My son Custis stayed out all night, sleeping on his arms in
the farthest intrenchments. A little beyond, there was a skirmish with the
enemy. We lost eight in killed and wounded. What the enemy suffered is not
known, but he fell back, and ran toward the White House.
This morning, Mr. Ould, agent for exchange of prisoners,
reported that “not a Yankee could be found on the face of the earth.” And this
induced a general belief that the enemy had retired, finally, being perhaps
ordered to Washington, where they may be much needed.
The Secretary of War, believing the same thing, intimated to
Gen. Elzey (who for some cause is unable to ride, and therefore remains in the
city) a desire to send several regiments away to some menaced point at a distance.
In response, Elzey writes that none can be spared with safety; that the enemy
had apparently divided his force into two bodies, one for Hanover, and the
other for the Chickahominy, and both strong; and he advised against
weakening the forces here He said he had not yet completed the manning of the
batteries, the delay being in arming the men — and he hoped “Hill could hold
out.”
We have 3400 convalescents at Camp Lee, and as many more may
be relied on for the defense of the city; so we shall have not less than 22,000
men for the defense of Richmond. The enemy have perhaps 35,000; but it would
require 75,000 to storm our batteries. Let this be remembered hereafter, if the
35,000 sent here on a fool's errand might have saved Washington or Baltimore,
or have served to protect Pennsylvania — and then let the press of the North
bag the administration at Washington! Gen. Lee's course is "right
onward," and cannot be affected by events here.
My friend Jacques (clerk) marched out yesterday with the
Department Guard; but he had the diarrhoea, and was excused from marching as
far as the company. He also got permission to come to town this morning, having
slept pretty well, he said, apart from the company. No doubt he did good
service in the city today, having his rifle fixed (the ball, I believe, had got
down before the powder), and procuring a basket of edibles and a canteen o.
strong tea, which he promised to share with the mess. He said he saw Custis
this morning, looking well, after sleeping on the ground the first time in his
life, and without a blanket.
We have nothing further from the North or the West.
SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's
Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 368-9
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