JULY 29th.—Clear and warm. The local troops did not march until this morning, and no one supposes Richmond is seriously menaced by Grant. I believe the object of the demonstration on the part of the enemy is to draw our forces away from the vicinity of Washington. The Chief of the Signal Corps reports, on [...]

JULY 28th.—Cloudy, but no rain. Nothing new from Georgia or Petersburg. But a dispatch from Gen. Ewell, received to-day at half past two P.M., orders the local troops (they did not march yesterday) or other disposable forces to occupy the Darby Town, New Bridge, and Williamsburg roads, for the enemy’s cavalry were working round to [...]

JULY 27th.—Cloudy and warm; light shower at 3. P.M. Gen. Lee’s dispatch, giving an account of a victory last Sunday, near Winchester, has diffused hope and satisfaction anew in the city. The following dispatch was received from Gen. Bragg: “ATLANTA, July 26th, 1864. ———”Leave to-morrow to confer with Major-Gen. Maury at Montgomery, and urge matters [...]

JULY 26th.—Clear and pleasant; later cloudy. Yesterday, Mr. Peck, our agent, started South to buy provisions for the civil officers of the department. He had $100 from each, and it is to be hoped he will be back soon with supplies at comparatively low prices. He obtained transportation from the Quartermaster-General, with the sanction of [...]

JULY 25th.—It rained all night! Cloudy and windy to-day. Gen. Hood corrects his dispatch of Saturday; we captured only 13 guns; but we captured some 18 stand of colors. “HEADQUARTERS, ATLANTA, “July 23d, 1864. ———“HON. JAMES A. SEDDON, SECRETARY OE WAR. ———“The enemy shifted his position on Peach Tree Creek last night, and Gen. Stewart’s [...]

JULY 24th.—Cloudy and cool, but dry. Yesterday and last night both Grant and Lee, or Beauregard, were moving pretty heavy forces from the south side to the north side of the river. I am not advised which initiated this manœuvre, but it indicates renewed activity of the armies in this vicinity. I hope the roads [...]

JULY 23d.—Clear, but a smoky atmosphere, like Indian summer. A dispatch was received to-day at M. from Gen. Hood, dated last night at 10 o’clock, stating that Gen. Hardee had made a night march, driving the enemy from his works, and capturing 16 guns and several colors, while Gen. Cheatham captured 6 guns. We took [...]

JULY 22d.—Bright and dry again. Gen. Johnston has been relieved. It would seem that Gen. Hood has made a successful debut as a fighting general in command of the army, since Gen. Johnston’s removal. A dispatch from Gen. Bragg, dated yesterday, states that the enemy is withdrawing from Arkansas, either to operate in Mississippi, or [...]

JULY 21st.—Clear and warm. Bought fifty cabbage-plants and set them out before breakfast. Gen. Early met Gen. Hunter at Snicker’s Gap, and whipped him. All quiet at Petersburg. Grant must be dead, sure enough. Gen. Bragg left the city some days ago. The following is a verbatim dispatch received from him yesterday: “MONTGOMERY,ALA., July 19th, [...]

JULY 20th.—Cloudy and warm, but no rain up to 5 P.M. There is no news of importance; but a battle is momentarily expected in Georgia. The Examiner says the President bears malice against Johnston, and embraces an occasion to ruin him at the risk of destroying the country. That he was not allowed the aid [...]

JULY 19th.—A steady, gentle rain from 8 A.M. till 4 P.M. A dispatch from Gen. Hood, who relieves Gen. Johnston, was received to-day. It was in cipher, and I did not learn the contents. I strove in vain to-day to buy a few cabbage seed! The following is a copy of a letter received from [...]

JULY 18th.—Clear and dry. It is believed that a battery sent down opposite to Harrison’s Bar in the James River sank two of the enemy’s transports, Saturday, and drove back five others to Grant. It is rumored that Gen. Johnston has been relieved at Atlanta, and Lieut.-Gen. Hood placed in command. I doubt. It is [...]

JULY 17th.—Dry—the sky bright and brassy—the gardens almost ruined. Last evening definite news came in the Washington Chronicle of the 14th. Gen. Early was recrossing the Potomac with an immense amount of stores levied in the enemy’s country, including thousands of horses, etc. This, the Chronicle thinks, will be beneficial to the United States, as [...]

JUNE 16th.—Bright and cool—the canopy assuming a brassy aspect from the drought. Alack! all the rejoicings are checked, and the public seems to have been hoaxed by the officer who reported that a Washington paper of the 13th inst. contained an account of the surrender of Baltimore to the Confederate States forces! The paper of [...]

JULY 15th.—Clear and cool; subsequently cloudy. The Washington Chronicle of the 12th, received yesterday, indicates that Washington or Baltimore, or both, were in danger of falling into our possession. Lieut.-Col. G. W. Lay said, this morning, in my office, that Grant would not leave—that he held a most important position—that he would not fail in [...]

JULY 14th.—The drought continues here; but at some other places there has fallen heavy rain. The excitement on the news of our successes in Maryland is intense, and a belief prevails that great results will grow out of this invasion of the country held by the enemy. Twice before but little if any benefit resulted [...]

JULY 13th.—Bright and pleasant. The city is in great excitement and joy. Gen. Early has gained a victory in Maryland, near Frederick, defeating Gen. Wallace, capturing Gen. Tyler and Col. Seward (son of the Secretary), besides many prisoners. The slaughter was great, and the pursuit of the routed army was toward Baltimore. Grant is certainly [...]

JULY 12th.—Clear and warm—the earth refreshed. Gen. Johnston telegraphs to Gen. Bragg to have the United States prisoners at Andersonville “distributed immediately.” He does not allege a reason for the necessity. It may be danger of an outbreak—or that the yellow fever has broken out among them. I think Grant is about to have a [...]

JULY 11th.—Hot and dry, and the famine continues. The Secretary of War intimated on Saturday that if the clerks of the bureaus would raise a fund and send an agent South to buy provisions, he would insure them transportation, etc. To-day he denies that he made the promise, and refuses to aid them. The government [...]

JULY 10th.—The drought continues; vegetation wilting and drying up. There is no war news, save some shelling by the enemy at Petersburg. The raiders have caused many who were hiding and hoarding their meat and grain to bring them to market, for fear of losing them. This has mitigated the famine, and even produced a [...]

JULY 9th.—Dry and pleasant. We have a rumor to-day of the success of a desperate expedition from Wilmington, N. C., to Point Lookout,Md., to liberate the prisoners of war (20,000) confined there and to arm them. If this be confirmed, the prisoners will probably march upon Washington City, and co-operate with Gen. Early, who has [...]

JULY 8th.—Clear; hot and dusty. The news of the falling back of Gen. Johnston on Atlanta, Ga., causes no uneasiness, for the destruction of Sherman’s army is deemed the more certain the farther he penetrates. There is nothing of interest from Petersburg, but there are rumors of demoralization and disaffection in Grant’s army. His men [...]

JULY 7th.—Hot and dry, but a light shower at 2 P.M., laying the dust. A letter from Gen. Gilmer states that the Danville Railroad will not be fully repaired before the last of this month. But there is a good wagon road, and the army can be supplied by wagons when the cars cannot run, [...]

JULY 6th.—Hot and dry. We have no news to-day, but there are rumors that Grant is preparing to abandon his position. He cannot remain where he is, inactive. There is a scarcity of water, and the location is unhealthy. We had corn bread and gravy for dinner, with a tremendous dessert, the suggestion of Custis, [...]