To-day we have characteristic unintelligible dispatches from
Mississippi. They say, up to third instant, yesterday, everything is
encouraging; but the Memphis papers say Grant's losses have not been so large
as was supposed. Then it is reported that Grant has retired to Grand Gulf. Yet
it is expected the town will be stormed in twenty-four hours!
When Grant leaves Vicksburg, our generals will pursue, and
assume the aggressive in more directions than one. Lee has some occult object
in view, which must soon be manifest.
Major-Gen. D. H. Hill writes that if the enemy penetrates to
the railroad, a great many men in North Carolina will welcome them, and return
to their allegiance to the United States. The general wants Ranseur's [sic] brigade sent him. He says Mr.
Warren, one of the governor's council, in a recent speech remarked, if the
enemy got the railroad, it would be a question whether they should adhere to
the Confederate States or to the United States. Does the general mean to alarm
the authorities here?
After a month of dry weather, we have just had a fine rain,
most refreshing to the poor kitchen vegetables in my little garden, which I am
cultivating with careful assiduity in hopes of saving some dollars in the items
of potatoes, tomatoes, beets, etc.
The crops of wheat, etc. south of Virginia, mature and
maturing, are perfect in quality and unprecedented in quantity.
SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's
Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 340-1
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