Clear and hot.
Dispatches from
Bragg, at Montgomery, of yesterday, give no accounts of more fighting, although
the press dispatches, etc. did mention four of our generals who have been
wounded.
There is a revival
of murmurs against the President. He will persist in keeping
Bragg in command, that is “of the armies in the field,” though he does not lead
any of them, and Gen. Pemberton really has command of all the
batteries defending Richmond. The raiders are cutting the Georgia and Alabama
Road since Bragg went South, and we have lost four pieces of artillery near
this city a few days ago. ILL LUCK is indefensible !
To-day the enemy
sprung a mine at Petersburg, but were repulsed in the attempt to rush in. This
is all we know of it yet. Again it is rumored that the major parts of both
armies are on this side of the river. This I believe, and I
think that unless there be a battle immediately, Grant's intention is to
abandon the "siege" of Richmond at the earliest practicable moment.
The local troops are
back again. The President directed the Secretary of War to
inform Gen. Ewell that he misapprehended the character of these troops. They
were only for special and temporary service, having also civil duties to
perform, and desired them to be sent back in twenty-four, or at most,
forty-eight hours. Gen. E. writes that he will employ them exclusively
hereafter in the city fortifications, and only in times of extreme peril. And he
says there was peril on Thursday, the enemy's cavalry
being between our infantry and the city, and
it will not do to rely always on his want of enterprise.
