way; and so with the second class militia. A
battle is looked for to-morrow; and there has been skirmishing to-day. A
dispatch from Hanover Court House says the enemy is approaching likewise
from the north in large force--and 15 guns. This is his great blunder.
He cannot take Richmond, nor draw back Lee, and the detachment of so
many of his men may endanger Baltimore and Washington, and perhaps
Philadelphia.

JULY 3D.--My son Custis stayed out all night, sleeping on his arms in
the farthest intrenchments. A little beyond, there was a skirmish with
the enemy. We lost eight in killed and wounded. What the enemy suffered
is not known, but he fell back, and ran toward the White House.

This morning, Mr. Ould, agent for exchange of prisoners, reported that
"not a Yankee could be found on the face of the earth." And this induced
a general belief that the enemy had retired, finally, being perhaps
ordered to Washington, where they may be much needed.

The Secretary of War, believing the same thing, intimated to Gen. Elzey
(who for some cause is unable to ride, and therefore remains in the
city) a desire to send several regiments away to some menaced point at a
distance. In response, Elzey writes that none can be spared with safety;
that the enemy had apparently divided his force into two bodies, one for
Hanover, and the other for the Chickahominy, and both _strong_; and he
advised against weakening the forces here. He said he had not yet
completed the manning of the batteries, the delay being in arming the
men--and he hoped "Hill could hold out."

We have 3400 convalescents at Camp Lee, and as many more may be relied
on for the defense of the city; so we shall have not less than 22,000
men for the defense of Richmond. The enemy have perhaps 35,000; but it
would require 75,000 to storm our batteries. Let this be remembered
hereafter, if the 35,000 sent here on a fool's errand might have saved
Washington or Baltimore, or have served to protect Pennsylvania--and
then let the press of the North bag the administration at Washington!
Gen. Lee's course is "right onward," and cannot be affected by events
here.

My friend Jacques (clerk) marched out yesterday with the Department
Guard; but he had the diarrhoea, and was excused from marching as far
as the company. He also got permission to come to town this morning,
having slept pretty well, he said, apart from the company. No doubt he
did good service in the city to-day, having his