VIII. — BY FLAG-OF-TRUCE BOAT.
MR. X——- took the letter, broke the seal, and ran his eye over the contents.
“Decidedly, that woman is a skilful person,” he said; “she fishes in troubled waters with the coolness of an experienced hand.”
And presenting the letter to me, the statesman said:—
“Would you like to see a specimen of the sort of documents which go on file in the departments, colonel?”
I took the letter, and read the following words:—
“RICHMOND, 18 Dec’r, 1864.
“Tell, you know who, that I have just seen the honorable Mr.——-” (here the writer gave the real name and official position of Mr. X——-), “and have had a long conversation with him. He is fully convinced that I am a good Confederate, and spoke without reserve of matters the most private. He is in high spirits, and looks on the rebel cause as certain to succeed. I never saw one more blinded to the real state of things. Richmond is full of misery, and the people seem in despair, but this high official, who represents the whole government, is evidently certain of Lee’s success. I found him in a garrulous mood, and he did not conceal his views. The government has just received heavy supplies from the south, by the Danville railroad—others are coming—the whole country in rear of Sherman is rising—and Lee, he stated, would soon be re-enforced by between fifty and seventy-five thousand men. What was more important still, was a dispatch, which he read me, from England. This startled me. There seems no doubt that England is about to recognize the Confederacy. When he had finished reading this dispatch, on the back of which I could see the English postmark, he said to me—these are his words:—‘You see, things were never brighter; it is only a question of time; and by holding out a little longer, we shall compel the enemy to retire and give up the contest. With the re-enforcements coming, Lee will have about one hundred thousand men. With that force, he will be able to repulse all General Grant’s assaults. Things look dark at this moment, but the cause was never more hopeful.’