AUGUST 9th.—Very hot; very dry; very dusty. The President has directed the late Gen. (now Lieut. -Col.) Pemberton to organize a mortar and cavalry force to dislodge the enemy from Deep Bottom, on this side of the river, and to select three or four batteries to render the navigation of the James River difficult and [...]

AUGUST 8th.—Hot and dry. There are rumors of battles near Winchester and in Georgia. Mr. Benjamin writes the Secretary of War for a passport for ____, who is going to New York, “for our service.” In the assault on the fortifications near Petersburg last week, it is said Hancock’s (enemy’s) corps lost half its men. [...]

AUGUST 7th.—Hot and dry; but heavy rains in other parts of the State. The 1st Army Corps moved through the city last night, via the Central and Fredericksburg Railroads, and this morning Fitzhugh Lee’s cavalry corps is passing in the same direction—9 A.M. All this indicates a transferrence of the scene of operations nearer the [...]

AUGUST 6th.—Hot and dry. The booming of cannon heard yesterday evening was from one of our batteries below Drewry’s Bluff. The enemy answered from their batteries, the existence of which we had no knowledge of before. No one was hurt. About the same time Gen. Beauregard sprung a mine under the enemy’s mine, and blew [...]

AUGUST 5th.—Hot and dry. I hope there will be a rain-cloud this evening. No war news, except a letter from Gen. Lee, indicating that Gen. Morgan is probably on a raid in Northwest Virginia and in Pennsylvania. Morgan proposed going into Georgia (rear of Sherman), but the Secretary indorsed that perhaps the matter had as [...]

AUGUST 4th.—Clear and hot. All quiet at Petersburg. President Lincoln was at Fortress Monroe on Sunday last, after the explosion and its failure. The Northern papers acknowledge that Grant sustained a terrible disaster at Petersburg, losing in killed, wounded, and missing 5000. They say the negro troops caused the failure, by running back and breaking [...]

AUGUST 3d.—Cloudy, but no rain. The press dispatches last night assert that still another raiding party, besides Stoneman’s, was dispersed or captured. It is rumored to-day that Beauregard has sprung a mine under Grant’s fortifications. This may be so. Later. It was not so.

AUGUST 2d.—Bright and hot. At 4 P.M. a cloud rising. Fear my wife, and daughter Fannie, and Custis (who has a days’ furlough), who went this morning per Fredericksburg Railroad into HanoverCounty to gather blackberries, will be caught in a rain. Nevertheless, the rain is wanted. Assistant Secretary Campbell is again “allowing” doubtful characters to [...]

AUGUST 1st.—Hot and clear; but it rained yesterday three-quarters of an hour in the afternoon. Our loss in the affair at Petersburg is about 800, the enemy’s 3500. We captured 2000 small arms. We have nothing yet from Atlanta, but no doubt there has been another battle. I hope no disaster has befallen us there. [...]

JULY 31st.—Clear, dry, and hot. A dispatch from Gen. Lee (I have not seen it yet) says, in the repulse of the enemy’s assault on the breach made by their mine, we captured over 800 prisoners—a general and his staff among them—some 12 stands of colors, and killed some 500. Our loss very light. The [...]

JULY 30th.—Clear and hot. Dispatches from Bragg, at Montgomery, .of yesterday, give no accounts of more fighting, although the press dispatches, etc. did mention four of our generals who have been wounded. There is a revival of murmurs against the President. He will persist in keeping Bragg in command, that is “of the armies in [...]

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 [...]