October 21st.–Bright. Fort Harrison (Federal) opened its batteries on our lines at Chaffin’s Farm yesterday evening, without effect. An officer tells me that heavy and quick firing was also heard on the Petersburg lines, indicating, he thought, a battle. We have nothing of this in the papers, or in any dispatch I have seen. Assistant [...]

October 20th.–Cloudy. There is a street rumor of a battle below, and on the Petersburg line. The wind is from the west, and yet we hear no guns. The Secretary of the Treasury sent to the Secretary of War today an argument showing that, without a violation of the Constitution, clerks appointed to places created [...]

October 19th.–Bright and beautiful. Still all quiet below, the occasional bombarding near Petersburg being beyond our hearing. Yesterday, Gen. Preston, a millionaire, who can stalk stiffly anywhere, had an interview with the President, who admitted that he had dictated the General Orders–” 76,” “77,” “78,”–rushing almost everybody into the army, but that it was not [...]

October 18th.–Cloudy and cool. Quiet below, but it is rumored that the enemy has erected one or two sand batteries, mounted with 400-pounders, bearing on our fleet of gun-boats. The following dispatch was received from Gen. Hood to-day: “9 Miles South of Lafayette, Ga., “Oct. 15th, via Selma, Oct. 17th, 1864. “Gen. Bragg. “This army [...]

October 17th.–Bright and beautiful. Still all quiet below, and reinforcements (details revoked) are not arriving–1000 per day. The Northern news makes some doubt as to the result of the election in Pennsylvania. From the Valley we have rumors of victory, etc. A thrill of horror has been produced by a report that Gen. Butler has, [...]

October 16th, Sunday.–A pleasant sunny Sabbath morn. The quiet below continues. Not a gun has been heard for three days; the longest intermission we have had for many months. What can it mean? Sheridan has spread desolation in the Shenandoah Valley, perhaps to prevent Early from penetrating Pennsylvania, etc., intending to come with all expedition [...]

October 15th.–A bright and glorious day–above. All was quiet yesterday below, indicating that the enemy suffered severely in the last assault on our lines. But we have nothing from Georgia. From the Valley, our cavalry had the misfortune to lose eleven guns by indiscreetly venturing too far in pursuit. And the news from the United [...]

October 14th.–The following dispatch from Gen. Lee cheered the city this morning. None of the particulars of the battle have yet transpired, and all are looking hourly for a renewal of the contest. “Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia, “October 13th, 1864. “Hon. James A. Seddon, Secretary Of War. “At seven o’clock this morning the enemy [...]

October 13th.–Rained all night; clear and cool this morning. The government publishes nothing from Georgia yet; but it is supposed there is intelligence of an important character in the city, which it would be impolitic to communicate to the enemy. All still remains quiet below the city. But the curtain is expected to rise on [...]

October 12th.–Bright and beautiful. All quiet below, save an occasional booming from the fleet. Nothing from Georgia in the papers, save the conjectures of the Northern press. No doubt we have gained advantages there, which it is good policy to conceal as long as possible from the enemy. Squads of able-bodied detailed men are arriving [...]

October 11th.–Bright and pleasant. All is quiet below. From Georgia we have many rumors. It is reported that a battle has been fought (second time) at Altoona, which we captured, with 4000 prisoners; that Rome has been taken, with 3000 negro prisoners; and, finally, that we have Atlanta again. I have seen no such dispatches. [...]

October 10th.–A white frost; first frost of the season. All quiet below. Gen. W. M. Gardner (in Gen. Winder’s place) reports that of the exempts and citizens taken from the streets to the front, last week, a majority have deserted This proves that even a despotic military act cannot be committed with impunity. Gen. Beauregard [...]

October 9th, Sunday.–Cloudy, windy, and very cold. Vol. Ii. 26 I hear of no operations yesterday, although, as usual, some cannonnading was audible yesterday evening. It is said Gen. Pemberton was in great perturbation during the several advances of the enemy last week. Like Boabdil, the Unlucky of Grenada, he lost some of his cannon, [...]

October 8th.–Cloudy, windy, and cold. The fighting yesterday was more serious than I supposed. It was supposed the conflict would be resumed to-day, but we have no information of any fighting up to this hour–5 P.M. From Gen. Hood we have a dispatch, saying Major-Gen. French attacked Altoona day before yesterday. He carried all the [...]

October 7th.–Bright and beautiful. The government, after giving the news from Georgia, position of Hood, to the press, suppressed it. It is well, perhaps, not to permit Grant, who sees our papers daily, to know what we are doing there. There are rumors of fighting to-day near Chaffin’s Bluff, but we hear no cannon, except [...]

October 6th.–Bright, and very warm. The President returned this morning, hastened hither by the perils environing the capital. An order is published this morning revoking all details for the army of persons between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years of age. If this be rigidly enforced, it will add many thousands to the army. [...]

October 5th.–Bright, and very warm. There is a report that Gen. Hood’s army is at Marietta, in Sherman’s rear, and it may be so. One of the clerks (Mr. Bechtel) was killed yesterday by one of the enemy’s sharpshooters at Chaffin’s Farm. He was standing on the parapet, looking in the direction of the enemy’s [...]

October 4th.–Foggy; then bright; then very warm. Gen. Lee is at Chaffin’s Bluff. A dispatch from him this morning states that the enemy’s infantry are near Harrisonburg, in the Valley, and that his cavalry is retiring. 9 A.M. Another dispatch from Gen. Lee. The raiders’ cavalry, only 250 strong, are at Brandy Station, a body [...]

October 3d.–Misty and damp, but warm. Guns heard down the river. On Friday, it seems, the enemy penetrated and held a portion of our works below Petersburg; and although we captured many prisoners, it does not appear that we regained the works or retook the cannon. So far, although the enemy’s loss in men may [...]

October 2d–Cloudy and calm. All quiet. It was a false alarm yesterday evening. Nothing but some of the enemy’s cavalry scouts were seen from the intermediate batteries, and it was merely a waste of ammunition on our part, and destruction of timber where the enemy were partially sheltered. Not a gun, so far as I [...]

October 1st.–Raining and cold. Horrible for the troops in the trenches! The battle, yesterday (on this side of the river), was an attempt of Gen. Lee to retake Fort Harrison, near Chaffin’s Bluff, which failed, after two essays. Gen. Lee deemed its recapture important, and exposed himself very much in the assault: so much so [...]

SEPTEMBER 30TH.–Cloudy, and occasional showers. None of the papers except the Whig were published this morning, the printers, etc. being called out to defend the city. Every device of the military authorities has been employed to put the people here in the ranks. Guards everywhere, on horseback and on foot, in the city and at [...]

SEPTEMBER 29TH.–Bright and beautiful. As I walked down to the department, heavy and brisk cannonading below assailed the ear. It was different from the ordinary daily shelling, and to my familiar senses, it could only be a BATTLE. The sounds continued, and even at my desk in the department the vibrations were very perceptible. About [...]

SEPTEMBER 28TH. –Bright; subsequently cloudy and warm rain. Staunton was entered by the enemy’s cavalry on Monday afternoon. We have no news whatever to-day from any quarter. But the deep booming of cannon is still heard down the river, foreboding an awful conflict soon. I saw three 10-inch Columbiads at the Petersburg depot to-day; they [...]