Thunder, lightning, and rain all day.
The report of Gen. Lee's victory was premature, and Butler
has not gone, nor the raiders vanished. On the contrary, the latter were
engaged in battle with Stuart's division late in the afternoon, and recommenced
it this morning at 3 o'clock, the enemy remaining on the ground, and still
remain, some five miles from where I write. Major-Gen. J. E. B. Stuart was
wounded last evening, through the kidney, and now lies in the city, in a dying
condition! Our best generals thus fall around us.
The battle raged furiously; every gun distinctly heard at
our house until 1 P.M.—the enemy being intrenched between our middle and outer
line of works. Meantime our ambulances are arriving every hour with the
wounded, coming in by the Brooke Turnpike.
The battalion my sons are in lost none of its men, though
shelled by the enemy early in the morning; nor do we know that our battery did
any execution. Capt. Warner delivered the provisions their mother cooked for
them yesterday. He saw only Custis, who gladly received the bread, and meat,
and eggs; but he and Tom were both drenched with rain, as they had no shelter
yesterday. But a comrade, and one of Custis's Latin pupils, whom I saw,
returned on sick leave, says Thomas stands the fatigue and exposure better than
Custis, who was complaining.
About 11 A.M. to-day there was very heavy reports of cannon
heard in the direction of Drewry's Bluff, supposed to be our battery shelling
the country below, for some purpose.
I understand one or more of our iron-clads will certainly go
out this evening, or to-night; we shall know it when it occurs, for the firing
will soon follow.
Worked in my garden; set out corn and (yellow) tomatoes ;
the former given me by my neighbor, to whom I had given lettuce and beet
plants.
My wife spent a miserable day, some one having reported that
the Departmental Battalion was cut to pieces in the battle. When I came in, she
asked me if Custis and Thomas were alive, and was exceedingly glad to know not
a man in the company had been even wounded.
I shall never forget the conformation of the clouds this
morning as the storm arose. There were different strata running in various
directions. They came in heaviest volume from the southeast in parallel lines,
like lines of battle swooping over the city. There were at the same time
shorter and fuller lines from the southwest, and others from the north. The
meeting of these was followed by tremendous clashes of lightning and thunder;
and between the pauses of the artillery of the elements above, the thunder of
artillery on earth could be distinctly heard. Oh that the strife were ended!
But Richmond is to be defended at all hazards.
It is said, however, that preparations have been made for
the flight of the President, cabinet, etc. up the Danville Road, in the event
of the fall of the city. Yet no one fears that the present forces environing it
could take it. If Lee withstands Grant another week, all will be safe. My
greatest fear is the want of provisions. My wife bought a half bushel of meal;
so we have a week's supply on hand, as we were not quite out. I hope Beauregard
will soon restore communication with the South.
SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's
Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 2, p.
206-7
