indorsed on
the dispatch, before it came--it was addressed to him--that the state of
things had come which he had long and often _predicted_, and to avert
which he had repeatedly suggested the remedy; but the Secretary would
not!

No wonder the generals are in consultation, for all the armies are in
the same lamentable predicament--to the great triumph of Col. N., whose
prescience is triumphantly vindicated! But Gen. Wise, when I mentioned
these things to him, said _we would starve in the midst of plenty_,
meaning that Col. N was incompetent to hold the position of
Commissary-General.

At 2 P.M. a dispatch (which I likewise placed in the hands of the
Secretary) came from Gen. Pickett, with information that thirteen of the
enemy's transports passed Yorktown yesterday with troops from Norfolk,
the Eastern Shore of Virginia, Washington City, etc.--such was the
report of the signal corps. They also reported that Gen. Meade would
order a general advance, to _check Gen. Lee_. What all this means I know
not, unless it be meant to aid Gen. Kilpatrick to get back the way he
came with his raiding cavalry--or else Gen. Lee's army is in motion,
even while he is here. It must do something, or starve.

L. P. Walker, the first Secretary of War, is here, applying for an
appointment as judge advocate of one of the military courts.

Gen. Bragg is at work. I saw by the President's papers to-day, that the
Secretary's recommendation to remit the sentence to drop an officer was
referred to him. He indorsed on it that the sentence was just, and ought
to be executed. The President then indorsed: "Drop him.--J. D."

MARCH 15TH.--A clear, cool morning; but rained in the evening.

By the correspondence of the department, I saw to-day that 35,000
bushels of corn left North Carolina nearly a week ago for Lee's army,
and about the same time 400,000 pounds of bacon was in readiness to be
shipped from Augusta, Ga. At short rations, that would furnish bread and
meat for the army several weeks.

We hear nothing additional from the enemy on the Peninsula. I doubt
whether they mean fight.

We are buoyed again with rumors of an intention on the part of France to
recognize us. So mote it be! We are preparing, however, to strike hard
blows single-banded and unaided, if it must be.

MARCH 16TH.--There was ice last night. Cold all day. Gen. Maury writes
that no immediate attack on Mobile need be apprehended now. He goes next
to Savannah to look aft