State. North of the Arkansas river, and west of the Cairo and Fulton railway of Missouri, the country had been desolated by the war, and subjugated by the Federal army so thoroughly, that it had long been abandoned by the forces of the enemy. The victories of Gen. Blunt in the Indian Territory, had more decisively caused the Arkansas river to become their defensive line. But with Little Rock as a base, the rebel Gen. Holmes had carried on a troublesome war by means of expeditions sent northeast to Jacksonport, east to Helena, southeast to Napoleon, west to the Indian Territory, and south into Louisiana. At the time Gen. Steele commenced his march toward Little Rock, Gen. Blunt marched south of the Arkansas river, through the Indian Territory, toward the Red river, and Gen. Stevenson advanced from Vicksburg along the line of the Shreveport railroad to Monroe, and thence up the Washita toward El Dorado, in Southern Arkansas. These combined operations alarmed Gen. Holmes, especially when Gen. Blunt captured Fort Smith, in Arkansas, Gen. Steele drove the army of Gen. Price across the Bayou Metoe, and Gen. Stevenson took possession of the southern border of the State. He, therefore, abandoned his position, and retreated Southwest toward Texas.

In the western part of the State, Gen. Blunt issued an address to the people, in which he assured them that his occupation of the country would be permanent, that the whole of the Indian Territory and Western Arkansas was under the control of the United States forces, and that the rebel troops had been driven beyond the Red river, and that hundreds of refugees had arrived to enlist in his army. He closed thus:

be

Many applications have been made by citizens for safeguard. None will be issued. The best safeguard you can have is the American flag unfurled over your premises; and if you deport yourselves as good loyal citizens, your conduct must be your safeguard. If it your desire to disenthral yourselves from the tyranny and oppression to which you have been subjected, organize a civil government under the authority of the United States. Every facility will be afforded you to accomplish that purpose. I leave the matter with you, trusting that wise counsels may prevail.

allegiance to the Government, and to renew their de The people of Arkansas are ready to return to their votion, which shall know hereafter neither change nor decay. The loyalty to Jeff. Davis in Arkansas does while the hatred of him is as widespread as it is innot extend practically beyond the shadow of his army, tense. The Union sentiment is manifesting itself on all sides and by every indication-in Union meetings in desertions from the Confederate army-in taking the oath of allegiance unsolicited-in organizing for flags that have been hid in the crevices of rocks, and home defence, and enlisting in the Federal army. Old been worshipped by our mountain people as holy relThe little county of Perry, that votes only about six ics, are flung to the breeze, and followed to the Union hundred, and which has been turned wrong side out in army with an enthusiasm that beggars all description. search of conscripts by Hindman and his fellow-murderers and oppressors, with their retinue of salaried gentlemen and negro boys, sent down a company of kept their old flag during these three years of terror, ninety-four men. Where they came from, and how they persecution and plunder, I can't tell. But they were the proudest looking set of men I ever saw, and full of fight.

In December, there were eight regiments wholly formed for service in the Federal army, of Arkansas citizens that had been partly or besides several thousand who had joined companies of other regiments. Under the amnesty proclamation of President Lincoln, issued December 8th (see PUBLIC DOCUMENTS), a pardon of 1864, preparations were made to reorganize was issued to Gen. Gantt, and, at the beginning the State Government. For this the President issued the following proclamation:

men residents of said States, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years, not legally exempted from military service; and I do hereby order and direct that all persons subject to this call and not now in the military service, do, upon being enrolled, forthwith repair to the conscript camps established in the respective States of which they may be residents, under pain of being held and punished as deserters, in the event of their failure to obey this call, as provided in said laws.

And I do further order and direct that the enrolling officers of the several States proceed at once to enrol all persons embraced within the terms of this proclamation, and not heretofore enrolled.

And I do further order that it shall be lawful for any person embraced within this call to volunteer for service before enrolment, and that persons so volunteering be allowed to select the arm of service and the company which they desire to join, provided such company be deficient in the full number of men al lowed by law, or its organization.

Given under my hand and the seal of the Confederate States of America, at the city of Richmond, this fifteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.

