outh is our only home--we have been only temporary
sojourners elsewhere.

MAY 29TH AND 30TH.--The remainder of the journey was without interest,
until we arrived at Wythville, Va., where it was discovered Gen. Floyd
was in the cars. He was called out and made a speech in vindication of
his conduct at Washington, as Secretary of War, wherein he had caused
the transfer of arms, etc., from the North to the South. He was then
organizing a brigade for the field, having been commissioned a
brigadier-general by the President.

MAY 31ST.--I arrived in Richmond about 1 o'clock P.M. The meeting with
my family was a joyful scene. All were well.

I lost no time in securing rooms for the department in the new
custom-house. Mr. Giles had been employed in this business by the
Congressional Committee, and I found him every way accommodating. I
succeeded without difficulty in convincing him that the War Department
was the most important one, and hence entitled to the first choice of
rooms. I therefore selected the entire suites on both sides of the hall
on the lower floor. The Treasury, the Executive office, Cabinet chamber,
and Departments of Justice and the Navy were located on the floor above.
This arrangement, however, was understood to be but a temporary one;
Mechanics Hall was leased for future purposes; and I was consulted on
the plan of converting it into suites of offices.

CHAPTER III.

Troops pour into Richmond.--Beginning of hostilities.--Gen. Lee made a
full general.--Major-Gen. Polk.--A battle expected at Manassas.

JUNE 1ST.--In the absence of the Secretary, I arranged the furniture as
well as I could, and took possession of the five offices I had selected.
But no business, of course, could be done before his arrival. Yet an
immense mass of business was accumulating--letters by the hundreds were
demanding attention.

And I soon found, as the other Secretaries came in, that some
dissatisfaction was likely to grow out of the appropriation by the
Secretary of War of the best offices. Mr. Toombs said the "war office"
might do in any ordinary building; but that the Treasury should
appropriately occupy the custom-house, which was fireproof. For his own
department, he said he should be satisfied with a room or two anywhere.
But my arrangement was not countermanded by the President, to whom I
referred all objectors. His decision was to be final--and he did not
decide against it. I had given him excellent quar