Feb. 23, 1865: Bleak Gets Even Bleaker in Richmond As Confederate Fortunes Wane-- Part 1

FEBRUARY 22, 1865:  In Richmond, Confederate  War Department clerk J.B. Jones wrote in his diary:  "To-day is the anniversary of the birth of Washington, and of the inauguration of Davis; but I hear of no holiday.  Not much is doing, however, in the departments; simply a waiting for calamities, which come with stunning rapidity.

"The next news, I suppose, will be the evacuation of Wilmington!  Then Raleigh may tremble.  Unless there is a speedy turn in the tide of affairs, confusion will reign  supreme and universally."

And this was way before this year's vote on Confederate statue removal in Virginia.  Things are pretty bleak on that front as well.

--Old B-Runner