Tuesday, 8 Dec. 1863

It was Abraham Lincoln’s turn to offer a State of the Union address to his Congress today, as it had been Jefferson Davis’ duty to his yesterday. Lincoln’s message, needless to say, was considerably more upbeat than his Confederate counterpart’s had been. After the usual reports on foreign relations (good) and military matters besides the War (good, aside from some difficulties with Indians), he got to the heart of his message: a Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconciliation. The key provisions of this were that anyone who had participated “...directly or by implication...” in the Rebellion against the Union could return to lawful citizenship simply by taking an oath of allegiance. Exceptions were military officers who had renounced their oaths to serve the Confederacy, high-ranking members of the CSA government, and anyone who had treated Union prisoners of war, black or white, in an “...other than lawful...” manner. President Lincoln, in his Message to Congress, also appended his Proclamation of Amnesty.

The disabled merchant steamer Henry Von Phul was shelled by a Confederate shore battery near Morganza, Louisiana. The USS Neosho, under Acting Ensign Edwin P. Brooks, and the USS Signal, Acting Ensign William P. Lee in charge, steamed up to defend the ship and silenced the battery. Union merchantmen were largely free from such attacks when convoyed by a warship.

A brisk cannonade between Fort Moultrie and Battery Gregg, in Charleston Harbor, was carried on this day. The firing on Fort Sumter was moderated.

In a speech before the Confederate Congress, this day, Mr. Henry Stuart Foote expressed great indignation at the course pursued by President Jefferson Davis. “When Pemberton dishonorably surrendered Vicksburg to the enemy, the President made him his companion, and carried him to General Bragg's army, when, as he rode along, soldiers were heard to say: ‘There goes the traitor who delivered us over at Vicksburg.’ The President never visited the army without doing it injury; never yet that it was not followed by disaster. He was instrumental in the Gettysburg affair. He instructed Bragg at Murfreesboro. He has opened Georgia to one hundred thousand of the enemy's troops, and laid South Carolina liable to destruction. I charge him with having almost ruined the country, and will meet his champion anywhere to discuss it. Would to God he would never visit the army again!”

Mr. Foote also referred to abuses in the commissary department. "A certain commissary-general, who was a curse to our country, is invested with authority to control the matter of subsistence. This monster, Northrop, has stealthily placed our government in the attitude charged by the enemy, and has attempted to starve the prisoners in our hands!"

"Meats were furnished the prisoners very irregularly, and in a meager manner. For twelve days the supply was inadequate, and for eight days they had none at all!"

“The commissary-general,” says Mr. Foote, “was a pepper-doctor down in Charleston, and looked like a vegetarian, and actually made an elaborate report to the Secretary of War, showing that for the subsistence of a human Yankee carcass vegetable diet was the most proper! For the honor of the country, this Northrop should be ejected at once.”

The following is an account of an affair that took place today, near Great Western Furnace, Stuart County, Tennessee, about twelve miles from Canton, Ky.: “The guerrilla, Colonel Martin, who lately robbed the citizens in that section of nearly all they possessed, passed through Golden Pond, Tenn., with his gang, taking horses, and plundering indiscriminately. The citizens of the neighborhood organized a squad of fifteen men, composed principally of the late Eighth Kentucky cavalry, headed by John Martin and F. M. Oakley, and started in pursuit of the guerrillas. They came upon them about midnight, in camp, eating a supper furnished them by one Dawsy Griffin. The citizens demanded a surrender, which was refused by the rebel leader, and the order was given by Martin to charge upon them, which was done in a handsome manner, resulting in a complete rout, and the capture of all their arms, horses, clothing, camp equipage, and two contrabands. Three of the rebels were killed on the spot.”

The United States House of Representatives unanimously passed a vote of thanks to General Hiram U. Grant and his army, and ordered that a medal be struck in his honor, in the name of the people of the United States. President Lincoln sent the subjoined congratulatory dispatch to Major General Grant: “Understanding that your lodgment at Chattanooga and Knoxville is now secure, I wish to tender you, and all under your command, my more than thanks — my profoundest gratitude for the skill, courage, and perseverance with which you and they, over so great difficulties, have effected that important object. God bless you all!” This was immediately published to the armies under the command of General Grant.