their fate. They make no demonstrations of joy.

Several hundred prisoners were brought into the city this
afternoon--captured yesterday. Why they were brought here I am at a
loss to conjecture. Why were they not paroled and sent into the enemy's
lines?

At night. All is yet quiet. No explosion, no conflagration, no riots,
etc. How long will this continue? When will the enemy come?

It was after 2 o'clock P.M. before the purpose to evacuate the city was
announced; and the government had gone at 8 P.M.! Short notice! and
small railroad facilities to get away. All horses were impressed.

There is a report that Lieut.-Gen. A. P. Hill was killed, and that Gen.
Lee was wounded. Doubtless it was a battle of great magnitude, wherein
both sides had all their forces engaged.

I remain here, broken in health and bankrupt in fortune, awaiting my
fate, whatever it may be. I can do no more. If I could, I would.

APRIL 3D.--Another clear and bright morning. It was a quiet night, with
its million of stars. And yet how few could sleep, in anticipation of
the entrance of the enemy! But no enemy came until 9 A.M., when some 500
were posted at the Capitol Square. They had been waited upon previously
by the City Council, and the surrender of the city stipulated--to occur
this morning. They were asked to post guards for the protection of
property from pillage, etc., and promised to do so.

At dawn there were two tremendous explosions, seeming to startle the
very earth, and crashing the glass throughout the western end of the
city. One of these was the blowing up of the magazine, near the new
almshouse--the other probably the destruction of an iron-clad ram. But
subsequently there were others. I was sleeping soundly when awakened by
them.

All night long they were burning the papers of the Second Auditor's
office in the street--claims of the survivors of deceased soldiers,
accounts of contractors, etc.

At 7 A.M. Committees appointed by the city government visited the liquor
shops and had the spirits (such as they could find) destroyed. The
streets ran with liquor; and women and boys, black and white, were seen
filling pitchers and buckets from the gutters.

A lady sold me a bushel of potatoes in Broad Street for $75, Confederate
States money--$5 less than the price a few days ago. I bought them at
her request. And some of the shops gave clothing to our last retiring
guards.

Goods, etc. at the government depots were distributed