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, [...]
JULY 5th.—Cool and dry, everything suffering for rain. All quiet about Petersburg, but later in the day a rumor sprung up that fighting had recommenced there. I doubt it, because by Northern accounts I see Gen. Early is destroying railroads beyond the Potomac, and will undoubtedly threaten Washington itself. If Grant fails to send troops [...]
JULY 4th.—Cloudy, but still hot and dry. From the clouds of dust seen rising between Petersburg and the James River, it is conjectured that Grant’s army is in motion. The Federal Congress has authorized the drafting of 200,000 more men, after 60 days’ fruitless attempt to raise volunteers. So it will be September before the [...]
JULY 3d.—Clear and dry; pleasant temperature. I learn that Petersburg has not been much injured by the enemy’s batteries, and that Gen. Lee has ordered the casting of mortars for use immediately. To-morrow being the anniversary of the surrender of Vicksburg to Grant, I should not be surprised if that general let off some fire-works, [...]
JULY 2d.—Hot and dry. A dispatch from Gen. Lee (will be published on Monday) says Gen. Beauregard reports the number of prisoners taken from Wilson’s south side raiding party about 1000, besides the killed and wounded, and several hundred negroes recaptured, 13 guns, many small arms, wagons, etc. It is said the killed and wounded [...]
JULY 1st.—Clear, hot, and dry; my snap beans, corn, etc. burning up. The papers this morning fail to confirm the capture of as many prisoners, near Petersburg, as were reported yesterday. But the dispatch (subjoined) of Gen. Lee renders it certain that the enemy was routed. There is a suspicion that our exasperated men refused [...]
JUNE 30th.—Clear and cool afterward warm and cloudy. Our people are made wild with joy to-day, upon hearing of the capture of a whole brigade of the raiders on the south side, the same that have been tearing up the Danville Road. The details, with Gen. Lee’s dispatch, will be in the paper to-morrow. It [...]
JUNE 29th.—Clear and cool–afterward hazy. “MARIETTA, June 27th.” GENERAL BRAXTON BRAGG. ——“The enemy advanced on our whole line to-day. They assaulted French, Cheatham, Cleburn, Stevenson, and Quarles, by whom they were repulsed. ——“On the rest of the line the skirmishing was severe. ——“Their loss is supposed to be great. Ours is known to be small.—————“J. [...]
JUNE 28th.—Bright and cool—a little rain last night. The Departmental Battalion is still kept out. They have built a line of fortifications four miles long—to Deep Bottom from near Chaffin’s Farm. The Secretary of War intimates that these clerks are kept out by Gen. R. E. Lee. The superintendent of the Central Railroad informed the [...]
JUNE 27th.—Bright and hot–afterward light showers. By the papers we learn that President Lincoln has been on a visit to Grant’s army. If Grant does not accomplish some great wonder in a few days, his campaign will be noted a failure, even in the North. We learn to-day that gold is now at $2.15 in [...]
JUNE 26th.—Hot and dry, but breezy. A dispatch from Gen. Lee, 9 P.M. last evening, says nothing of moment occurred along the lines yesterday. Our loss in the unsuccessful attempt of Gen. Haygood to storm a portion of the enemy’s works, on Friday, was 97 killed and wounded, and 200 missing. Gen. Hampton dispatches Gen. [...]
JUNE 25th.—Hot and dry. Twelve hundred Federal prisoners passed our door to-day, taken at Petersburg—about half the number captured there during the last two days. The news of the cutting of the Danville Railroad still produces despondency with many. But the people are now harvesting a fair crop of wheat, and the authorities do not [...]
JUNE 24th.—Hot and hazy; dry. The news (in the papers) of the cutting of our railroad communications with the South creates fresh apprehension among the croakers. But at 12 M. we had news of the recovery of the Weldon Road last evening, and the capture of 500 more prisoners. We have nothing from the south [...]
JUNE 23d.—Clear and warm. The news of the capture of 1600 Federals, 4 guns, etc., yesterday at Petersburg, has put the people here in better humor, which has been bad enough, made so by reported rapes perpetrated by negro soldiers on young ladies in Westmoreland county. There has been talk of vengeance, and no doubt [...]
JUNE 22d.—Dry and pleasant. The city full of idle rumors—that the whole brigade of local troops were captured yesterday—that Gen. Fitz Lee has again been made prisoner, and that another raiding party is threatening the Danville Road, the canal, etc. There is no foundation for any of them, so far as I can learn.