I sent an extract from my Diary of yesterday to the Hon. T.
H. Watts, Minister of Justice. I know not whether he will appreciate its
importance; but he has professed friendship for me.
The city is in some excitement to-day, for early this
morning we had intelligence of the crossing of the Rappahannock by a portion of
the Federal army. During the day the division of Hood defiled through the
streets, at a quick pace, marching back to Lee's army. But the march of troops
and the rumbling of artillery have ceased to be novel spectacles to our
community. Some aged ladies ran out as they passed, calling the bronzed Texans
their “children,” and distributed loaves of bread and other food among them. I
never saw a merrier set than these brave soldiers, who have been through the “fire
and the flood” numberless times. Some of them had three or four loaves on their
bayonets.
Gen. Lee himself left early this morning, on an extra train,
having been “caught napping” here, the first time. The enemy crossed the river
yesterday.
But during the day a dispatch was received from Gen. J. E.
B. Stuart (cavalry), stating that he had attacked the enemy on this side of the
river, and beaten him back, forcing him to recross with loss. The particulars of
the fight were not stated; but it is believed we lost a brigadier-general,
killed.
SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's
Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 276-7
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