is true! The enemy have broken through our lines and attained the
South Side Road. Gen. Lee has dispatched the Secretary to have
everything in readiness to _evacuate the city to-night_. The President
told a lady that Lieut.-Gen. Hardee was only twelve miles distant, and
might get up in time to save the day. But then Sherman must be in _his_
rear. There is no wild excitement--_yet_. Gen. Kemper was at the
department looking for Gen. Ewell, and told me he could find no one to
apply to for orders. The banks will move to-night. Eight trains are
provided for the transportation of the archives, etc. No provision for
civil employees and their families.

At 6 P.M. I saw the Hon. James Lyons, and asked him what he intended to
do. He said many of his friends advised him to leave, while his
inclination was to remain with his sick family. He said, being an
original secessionist, his friends apprehended that the Federals would
arrest him the first man, and hang him. I told him I differed with them,
and believed his presence here might result in benefit to the
population.

Passing down Ninth Street to the department, I observed quite a number
of men--some in uniform, and some of them officers--hurrying away with
their trunks. I believe they are not allowed to put them in the cars.

The Secretary of War intends to leave at 8 P.M. this evening. The
President and the rest of the functionaries, I suppose, will leave at
the same time.

I met Judge Campbell in Ninth Street, talking rapidly to himself, with
two books under his arm, which he had been using in his office. He told
me that the chiefs of bureaus determined which clerks would have
transportation--embracing only a small proportion of them, which I found
to be correct.

At the department I learned that all who had families were advised to
remain. No compulsion is seen anywhere; even the artisans and mechanics
of the government shops are left free to choose--to go or to stay.

A few squads of local troops and reserves--guards--may be seen marching
here and there. Perhaps they are to burn the tobacco, cotton, etc., if
indeed anything is to be burned.

Lee must have met with an awful calamity. The President said to several
ladies to-day he had hopes of Hardee coming up in time to save Lee--else
Richmond must succumb. He said he had done his best, etc. to save it.
Hardee is distant two or three days' march.

The negroes stand about mostly silent, as if wondering what will be