etary
without his official order. But he is signing them himself, as I find
out by the parties desiring the usual passports from me to leave the
city. They, like guilty men, dislike to exhibit their permits to leave
the country at the depots. And the Northern press bears testimony of the
fact that the spies in our midst are still at work, and from this I
apprehend the worst consequences. Why did Mr. Benjamin send the order
for every man to be arrested who applied for permission to leave the
country? Was it merely to deceive _me_, knowing that I had some
influence with certain leading journals? I am told he says, "no one
leaves the country now."

NOVEMBER 9TH.--Gen. Winder and all his police and Plug Ugly gang have
their friends or agents, whom they continually desire to send to
Maryland. And often there comes a request from Gen. Huger, at Norfolk,
for passports to be granted certain parties to go out under flag of
truce. I suppose he can send whom he pleases.

We have news of a bloody battle in the West, at Belmont. Gen. Pillow and
Bishop Polk defeated the enemy, it is said, killing and wounding 1000.
Our loss, some 500.

Port Royal, on the coast of South Carolina, has been taken by the
enemy's fleet. We had no casemated batteries. Here the Yankees will
intrench themselves, and cannot be dislodged. They will take negroes and
cotton, and menace both Savannah and Charleston.

NOVEMBER 10TH.--A gentleman from Urbana, on the Rappahannock, informs me
that he witnessed the shelling of that village a few days ago. There
are so few houses that the enemy did not strike any of them. The only
blood shed was that of an old _hare_, that had taken refuge in a hollow
stump.

NOVEMBER 11TH.--Bad news. The Unionists in East Tennessee have burnt
several of the railroad bridges between this and Chattanooga. This is
one of the effects of the discharge of spies captured in Western
Virginia and East Tennessee. A military police, if properly directed,
composed of honest men, true Southern men, might do much good, or
prevent much evil; but I must not criticise Gen. Winder's inefficiency,
for he acts under the instructions of Mr. Benjamin.

The burning of these bridges not only prevents the arrival of an immense
amount of clothing and provisions for the army, contributed by the
patriotic people, but it will embarrass the government in the
transmission of men and muniments of war, which an emergency may demand
at any moment. Until the av