by John Beauchamp Jones
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 intoHanoverCounty to gather blackberries, will be caught in a rain. Nevertheless, the rain is wanted.
Assistant Secretary Campbell is again “allowing” doubtful characters to pass out of the Confederate States to theUnited States; among these is Dr. McClure, “the embalmer,” who, too, carried others out for bribes.
The Signal Bureau gives information to-day of Grant’s purpose to spring the mine already sprung, also of a raid, that was abandoned, north and west ofRichmond. They say Grant has now but 70,000 men, there being only a few men left atWashington. Can the agents paid by the Signal Bureau be relied on?
Gen. Bragg telegraphs fromColumbus,Ga., that Gen. Roddy has been ordered to reassemble his forces in North Alabama, to cutSherman’s communications.
The news fromGeorgia is more cheering.
The commissioners (of prices) have reduced the schedule: it was denounced universally. It is said by the Examiner that the extravagant rates, $30 per bushel for wheat, and $50 for bacon, were suggested by a farmer in office.
Gen. Lee writes that he had directed Morgan to co-operate with Early, but he was sick.
The enemy’s account of our loss in the battle before Atlanta is exaggerated greatly. Sherman’s army is doomed, I think.
Seven P.M. No rain here, but my family were-drenched in a hard shower at Hanover Junction, and what was worse, they got no blackberries, the hot sun having dried the sap in the bushes.
