siderable supplies from
Eastern North Carolina. So do I.

Gov. Watts writes to the Secretary that commissary agents, who ought to
be in the ranks, are making unnecessary impressments, leaving to each
negro only four ounces of bacon per day. He says the government has
already some 10,000,000 pounds of bacon in Alabama; and that if the
other States, east of the Mississippi, furnish a proportional amount,
there will be 60,000,000 pounds--enough to feed our armies twelve
months.

The Commissary-General's estimates for the next six months are for
400,000 men.

APRIL 23D.--A bright day, with southern breezes.

It is rumored and believed that Gen. Lee's army is in motion. If this be
so, we shall soon hear of a "fight, or a foot race." And how can Grant
run away, when Mr. Chase, the Federal Secretary of the Treasury, openly
proclaims ruin to the finances unless they speedily achieve success in
the field? I think he must fight; and I am sure he will be beaten, for
Lee's strength is probably underestimated.

We are also looking to hear more news from North Carolina; and Newbern
will probably be stormed next, since storming is now the order of the
day.

APRIL 24TH.--Cloudy and windy, but warm.

We have none of the details yet of the storming of Plymouth, except the
brief dispatches in the newspapers; nor any reliable accounts of
subsequent movements. But a letter from Gen. Whiting indicates that all
his troops had been taken northward, and we may expect something further
of interest.

It is still believed that Lee's and Grant's armies are in motion on the
Rappahannock; but whether going North or coming South, no one seems to
know. Our people unanimously look for a victory.

I bought a black coat at auction yesterday (short swallow-tailed) for
$12. It is fine cloth, not much worn--its owner going into the army,
probably--but out of _fashion_. If it had been a frock-coat, it would
have brought $100. It is no time for _fashion_ now.

Gen. Johnston's Chief Commissary offers to send some bacon to Lee's
army. A short time since, it was said, Johnston was prevented from
_advancing_ for want of rations.

APRIL 25TH.--A bright and beautiful day; southern breezes.

No reliable war news; but there are rumors that our victory at
Shreveport was a great one. Nothing additional from North Carolina,
though something further must soon occur there. It is said the enemy's
killed and wounded at Plymouth amounted to only 100: ours 300;