Pork is selling at $3 per pound to-day.
Writings upon the walls of the houses at the corners of the streets were observed this morning, indicating a riot, if there be no amelioration of the famine.
February 27th.—Bright and pleasant—dusty. But one rain during the winter!
The “associated press” publishes an unofficial dispatch, giving almost incredible accounts of Gen. Forrest’s defeat of Grierson’s cavalry, 10,000 strong, with only 2000. It is said the enemy were cut up and routed, losing all his guns, etc.
Sugar is $20 per pound; new bacon, $8; and chickens, $12 per pair. Soon we look for a money panic, when a few hundred millions of the paper money is funded, and as many more collected by the tax collectors. Congress struck the speculators a hard blow. One man, eager to invest his money, gave $100,000 for a house and lot, and he now pays $5000 tax on it; the interest is $6000 more—$11,000 total. His next door neighbor, who bought his house in 1860 for $10,000, similar in every respect, pays $500 tax (valued at date of sale), interest $600; total, $1100 per annum. The speculator pays $10,000 per annum more than his patriotic neighbor, who refused to sell his house for $100,000.
February 28th.—Bright, cool, and dusty. No war news; nor denial or confirmation of the wonderful victory of Forrest in Mississippi. That he captured the enemy’s artillery and drove them back, is official.
Longstreet has retired from before Knoxville; perhaps to assault Nashville, or to penetrate Kentucky.
Yesterday the Secretary ordered Col. Northrop to allow full rations of meal to the engineer corps; to-day he returns the order, saying: “There is not sufficient transportation for full rations to the troops in the field.”
Last night the Secretary sent for Mr. Ould, exchange agent, and it is thought an exchange of prisoners will be effected, and with Butler. A confidential communication may have been received from Butler, who is a politician, and it may be that he has offered secret inducements, etc. He would like to establish a trade with us for tobacco, as he did for cotton and sugar when he was in New Orleans. No doubt some of the high officials at Washington would wink at it for a share of the profits.
The Southern Express Company (Yankee) has made an arrangement with the Quartermaster-General to transport private contributions of supplies to the army—anything to monopolize the railroads, and make private fortunes. Well, “all’s well that ends well,”—and our armies may be forced to forage on the enemy.