the Secretary of War has approved, a project
for removing a portion of the population from Richmond into the country.
Its object is to accumulate supplies for the army. If some 20,000 could
be moved away, it would relieve the rest to some extent.

Troops are passing northward every night. The carnage and carnival of
death will soon begin!

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 exaggerated, and the
instructions too much on the defensive."

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 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, at $40--such is the deplorable condition of the railroads, or
rather of the management of them. Col. Northrop, Commissary-General,
said to-day that Gen. Lee and the Secretary of War were responsible for
the precarious state of affairs, in not taking all the means of
transportation for the use of the army; and that our fate was suspended
by a hair.

The President returned the paper to-day, relating to the matter of
etiquette between Col. Northrop and Gen. Bragg's military secretary. The
President says that Gen. B. certainly has the right to give
orders--being assigned to duty here, and, I presume, representing the
President himself; but that any one of his staff, unless directing those
of inferior rank, ought to give commands "by order" of Gen. Bragg. Col. N.
says that don't satisfy him; and that no general has a right to issue
orders to him!

The famine is becoming more terrible daily; and soon no salary will
suffice to support one's family.

The 1st and 2d Auditors and their clerks (several hundred, male and
female) have been ordered to proceed to Montgomery, Ala. Perhaps the
gove