ich is great) to get permission for her to send
fourteen negroes, emancipated by her late husband's will, to Ohio. She
says there is but one able to bear arms, and he is crazy; that since the
enemy uses negro soldiers, she will withhold the able-bodied ones; that
she has fed our soldiers, absolutely starving some of her stock to
death, that she might have food for our poor men and their families,
etc. etc.

No news from our flour.

I saw Nat Tyler to-day, and told him to call upon the farmers, in the
_Enquirer_, to send their provisions to the city immediately, or they
may lose their crops, and their horses too. He said he would.

The only news of interest is contained in the following official
dispatch from Gen. Lee:

"HEADQUARTERS ARMY NORTHERN VIRGINIA,

"September 17th, 1864.

"HON. J. A. SEDDON, SECRETARY OF WAR.

"At daylight yesterday the enemy's skirmish line west of the
Jerusalem Plank Road was driven back upon his intrenchments along
their whole extent. Ninety prisoners were taken by us in the
operation.

"At the same hour Gen. Hampton attacked the enemy's position north
of the Norfolk Railroad, near Sycamore Church, and captured about
three hundred prisoners, some arms and wagons, a large number of
horses, and twenty-five hundred cattle.

"Gen. Gregg attacked Gen. Hampton, on his return in the afternoon,
at Belchess' mill, on the Jerusalem Plank Road, but was repulsed
and driven back. Everything was brought off safely.

"Our entire loss does not exceed fifty men. R. E. LEE."

Gen. Preston, Superintendent Bureau of Conscription, has made a labored
defense (written by Colonels Lay and August) of the bureau against the
allegations of Gen. Bragg. This was sent to the President by the
Secretary of War, "for his information." The President sent it back,
to-day, indorsed, "the subject is under general consideration."

The "Bureau," by advertisement, to-day, calls upon everybody between the
ages of sixteen and fifty to report at certain places named, and be
registered, and state the reasons why they are not now in the army and
in the field. What nonsense! How many do they expect to come forward,
voluntarily, candidates for gunpowder and exposure in the trenches?

SEPTEMBER 20TH.--Bright and pleasant.

An order has been given to impress _all_ the supplies (wheat and meat)
in the State, and Gen. Kemper has been instr