Frost last night.
Cloudy, cold, and windy to-day. Suffered much yesterday and last night with
disordered bowels—from cold. This, however, may relieve me of the distressing
cough I have had for months.
After all, I fear
Lee's attempt on the enemy's lines yesterday was a failure. We were compelled
to relinquish the fort or battery we had taken, with all the guns we had
captured. Our men were exposed to an enfilading fire, not being supported by
the divisions intended to co-operate in the movement. The 600 prisoners were
completely surprised—their pickets supposing our troops to be merely deserters.
This indicates an awful state of things, the enemy being convinced that we are
beaten, demoralized, etc.
There was a
communication for the Secretary this morning, from "headquarters;"
but being marked "confidential," I did not open it, but sent it to
Gen. Breckinridge.
Pickett's division
has been marching for Petersburg all the morning.
SOURCE: John
Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate
States Capital, Volume 2, p. 459
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