News of fresh reverses sustained by the Confederates, and the occupation of Nashville by the Federals, and the crossing of the Potomac, reached London this morning, as also a message from President Davis to his Congress admitting the reverses to be serious and humiliating, but expressing unabated confidence in the determination of the South to resist to the last.
Dined yesterday at the Palmerstons' to meet Princess Camporeale (née Acton), who sang charmingly after dinner. Palmerston was detained in the House of Commons. Lady Palmerston told me, except on Saturdays and Sundays, he hardly ever dined with her, but did so at three, went to the House of Commons at four, and except some tea at the House he took nothing more until he came home to bed, seldom earlier than one o'clock. What a life for a man in his seventy-seventh year! I sat next to Lady Jocelyn at dinner, who said the Queen was on the whole better, occupied all day with one thing or other, and had given orders that whenever her people had anything to ask of or to say to her, they should address themselves straight to her. Lady Augusta Bruce is the only lady of her household who approaches her unannounced.
SOURCE: Alice Countess of Stratford, Leaves from the Diary of Henry Greville: 1861-1872, pp. 29-30
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