April 24, 1863

April 24, 1863

---Gen. Grant is preparing the corps of both James McPherson and John McClernand to cross the Mississippi to Grand Gulf, and so orders up Porter’s gunboats to shell the fortifications there.  However, Porter’s intelligence reports indicate that Pemberton’s troops at this place number as high as 12,000, and that more heavy guns have been installed.  He calls off the bombardment. 

---David L. Day, a soldier in the 25^th Massachusetts Infantry, in the western reaches of North Carolina, writes in his journal:  All Quiet on the Roanoke.

April 24. The noise of the battle is over and we are no longer harassed by war’s dread alarms, but can now sit down, eat our fresh shad and herring and drink our peach and honey in peace and quiet.

A Broker’s Office.

Our provost marshal, Major Bartholomew of the 27th Massachusetts, has opened a broker’s office, where he is exchanging salt and amnesty for allegiance oaths, and as this is the fishing season, he is driving a right smart business. The natives for miles around come in droves, take the oath, get their amnesty papers and an order for salt, and after being cautioned not to be found breaking their allegiance they go away happy. There are probably some honest men among them who would like to do about right if they dared to, but the whole thing looks ludicrous, for there is evidently not one in a hundred of them who would ever think of taking the oath were it not for the hope of obtaining a little salt. The boys call it the salt oath.