APRIL 25th.—A bright and beautiful day; southern breezes. No reliable war news; but there are rumors that our victory at Shreveport was a great one. Nothing additional from North Carolina, though something further must soon occur there. It is said the enemy’s killed and wounded at Plymouth amounted to only 100: ours 300; but we [...]

APRIL 24th.—Cloudy and windy, but warm. We have none of the details yet of the storming of Plymouth, except the brief dispatches in the newspapers; nor any reliable accounts of subsequent movements. But a letter from Gen. Whiting indicates that all his troops had been taken northward, and we may expect something further of interest. [...]

APRIL 23d.—A bright day, with southern breezes. It is rumored and believed that Gen. Lee’s army is in motion. If this be so, we shall soon hear of a “fight, or a foot race.” And how can Grant run away, when Mr. Chase, the Federal Secretary of the Treasury, openly proclaims ruin to the finances [...]

APRIL 22d.—A bright day and warmer. Cherry-trees in blossom. We have the following war news: “PLYMOUTH, N. C., April 20th. “To GEN. BRAGG. ………“I have stormed and captured this place, capturing 1 brigadier, 1600 men, stores, and 25 pieces of artillery. ………………………………………………………“R. F. HOKE, Brig.-General.” The President has changed his mind since the reception of [...]

APRIL 21st.—Bright sunshine all day, but cool. Gen. Bragg received a dispatch to day from Gen. Hoke, of Plymouth, N. C., stating that he had (yesterday) stormed Plymouth, taking 1600 prisoners, 25 cannon, stores, etc. etc. This put the city in as good spirits as possible. But the excitement from Hoke’s victory was supplanted by [...]

APRIL 20th.—A clear morning, but a cold, cloudy day. The following dispatch from Gen. Forrest shows that the bloody work has commenced in earnest : “DEMOPOLIS, ALA., April 19th. “To GEN. S. COOPER. ………..“The following dispatch has just been received from Gen. Forrest, dated Jackson, Tenn., April 15th. “L. POLK, Lieut.-General. ………..“I attacked Fort Pillow [...]

APRIL 19th.—Cloudy and cold. We have no authentic war news, but are on the tip-toe of expectation. The city is in some commotion on a rumor that the non-combating population will be required to leave, to avoid transportation of food to the city. Corn is selling at $1.25 per bushel in Georgia and Alabama; here, [...]

APRIL 18th.—Cleared away in the night–frost. To-day it clouded up again! We have an account from the West, to the effect that Forrest stormed Fort Pillow, putting all the garrison, but one hundred, to the sword; there being 700 in the fort—400 negroes.

APRIL 17th.—Rained until bedtime—then cleared off quite cold. This morning it is cold, with occasional sunshine. Gen. Beauregard’s instructions to Major-Gen. Anderson in Florida, who has but 8000 men, opposed by 15,000, were referred by the Secretary of War to Gen. Bragg, who returned them with the following snappish indorsement: “The enemy’s strength seems greatly [...]

APRIL 16th.—Rained all night, and in fitful showers all day. We have more accounts (unofficial) of a victory near Shreveport, La. One of the enemy’s gun-boats has been blown up and sunk in Florida. By late Northern arrivals we see that a Mr. Long, member of Congress, has spoken in favor of our recognition. A [...]

APRIL 15th.—Cloudy—slight showers. I published an article yesterday in the Enquirer, addressed to the President, on the subject of supplies for the army and the people (the government to take all the supplies in the country), the annihilation of speculation, and the necessary suppression of the Southern (Yankee) Express Company. This elicited the approval of [...]

APRIL 14th.— Bright morning—cloudy and cold the rest of the day. No reliable war news to-day; but we are on the tip-toe of expectation of exciting news from the Rapidan. Longstreet is certainly in communication with Lee; and if the enemy be not present with overwhelming numbers, which there is no reason to anticipate, a [...]

APRIL 13th.—A clear, but cool day. Again planted corn, the other having rotted. There is an unofficial report that one of our torpedo boats struck the Federal war steamer Minnesota yesterday, near Newport News, and damaged her badly. I learn (from an official source) to-day that Gen. Longstreet’s corps is at Charlottesville, to co-operate with [...]

APRIL 12th.—Cloudy—rained in the afternoon. This is the anniversary of the first gun of the war, fired at FortSumter. It is still said and believed that Gen. Lee will take the initiative, and attack Grant. The following shows that we have had another success : “MOBILE, April 11th, 1864. “To GEN. S. COOPER, A. & [...]

APRIL 11th.—Rained all night, but clear most of the day. There are rumors of Burnside landing troops on the Peninsula; also of preparations for movements on the Rappahannock—by which side is uncertain. It is said troops are coming from Mississippi, Lieut.-Gen. (Bishop) Polk’s command. The FAMINE is still advancing, and his gaunt proportions loom up [...]

APRIL 10th.—Rained all night. Cloudy to-day; wind south-west. The Secretary of War must feel his subordination to Gen. Bragg. Gen. Fitz Lee recommended strongly a Prussian officer for appointment in the cavalry, and Mr. Seddon referred it to Gen. B., suggesting that he might be appointed in the cavalry corps to be stationed near this [...]

APRIL 9th.—Rained all day. Lieut. Tyler, grandson of President Tyler, is here on furlough, which expires to-morrow. His father (the major), whom he has not seen for two years, he learns, will be in the city day after tomorrow; and to-day he sought admittance to Mr. Secretary Seddon to obtain a prolongation of his furlough, [...]

APRIL 8th.—Bright and warm—really a fine spring day. It is the day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer, and all the offices are closed. May God put it into the hearts of the extortioners to relent, and abolish, for a season, the insatiable greed for gain! I paid $25 for a half cord of wood to-day, [...]

APRIL 7th.—A bright spring day. We look for startling news from the Rappahannock in a few days. Longstreet will be there. Gen. Lee writes that the fortifications around Richmond ought to be pushed to completion: 2000 negroes are still at work on them.

APRIL 6th.—At mid-day it cleared off; wind still northwest, and cool. Beans (white) were held to-day at $5 per quart! and other articles of food in proportion. How we are to live is the anxious question. At auction old sheets brought $25 a piece, and there seemed to be an advance on everything, instead of [...]

APRIL 5th.—Cold rain all night and all day; wind northwest. The Quartermaster-General now recommends that no furloughs be given, so as to devote the railroads to the transportation of grain to Virginia. The Commissary-General again informs the Secretary of War, to-day, that unless the passenger trains were discontinued, the army could not be subsisted, and [...]

APRIL 4th.—A cold rain all day; wind from northwest. Mr. Ould and Capt. Hatch, agents of exchange (of prisoners), have returned from a conference with Gen. Butler, at Fortress Monroe, and it is announced that arrangements have been made for an immediate resumption of the exchange of prisoners on the old footing. Thus has the [...]

APRIL 3d.—The snow has disappeared; but it is cloudy, with a cold northwest wind. The James River is very high, and all the streams are so much swollen that no military operations in the field are looked for immediately. It is generally believed that Grant, the Federal lieutenant-general, will concentrate an immense army for the [...]

APRIL 2d.—It rained furiously all night; wind northwest, and snowed to-day until 12 to a depth of several inches. It is still blowing a gale from the northwest. To-day the clerks were paid in the new currency; but I see no abatement of prices from the scarcity of money, caused by funding. Shad are selling [...]