of Bottom's Bridge.

A man from New Kent County, coming through the lines, reports that Gen.
Grant was quite drunk yesterday, and said he would try Lee once more,
and if he failed to defeat him, "the Confederacy might go to hell." It
must have been some other general.

JUNE 8TH.--Clouds and sunshine--cool.

No war news except what appears in the papers.

There was a rumor yesterday that several of the companies of the
Departmental Battalion were captured on Monday, but it was not confirmed
by later accounts.

Our battery of 49 guns was unmasked, and opened on the enemy, who had
been firing over the heads of our young men (clerks). This was replied
to by as many guns from the enemy. Thus both fires were over the heads
of the infantry in the low ground between, and none were hurt, although
the shell sometimes burst just over them.

A pontoon train passed down the river to-day, on this side, one captured
from the United States, and brought from Gordonsville. If Grant crosses,
Lee will cross, still holding the "inside track."

Received a letter from Custis. He is at Gen. Custis Lee's headquarters
on ordnance duty. A pretty position, if a shell were to explode among
the ammunition! He says he has plenty of bread and meat, and so we need
not send any more. But he considers it a horrible life, and would rather
be without his rations than his daily reading, etc. So I sent him
reading enough for a week--all the newspapers I had; a pamphlet on the
Bible Society in the South; Report of the Judiciary Committee on the
Suspension of the _habeas corpus_; and, finally, the last number of the
_Surgical Magazine_, in which he will find every variety of _gunshot
wounds_, _operations_, etc. etc. I had nothing else to send him.

JUNE 9TH.--Sunshine and clouds--warm.

No fighting yesterday. It is reported that the enemy's cavalry and a
corps of infantry recrossed the Pamunky this morning, either after
Breckinridge, or to guard communications with the Rappahannock.

There is a pause also in Georgia.

Yesterday the President vetoed a bill exempting the publishers of
periodicals, etc. He said the time had arrived when "every man capable
of bearing arms should be found in the ranks." But this does not affect
the young and stalwart _Chefs du Bureaux_, or acting assistant generals,
quartermasters, commissaries, etc. etc., who have safe and soft places.

My little garden now serves me well, furnishing daily in cabbage,
lettuce, beet