yesterday evening. She had
eleven guns and 200 men.

But this morning we did better still. Our little fleet of two iron-clads
steamed out of Charleston harbor, and boldly attacked the blockading
fleet. We crippled two of their ships, and sunk one, completely raising
the blockade, for the time being. This will frustrate some of their
plans, and may relieve Wilmington.

The attack on Fort McAlister was a failure. The monitor which assaulted
the fort sustained so much injury, that it had to retire for repairs.

Several blockade-runners between this and Williamsburg were arrested and
sent to Gen. Winder to-day by Lieut. G. D. Wise. Gen. W. sent them to
Gen. Rains. Mr. Petit and Mr. James Custis (from Williamsburg) came with
them to endeavor to procure their liberation. Gen. Rains sent them back
to Gen. W., with a note that he had no time to attend to such matters.
Such business does not pertain to his bureau. I suppose they will be
released.

Major Lear, of Texas, who was at the capture of the Harriet Lane, met on
the captured steamer his mortally-wounded son, the lieutenant.

A few days ago, Lieut. Buchanan was killed on a United States gun-boat
by our sharpshooters. He was the son of Admiral Buchanan, in the
Confederate service, now at Mobile. Thus we are reminded of the wars of
the roses--father against son, and brother against brother. God speed
the growth of the Peace Party, North and South; but we must have
independence.

Mr. Hunter was in our office to-day, getting the release of a son of the
Hon. Jackson Morton, who escaped from Washington, where he had resided,
and was arrested here as a conscript. The Assistant Secretary of War
ruled him entitled to exemption, although yesterday others, in the same
predicament, were ruled into the service.

CHAPTER XXIII.

Proposed fixture of prices.--Depreciation in the North.--Gen. Hooker in
command of the U. S. forces.--Lee thinks Charleston will be
attacked.--Congress does nothing.--Some fears for Vicksburg.--
Pemberton commands.--Wise dashes into Williamsburg.--Rats take food
from my daughter's hand.--Lee wants the meat sent from Georgia to
Virginia, where the fighting will be.--Gen. Winder uneasy about my
Diary.--Gen. Johnston asks to be relieved in the West.

FEBRUARY 1ST.--The Virginia Legislature, now in session, has a bill
under discussion for the suppression of extortion. One of the members,
Mr. Anderson, read the follow