ton and Annapolis to Fortress Monroe
during the whole week, and that 5000 men embarked at Fortress Monroe, on
Monday, for (as they said themselves) Charleston. Among these was a
negro regiment of 1300.

T. C. Reynolds, confidential agent of the government in the
trans-Mississippi States, sends copy of a circular letter from
Lieut.-Gen. Kirby Smith to the "representative men" of Missouri,
Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas, to meet him in convention, 15th August,
at Marshall, Texas. Mr Reynolds says he and others will exert themselves
to prevent the meeting from taking a dangerous political direction. Gen.
Smith is popular, and opposed to the States named setting up for
themselves, although he plainly says in the circular that they must now
adopt self-sustaining measures, as they cannot look for aid from the
East. Mr. Reynolds says something, not clearly understood by me, about
an equipoise among the _political_ generals. Has he been instructed on
that point in reference to Gen. Price?

Letters from Mr. Crenshaw, in England, and the correspondence forwarded
by him, might seem to implicate Major Caleb Huse, Col. J. Gorgas's
ordnance agent, in some very ugly operations. It appears that Major H.
has contracted for 50,000 muskets at $4 above the current price,
leaving $200,000 commission for whom? And that he really seems to be
throwing obstacles in the way of Mr. C., who is endeavoring to procure
commissary stores in England. Mr. C. has purchased L40,000 worth of
bacon, but Major Huse, he apprehends, is endeavoring to prevent its
shipment. Can this be so?

The _Charleston Mercury_ that came to-day contains an editorial
broadside against the President, Mr. Benjamin, Mr. Mallory, and
Commissary-General Northrop.

Mr. Gilmer, lawyer, remarked to me to-day that some grave men (!) really
believed Davis and Lincoln had an understanding, and were playing into
each other's hands to prolong the war, knowing that peace would be the
destruction of both! I think there is more danger to both in war. The
blood of a brave people could not be trifled with without the utmost
danger. Let peace come, even if the politicians be shorn of all their
power.

AUGUST 15TH.--I learn an order has been issued to conscribe all
commissary and quartermasters' clerks liable to military service. There
will be, and ought to be, some special cases of exemption, where men
have lost everything in the war and have women and children depending on
their salarie