the Secretary order an investigation? Mr. L. has, or had, nine sons in
the army, and he says he could have bought exemptions for all, as he is
rich. And yet a poor ensigncy is refused one of his sons.

JULY 30TH.--Clear and hot.

Dispatches from Bragg, at Montgomery, of yesterday, give no accounts of
more fighting, although the press dispatches, etc. did mention four of
our generals who have been wounded.

There is a revival of murmurs against the President. He will _persist_
in keeping Bragg in command, that is "of the armies in the field,"
though he does not lead any of them, and Gen. _Pemberton_ really has
command of all the batteries defending Richmond. The raiders are cutting
the Georgia and Alabama Road since Bragg went South, and we have lost
four pieces of artillery near this city a few days ago. ILL LUCK is
indefensible!

To-day the enemy sprung a mine at Petersburg, but were repulsed in the
attempt to rush in. This is all we know of it yet. Again it is rumored
that the major parts of both armies are on _this_ side of the river.
This I believe, and I think that unless there be a battle immediately,
Grant's intention is to abandon the "siege" of Richmond at the earliest
practicable moment.

The local troops are back again. The President _directed_ the Secretary
of War to inform Gen. Ewell that he misapprehended the character of
these troops. They were only for special and temporary service, having
also civil duties to perform, and desired them to be sent back in
twenty-four, or at most, forty-eight hours. Gen. E. writes that he
will employ them exclusively hereafter in the city fortifications, and
only in times of extreme peril. And he says there _was_ peril on
Thursday, the enemy's cavalry being _between our infantry and the city_,
and it will not do to rely always on his want of enterprise.

JULY 31ST.--Clear, dry, and _hot_.

A dispatch from Gen. Lee (I have not seen it yet) says, in the repulse
of the enemy's assault on the breach made by their mine, we captured
over 800 prisoners--a general and his staff among them--some 12 stands
of colors, and killed some 500. Our loss very light.

The enemy has mostly countermarched from this side of the river,
followed, of course, by our army at double-quick, and rumor says there
are little or no forces of either party on the north side of the James
this morning.

This was probably Grant's grand stratagem for our destruction, and it
has failed disastrously