pose to
_attack_ Grant; meantime preparing to fall back in the event of losing
the day.

Four days hence we have a day of fasting, etc., appointed by the
President; and I understand there are but _three_ day's rations for the
army--a nice calculation.

Gen. Johnston telegraphs the Secretary that his army must suffer, if not
allowed to get commissary stores in the North Carolina depots. The
Secretary replies that of course his army must be fed, but hopes he can
buy enough, etc., leaving the stores already collected for Lee's army,
_which is in great straits_.

MARCH 7TH.--Bright and frosty.

Yesterday we had no certain accounts of the movements of Sheridan. His
force was said to be near Charlottesville--at Keswich. Fitz Lee's
cavalry and Pickett's infantry were sent in that direction. Not a word
has yet appeared in the Richmond papers concerning this movement from
the Valley--the papers being read daily in the enemy's camp below. We
hear of no corresponding movement on the part of Grant; and perhaps
there was none.

Preparations to evacuate the city are still being made with due
diligence. If these indications do not suffice to bring the speculators
into the ranks to defend their own property (they have no honor, of
course), the city and the State are lost; and the property owners will
deserve their fate. The extortioners ought to be hung, besides losing
their property. This would be a very popular act on the part of the
conquerors.

On the 4th inst., the day of inauguration at Washington, the troops
(Federal) near Petersburg got drunk, and proposed an hour's truce to
have a friendly talk. It was refused.

I met my friend Brooks to-day, just from Georgia, in a pucker. He says
the people there are for reunion. Mr. B. rented his house to Secretary
Trenholm for $15,000--furnished. It would now bring $30,000. But he is
now running after teams to save his tobacco--_he_ a speculator!

A letter was received yesterday from ----, Selma accusing the Assistant
Secretary of War, Judge Campbell, his brother-in-law, Judge Goldthwait,
and Judge Parsons, of Alabama, with disloyalty, and says Judge C. is
about to issue passports for delegates to go to the _Chicago_
Convention, soon to assemble, etc. etc. He says Judge C. is the Fouche
of the South. The letter is dated August 23d, 1864, and the President
_now_ sends it to the Secretary "for his information."

Judge Campbell has exercised almost exclusive control of the
conscr