rosy. All this cannot thus immediately and directly reach the
Western armies, the Western commanders, when it reaches, it is
already--to some extent--weakened, oxygenated, purified. Add to it
here the direct influence and meddling of the head-quarters. I pity
this fated army here, and at times I even pity the commanders and
the generals.

_May 25._--Grant is an eminent man as to character and as to
capacity. To Admiral Foote and to him are due the victories at Fort
Henry, of Donelson, and the bold stroke to enter into the interior
of Secessia. Had Halleck not intervened, had Halleck and Buell not
taken the affairs in their hands, _Foote_ and _Grant_ would have
taken Nashville early in the spring of 1862, and cleared perhaps
half of the Mississippi. After the capture of Fort Donelson, Foote
demanded to be allowed at once to go with his gunboats to Nashville,
to clear the Tennessee; but Halleck caved in, or rather comprehended
not. Grant and Rosecrans restored what Halleck and Buell brought to
the brink of ruin.

_May 28._--Mr. Seward, omnipotent in the White House, tries to
conciliate the public, and in letters, etc., whitewashes himself
from arrests of persons, etc. Mr. Seward is therefore innocent,
thereof, as a lamb. But who inaugurated and directed them in 1861? I
know the necessities of certain times, and am far from accusing; but
how can Seward attempt to throw upon others the first steps made in
the direction of arrests?

_May 28._--Hooker still in command, and not even his staff changed.
I am certain that Stanton is for the change in the staff.

_May 28._--I am assured that the Blairs (I am not sure if General
Blair is counted in) are the pedlars for Mr. Lincoln's re-election,
as stated by the New York _Herald_. If Mr. Lincoln is re-elected,
then the self-government is not yet founded on reason, intellect,
and on sound judgment.

_May 31._--I am assured by a diplomat that four hundred and thirteen
is the last number of the correspondence between the Department of
State and Lord Lyons. Oh, how much ink and paper wasted, and what a
writing dysentery on both sides. The diplomat in question added that
it was only from January first--of course it was a joke.

JUNE, 1863.

Banks -- "The Enemy Crippled" -- Count Zeppelin --
Hooker-Stanton -- "Give Him a Chance" -- Mr. Lincoln's Looks --
Rappahannock -- Slaughter -- North Invaded -- "To be Stirred up"
-- Blasphemous Curtin -- Banquetti