By the President :

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

J. P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of State.

It was estimated that the number which this conscription would bring out would be as follows:

The President of the Confederate States regarding the furloughs granted the paroled prisoners from Vicksburg of too great duration, in the present condition of the country, with the exception of those to the men most distant from this camp, therefore, under his instructions, all furloughs are rescinded, with the exception of those to the trans-Mississippi Department and from the State of Tennessee, which will remain as before. The furloughs of the troops from Georgia are reduced to twenty days. Those from Alabama and Mississippi to fifteen days. At the expiration of their furloughs all officers and men will report at this place, as far as practicable, in their former organizations. Brigade commanders are authorized and instructed to publish this order in the newspapers of the district in which their respective commands were organized, and will supervise the gathering together and reorganization of the same.

By order of Lieutenant-General PEMBERTON. F. M. STAFFORD, Acting Adjutant-General. The great source of weakness to the army was desertion, straggling, and absenteeism. So 1,200 large was the number of those thus absent, that 9,000 a half or three fourths of them, added to the 6,500 forces in the field, were estimated to be suffi18,000 cient to give success at all points. As a

9,000

measure toward effecting their return to the service, Jefferson Davis, on the 1st of August, 5,000 issued an earnest appeal to them, in which he thus said:

27,000

The total estimate was 104,323. That portion to be contributed by the States partly in possession of the Federal forces cannot be considered otherwise than as over-estimated. Some of the number liable had also gone voluntarily to the field, which would make the estimate about 75,000 men.

A most important decision was given by the Supreme Court at Richmond relative to persons liable to conscription. It decided that the act contemplated the conscription of all "residents" in the Confederate States between the prescribed ages, whether they were "residents" in pursuit of pleasure, money, business, or any other object. There were, at the time, many thousands of young, able-bodied men, from Maryland and Kentucky residing in various parts of the Confederacy.

A report of the Conscript Bureau presented to Congress estimated the number of exempts in the four States under its charge as follows: Virginia, 20,370; North Carolina, 22,807; South Carolina, 5,814; Georgia, 15,837-total, 65,031. It was further estimated that the number of substitutes put into the army was from 20,000 to 25,000; and that, in addition, there were over 10,000 fraudulent substitute papers held by persons not in the service. According to some of the estimates of the press, only about 90,000 persons remained in the States entirely under Confederate control, who would be liable to

VOL. III.-2 A

Fellow citizens, no alternative is left you but victory or subjugation, slavery, and the ruin of your selves, your families, and your country. The victory is within your reach. You need but to stretch forth is that those who are called to the field by every mo your hand to grasp it. For this, all that is necessary tive that can move the human heart should promptly repair to the post of duty, should stand by their com rades now in front of the foe, and thus so strengthen The men now absent from their posts would, if presthe armies of the Confederacy as to insure success. ent in the field, suffice to create numerical equality between our force and that of the invaders; and when, with any approach to such equality, have we failed to be victorious? I believe that but few of those absent are actuated by unwillingness to serve their country, but that many have found it difficult to resist the temptation to visit their homes and the loved ones from whom they have been so long separated; that with the intention of returning, and then have shrunk others have left for temporary attention to their affairs from the consequences of their violation of duty; that others again have left their posts from mere restlessness and desire of change, each quieting the upbraidings of his conscience by persuading himself that his individual services could have no influence on the gen

eral result.

These and other causes (although far less disgraceful than the desire to avoid danger or to escape the sacrifices required by patriotism) are, nevertheless, grievous faults, and place the cause of our beloved peril. I repeat that the men who now owe duty to country, and everything we hold dear, in imminent their country, who have been called out and who have not yet reported for duty, or who have absented themselves from their posts, are sufficient in number to secure us victory in the struggle now impending.

I call on you, then, my countrymen, to hasten to your camps, in obedience to the dictates of honor and

of duty, and summon those who have absented themwas liable to the penalty of death as a desertselves without leave, who have remained absent beyond the period allowed by their furloughs, to repair er. While the bill was under debate, the folwithout delay to their respective commands, and I do lowing remarks were made by some of the hereby declare that I grant a general pardon and am members on an amendment to exempt farmers nesty to all officers and men within the Confederacy, and planters from the conscription: now absent without leave, who shall, with the least possible delay, return to their proper posts of duty; but no excuse will be received for any delay beyond twenty days after the first publication of this proclamation in the State in which the absentee may be at the date of the publication. This amnesty and pardon shall extend to all who have been accused, or who have been convicted and are undergoing sentence for absence without leave or desertion, excepting only Finally, I conjure my countrywomen-the wives, mothers, sisters, and daughters, of the Confederacyto use their all-powerful influence in aid of this call, to add one crowning sacrifice to that which their patriotism has so freely and constantly afforded on their country's altar, and to take care that none who owe service in the field shall be sheltered at home from the disgrace of having deserted their duty to their families, to their country, and to their God, Given under my hand, and the seal of the Confederate States, at Richmond, this 1st day of August, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three. JEFFERSON DAVIS.

