living next door to us had two brothers wounded on Monday, and
they are both here, and will recover.

Gen. Breckinridge is now marching to reinforce Lee. It is said Butler
will set sail to join Grant. If so, we can send Lee 20,000 more men, and
Beauregard's victory will yield substantial fruits.

MAY 21ST.--Sun all day, but a little hazy; perhaps a battle.

There was quite a battle yesterday on the south side. The accounts in
the morning's paper fall short of the whole of our success. The enemy,
it is said to-day, did not regain the works from which they were driven,
but are now cooped up at Bermuda Hundred. Nothing is feared from Butler.

Nothing from Lee, but troops are constantly going to him.

I saw some 10,000 rusty rifles, brought down yesterday from Lee's
battle-field. Many bore marks of balls, deeply indenting or perforating
the barrels. The ordnance officer says in his report that he has
collected many thousands more than were dropped by our killed and
wounded. This does not look like a _Federal_ victory!

MAY 22D.--Clear and warm, but the atmosphere is charged with the smoke
and dust of contending armies. The sun shines but dimly.

Custis was with us last night, and returned to camp at 5 A.M. to-day. He
gets from government only a small loaf of corn bread and a herring a
day. We send him something, however, every other morning. His appetite
is voracious, and he has not taken cold. He loathes the camp life, and
some of the associates he meets in his mess, but is sustained by the
vicissitudes and excitements of the hour, and the conviction that the
crisis must be over soon.

Last night there was furious shelling down the river, supposed to be a
night attack by Butler, which, no doubt, Beauregard anticipated. Result
not heard.

The enemy's cavalry were at Milford yesterday, but did no mischief, as
our stores had been moved back to Chesterfield depot, and a raid on
Hanover C. H. was repulsed. Lee was also attacked yesterday evening, and
repulsed the enemy. It is said Ewell is now engaged in a flank movement,
and the GREAT FINAL battle may be looked for immediately.

Breckinridge is at Hanover Junction, with other troops. So the war rolls
on toward this capital, and yet Lee's headquarters remain in
Spottsylvania. A few days more must tell the story. If he cuts Grant's
communications, I should not be surprised if that desperate general
attempted a bold dash on toward Richmond. I don't think he could take