February 14: a tale of two wars

Valentine's day 1863 and 1865. Two very different pictures of the war. In '63 our man Boyer is fattening the calf (literally) and getting ready to feast on a roasted "porker," while two years later General James Longstreet is faced with trying to defend Richmond against an anticipated Federal assault with his army on the brink of starvation. First Boyer:

from the diary of Dr. Samuel Boyer, union naval surgeon:
February 14, 1863

Took a stroll on St. Simons in company with the "nipcheese" [paymaster] of the ship. While on shore I met Dr. Louis Michel, a.a. surgeon of the U.S. steamer Madgie. had quite a pleasant chat with the doctor; subject--medical treatment of sailors. We both agreed as regards the mode of administering remedies to a certain class of patients--viz., malingerers. Promised to call on him tomorrow. Our mess bought a cow from King (one of the negroes on shore), for the sum of 5$, which we intend to fatten so as to be fit to butcher by the latter part of April. The Madgie was condemned today. She will go to Port Royal on Tuesday.

The Flambeau left again at 7 a.m. for Port Royal. No cases on the sick list. Another one of our porkers lost his life today. Cause of death? Knife of butcher. Reason for same? Wanted on the mess table of the wardroom tomorrow, roasted, etc., for the benefit of said mess. Am reading "Agnes Sorel" by G.P.R. James, the author who generally commences his novels by giving a description of "the lone cavalier riding on horseback," find it rather interesting.

So surgeon Sam is catching up on his reading and conversation while waiting for some tasty roast pork. Bully for Sam. Longstreet on the other hand has written to Robert E. Lee to suggest that Confederate gold be taken, by force if necessary, in order to feed the army. The continued existence of the confederacy depends on it:

Head-quarters, February 14, 1865.

General R. E. Lee,

Commanding:

General, -- Recent developments of the enemy's designs seem to indicate an early concentration of his armies against Richmond. This, of course, would involve a like concentration on our part, or the abandonment of our capital. The latter emergency would, I think, be almost fatal, -- probably quite so, after our recent reverses. To concentrate here in time to meet the movements of the enemy we will be obliged to use the little of our Southern railroad that is left us in transporting our troops, so that we cannot haul provisions over that route. I fear, therefore, that we will not be able to feed our troops unless we adopt extraordinary efforts and measures...

The only thing that will insure our rations and national existence is gold. Send out the gold through Virginia and North Carolina and pay liberal prices, and my conviction is that we shall have no more distress for want of food. The winter is about over, and the families can and will subsist on molasses, bread, and vegetables for the balance of the year if they can get gold for their supplies. There is a great deal of meat and bread inside the enemy's lines that our people would bring us for gold; but they won't go to that trouble for Confederate money. They can keep gold so much safer than they can meat and bread, and it is always food and clothing.

If the government has not the gold, it must impress it, or if there is no law for the impressment, the gold must be taken without the law. Necessity does not know or wait for law. If we stop to make laws in order that we may reach the gold it will disappear the day that the law is mentioned in Congress. To secure it no one should suspect that we are after it until we knock at the doors of the vaults that contain it, and we must then have guards to be sure that it is not made away with.

It seems to my mind that our prospects will be brighter than they have been if we can only get food for our men; and I think that the plan that I have proposed will secure the food.

There seem to be many reasons for the opinion that the enemy deems our capital essential to him. To get the capital he will concentrate here everything that he has, and we will be better able to fight him when we shall have concentrated than when we are in detachments. The Army of the Mississippi will get new life and spirits as soon as it finds itself alongside of this, and we will feel more comfortable ourselves to know that all are under one eye and one head that is able to handle them.

I remain, most respectfully and truly, your obedient servant,

J. Longstreet,

Lieutenant-General.