Hot and dry, but breezy.
A dispatch from Gen. Lee, 9 P.M. last evening, says nothing
of moment occurred along the lines yesterday. Our loss in the unsuccessful
attempt of Gen. Haygood [sic] to
storm a portion of the enemy's works, on Friday, was 97 killed and wounded, and
200 missing
Gen. Hampton dispatches Gen. Lee that he attacked the
enemy's cavalry in Charles City County, Friday, and drove them out of their
intrenchments, pursuing them eight miles, nearly to Charles City Court House.
The enemy left their killed and wounded on the ground, and strewn along the
route. Gen. Lee says Gen. H. deserves much credit. The enemy (a portion of
Sheridan's force) are still prevented from forming a junction with Grant.
Flour fell yesterday from $500 to $300 per barrel.
An official report shows that we lost no arms or ordnance
stores of consequence at Staunton. Communications will be restored in that
direction soon. The Valley and Western Virginia, being clear of the enemy, the
fine crop of wheat can be gathered.
Beauregard is in disgrace, I am informed on pretty good
authority; but while his humiliation is so qualified as not to be generally
known, for fear of the resentment of his numerous friends, at the same time he
is reticent, from patriotic motives, fearing to injure the cause.
It is stigmatized as an act of perfidy, that the Federal
Government have brought here and caused to be slaughtered, some 1600 out
of 1900 volunteers from the District of Columbia, who were to serve only 30
days in defense of the Federal city. At the same time our government is keeping
in the service, at hard labor on the fortifications, Custis Lee's brigade of
clerks, who were assured, when volunteering, that they never would be called
out except to defend the fortifications of the city, built by negroes!
SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the
Confederate States Capital, Volume 2, p. 238-9