sufficient magnitude to produce important results; and, finally, that
Germany and Ireland would replenish the armies of the United States,
while our last reserves were now in the field. The colonel had come into
my office more than a month ago and said Grant had outgeneraled
Pemberton, and would capture Vicksburg. I reminded him of this to-day,
and asked his opinion on the present aspect of affairs. He has been
recently on Gen. Beauregard's staff, and is irritated at the supposed
hard treatment which that general receives from the President. He is a
little bitter against the President, and is no special admirer of Lee,
who, he thinks, committed a blunder in not fighting Grant at Hanover
Junction. And he thinks, if Gen. Johnston forbears to fight Sherman, in
pursuance of orders from Richmond, disaster will ensue. But neither he
nor any one is capable of sounding the profound plans of Lee. Grant's
forces are now far away from Washington.

2-1/2 o'clock P.M. An officer just from Petersburg, arrived at the War
Department with the intelligence that a Washington paper of the 13th
inst. had been received at headquarters, announcing the capture of
BALTIMORE by our troops! The inhabitants within, or a large proportion
of them, co-operated with our army! Our people are in ecstasies! This is
the realization of the grand conception of a great general, and Lee is
immortalized--if it only be true.

JUNE 16TH.--Bright and cool--the canopy assuming a _brassy_ aspect from
the drought.

Alack! all the rejoicings are checked, and the public seems to have been
hoaxed by the officer who reported that a Washington paper of the 13th
inst. contained an account of the surrender of Baltimore to the
Confederate States forces! The paper of that date, it appears, contains
nothing of the kind, or else the account has been suppressed, to
subserve some military purpose. But our people bear the disappointment
well, not doubting but success will ultimately come.

There is a rumor that we sank two of the enemy's transports to-day in
James River.

An immense mass of letters, etc.--175 bags--has just come in; the first
mail matter that has arrived from beyond the breaks in the Danville
Railroad, perpetrated by Wilson's raiders.

JULY 17TH.--Dry--the sky bright and brassy--the gardens almost ruined.

Last evening definite news came in the _Washington Chronicle_ of the
14th. Gen. Early was recrossing the Potomac with an immense amount of
stores levie