to repair the road. The white
men escaped, leaving two free negroes. The Yankees made the negroes put
on a full head of steam, and run the locomotive into the river.

One of the enemy was taken sleeping at one of our city batteries near
the river.

My friend, Dr. Powell, on the Brooke Turnpike, sent his little son,
mounted on his finest horse, on an errand to a neighbor. The lad fell
in with, as he called, them, "some Yankee Dutchmen," who presented their
pistols and made him dismount. They took his horse and allowed him to
return.

At the hour we were dining yesterday, the enemy were within two and a
half miles of us on the Brooke road, and might have thrown shell into
this part of the city.

Col. D. J. Godwin writes a long letter to the Secretary of War, from
King and Queen Counties, concerning the great number of suspicious
persons continually passing our lines into those of the enemy, with
passports from this city; and the great injury done by the information
they give. Unquestionably they have not only given information, but have
furnished guides to the many regiments of cavalry now skurrying through
the country. But the Baltimore Plug Uglies, under the protection of Gen.
Winder, are the masters, now Mr. Secretary Seddon has yielded again.

A letter was received from Gen. J. E. Johnston to-day. He is too unwell
to take the field, and suggests, if it be desirable to be in regular
communication with Gen. Bragg, that the President send out a
_confidential_ officer. He says the army is suffering for meat, and if
it retires into East Tennessee, supplies must be obtained from its
flanks instead of from its rear, which would be dangerous. The letter
was dated a week ago, and gives no indications of a battle. The general
says he is exchanging sugar for bacon; but condemns the practice of
allowing our people to sell cotton to the enemy for supplies. In my
opinion none but government cotton should be exchanged for subsistence.
He says the people are subjugated by trade. He suggests that our men
when paroled, and not exchanged, may do duty otherwise than in arms--as
is practiced by the enemy.

H. D. Bird, general superintendent of the railroad, writes from
Petersburg that the movements of cars with ammunition, etc. are thrown
into confusion by the neglect of telegraph agents in giving timely
notice. _This_ is an unfortunate time for confusion. I sent the letter
to the Secretary, and know that it was not "filed" on the