Wednesday [June] 17 [1863]

Thirty one days since the com-
mencement of the siege, and not
relieved yet. Should we not be
succored before we have to surren-
der for want of subsistence I
think the onus of the blame for
the loss of this stronghold -- so vastly
important to the confed-
eracy -- should rest with the
administration or Genl Johnston;
for surely if ever garrison be-
haved well and nobly under
trying circumstances, and
endured fatigue and hard-
ships on reduced rations with-
out murmuring, these soldiers
have; and really deserve the
highest praise for the man-
ner in which they have ac-
cepted and complied with the
necessity of remaining con-
tinually in the trenches for
thirty one days consecutively --
receiving the incessant fire of
artillery and sharpshooters from
the enemy, and laboring to
repair the damage done their
works. The length of time that
our men have had to undergo
this continual strain upon
their powers of endurance, with
the prospect of having to con-
tinue to bear it for some time
longer, is I think without a
precedent in the annals of
war, when we take into con-
sideration -- the relative forces
of the enemy that beleaguers
us and our small garrison --
that almost any portion of
our small area within the
works may be crossed fired
on by them from land and
river -- and that there is no
relief for the men at all but
they have to remain in the
trenches uncomfortably crowded
day in and day out. Credit
and honor for such patient
endurance should hereafter be
awarded them by the country.