.

MARCH 18TH.--Bright and warmer, but windy.

Letters received at the department to-day, from Georgia, show than only
one-eighth of the capacity of the railroads have been used for the
subsistence of the army. The rogues among the multitude of
quartermasters have made fortunes themselves, and almost ruined the
country. It appears that there is abundance of grain and meat in the
country, if it were only equally distributed among the consumers. It is
to be hoped the rogues will now be excluded from the railroads.

The belief prevails that Gen. Lee's army is in motion. It may be a
feint, to prevent reinforcements from being sent to Grant.

My daughter's cat is staggering to-day, for want of animal food.
Sometimes I fancy I stagger myself. We do not average two ounces of meat
daily; and some do not get any for several days together. Meal is $50
per bushel. I saw adamantine candles sell at auction to-day (box) at $10
per pound; tallow, $6.50. Bacon brought $7.75 per pound by the 100
pounds.

My good friend Dr. Powell and his family were absent from the farm near
the city during the late raid. The enemy carried off several of his
finest horses and mules, and consumed much of his supplies of food,
etc., but utterly failed to induce any of his negroes to leave the
place--and he has many. One of the female servants, when the enemy
approached, ran into the house and secured all the silver, concealing it
in her own house, and keeping it safely for her mistress.

MARCH 19TH.--Warmer, calm and cloudy.

I saw a large turkey to-day in market (wild), for which $100 was
demanded.

I saw Dr. Powell to-day. He says the Federals asked his servants where
the master and mistress had gone? and they were told that they had been
called to Petersburg to see a sick daughter. They then asked where the
spoons were, and were told none were in the house. They asked if there
was not a watch, and the servant said her master wore it. They then
demanded where the money was kept, and were told it was always kept in
bank. They made the servants open drawers, press, etc.; and when they
discovered some pans of milk, they took them up and drank out of them
with eagerness. They took nothing from the house, destroyed nothing, and
the doctor deems himself fortunate. They left him two horses and eight
mules.

MARCH 20TH.--Bright and beautiful weather.

There are fires occurring now every night; and several buildings have
been burned in the immediate