Mr. Smith, of North Carolina, said: "We have at this time 400,000 men on our muster rolls. How many were actually in the field, he was unable to state; it was probable one half were not there, and it was well known that we were unable to feed the fractional part who were in the field. If, however, there were half-if 200,000 should require the possible seizure of would ask, were the means to feed the ten times one half of the provisions of the country-where, he that number who remained at home? Private appeals were daily coming to the members of Congress from soldiers in the army speaking of the suffering at home; how many of their families are wanting the necessaries of life, when they are unable to send them any part of their scanty pay.'

those who have been twice convicted of desertion.

[SEAL.]

By the President: J. P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of State. No bounties appear to have been paid to volunteers, after the passage of the conscription act, in 1862. Nor were any efforts made to fill up the quotas of States by contributions to volunteers, as was done in the Northern States. The only inducement to volunteer was that such a person could choose the company and regiment in which he would serve, if the ranks were not full. Neither was there any organized Sanitary Commission, as in the Northern States, to cooperate with the Government, in the care of the sick and wounded soldiers, thus applying all private contributions to purposes for which they were given.

Of the numbers of the Confederate army during the year, nothing accurate is at present known. Estimated by its conduct in battle, its spirit, with one or two exceptions, has not flagged; and as much vigor in their cause was manifested, even to the close of the year, as was ever shown in the field by the soldiers heretofore. The most vigorous and untiring efforts were made after the very extreme proclamation, in July, to recruit the army, and with much success.

Under the depreciation of the currency, the pay of the soldiers sunk to an insignificant sum; and, to prevent local disturbances, measures were taken in the several States to provide for their destitute families.

At the session of Congress, at the close of the year, an act was introduced which declared every man between the ages of eighteen and fifty-five to be in the military service for the war. Thus every one between these ages was made subject at once to the articles of war, to military discipline, and military penalties; and, upon failure to report for duty at a military station, within a certain time, he

Mr. Chambers, of Virginia, said that manufactures were as necessary as agriculture, and there was as great deficiency in clothing to-day as there was in food. We could, he believed, feed double two hundred thousand men in the field; and if we could not, then the sooner we made terms with Abraham Lincoln, the better for us. We must have more than two hundred thousand men in the field next spring; we have now all the supplies we will have then, for the farmers' productions won't be available until next winter. Everybody admits and expects that next spring will be the worst and the heaviest and most decisive campaign that will occur, and yet there is a demand for more exemptions.

Mr. Goode, of Virginia, was able to state, upon the best authority, that in reply to inquiries propounded by Colonel Preston, Chief of the Conscript Bureau, all of the enrolling officers of the State, who were assembled here a few days ago, said that the State could not

stand another draft.

Mr. Holcombe, of Virginia, said that by the bill, of which this was an amendment, the entire agricultural population would be put in the army, and that in a country whose agricultural population greatly outbalanced that of the cities and towns. We proposed to put in all of every age, when it was known that it was a precarious matter to supply, from week to week, the army in the field. We now had five hundred thousand men in the field to provide for; and the new law would add one hundred thousand more, and was it possible to escape starvation when there were none at home to provide for them? It was our policy to protract the war. Time and distance were our great allies. We must remember that, in reference to this State at least, our last crops were far below the aver age. Our space had been contracted, and all now must be devoted to the production of provisions for next year. Take away the men, and starvation at home and ruin in the army would be, in his opinion,

the inevitable result."

For the supply of the army a commissary agent was appointed for each county, or one for two or three counties, who was charged with the duty of purchasing and impressing supplies in his territory for the use of the army. Such agent was usually a resident in the county for which he was appointed. The manner of conducting the impressment was prescribed by Congress. (See CONGRESS, CONFEDERATE.)

The report of the Secretary of War, made near the close of the year, alluded to desertion, straggling, and absenteeism, and said that the effective force of the army was but little over one half or two thirds of the men whose names