sed to know
best.

JUNE 27TH.--We have, I think, some 40,000 pretty well armed men in
Virginia, sent hither from other States. Virginia has--I know not how
many; but she should have at least 40,000 in the field. This will enable
us to cope with the Federal army of 70,000 volunteers, and the regular
forces they may hurl against us. But so far as this department is aware,
Virginia has not yet _two_ regiments in the service for three years, or
the war. And here the war will be sure to rage till the end!

JUNE 28TH.--We have a flaming comet in the sky. It comes unannounced,
and takes a northwestern course. I dreamed last night that I saw a great
black ball moving in the heavens, and it obscured the moon. The stars
were in motion, visibly, and for a time afforded the only light. Then a
brilliant halo illuminated the zenith like the quick-shooting
irradiations of the aurora borealis. And men ran in different
directions, uttering cries of agony. These cries, I remember distinctly,
came from _men_. As I gazed upon the fading and dissolving moon, I
thought of the war brought upon us, and the end of the United States
Government. My family were near, all of them, and none seemed alarmed or
distressed. I experienced no perturbation; but I awoke. I felt curious
to prolong the vision, but sleep had fled. I was gratified, however, to
be conscious of the fact that in this illusory view of the end of all
things sublunary, I endured no pangs of remorse or misgivings of the new
existence it seemed we were about to enter upon.

JUNE 29TH.--I cannot support my family here, on the salary I receive
from the government; and so they leave me in a few days to accept the
tendered hospitality of Dr. Custis, of Newbern, N. C., my wife's cousin.

JUNE 30TH.--My family engaged packing trunks. They leave immediately.

CHAPTER IV.

My family in North Carolina.--Volunteers daily rejected.--Gen. Winder
appears upon the stage.--Toombs commissioned.--Hunter Secretary of
State.--Duel prevented.--Col B. Secretary for a few hours.--Gen.
Garnett killed.--Battle of Manassas.--Great excitement.--Col. Bartow.

JULY 1ST.--My family are gone. We have moved the department to
Mechanics' Hall, which will be known hereafter as the War Department. In
an evil hour, I selected a room to write my letters in, quite remote
from the Secretary's office. I thought Mr. Walker resented this. He had
likewise been piqued at the effect produced by an ar