ave done so
before him) made charges against Major Huse, the agent of Col. Gorgas,
Chief of Ordnance. Mr. McRae thinks the charges cannot be substantiated.

We have tidings of the bursting of the Blakely gun at Charleston. I fear
this involves the fall of Charleston. Still Beauregard is there.

Gen. Pickett's division (decimated at Gettysburg) is to remain in this
vicinity--and Jenkins's and Wise's brigades will leave. The hour now
seems a dark one. But we must conquer or die.

It is said a deserter has already gone over from our lines and given
information to the enemy of the large number of troops detached from the
Army of Virginia. No doubt Gen. Meade will take advantage of their
absence, and advance on Richmond again. Yet I am told the very _name_ of
Richmond is a terror to the foe.

SEPTEMBER 13TH.--A letter from Gen. J. E. Johnston, Atlanta--whither he
had repaired to attend a Court of Inquiry relating to Pemberton's
operations, but which has been postponed under the present peril--repels
indignantly the charge which seems to have been made in a letter from
the Secretary of War, that in executing the law of conscription in his
command, he had acted hastily, without sufficient attention to the
rights of exemption under the provisions of the act. He says the law was
a dead letter when he charged Gen. Pillow with its execution; that Gen.
Pillow has now just got his preparations made for its enforcement; and,
of course, no appeals have as yet come before him. He hopes that the
Secretary will re-examine the grounds of his charge, etc. He is amazed,
evidently, with the subject, and no doubt the "Bureau" here will strain
every nerve to monopolize the business--providing as usual for its
favorites, and having appointed to snug places a new batch of A. A.
G.'s--men who ought to be conscribed themselves.

Col. Preston, under the manipulations of Lieut.-Col. Lay, is getting on
swimmingly, and to-day makes a requisition for arms and equipments of
2500 cavalry to _force_ out conscripts, arrest deserters, etc. I think
they had better popularize the army, and strive to reinspire the
enthusiasm that characterized it at the beginning; and the only way to
do this is to restore to its ranks the wealthy and educated class, which
has abandoned the field for easier employments. I doubt the policy of
shooting deserters in this war--better shoot the traitors in high
positions. The indigent men of the South will fight, shoulder to
sh