Flour rose yesterday to $425 per barrel, meal to $72 per bushel, and bacon $10 per pound. Fortunately, I got 100 pounds of flour from North Carolina a few days ago at $1.20 per pound. And Thomas, my son, detailed as clerk for Gen. Kemper, will draw 30 pounds of flour and 10 pounds bacon per month.
October 5th.—Bright, and very warm.
There is a report that Gen. Hood’s army is at Marietta, in Sherman’s rear, and it may be so.
One of the clerks (Mr. Bechtel) was killed yesterday by one of the enemy’s sharpshooters at Chaffin’s Farm. He was standing on the parapet, looking in the direction of the enemy’s pickets. He had been warned to no purpose. He leaves a wife and nine children. A subscription is handed round, and several thousand dollars will be raised. Gen. R. E. Lee was standing near when he fell.
All is quiet to-day. But they are impressing the negro men found in the streets to-day to work on the fortifications. It is again rumored that Petersburg is to be given up. I don’t believe it.
October 6th.—Bright, and very warm.
The President returned this morning, hastened hither by the perils environing the capital.
An order is published this morning revoking all details for the army of persons between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years of age. If this be rigidly enforced, it will add many thousands to the army. It is said there are 8000 details in the military bureaus of this State.
A dispatch from Gen. Hood, near Lost Mountain (in Georgia, Sherman’s rear), dated yesterday, says Sherman is marching out of Atlanta to attack him. He says Gen. Stewart’s corps struck the railroad at Big Shanty, capturing 350 prisoner and destroying ten miles of the road. Gen. Forrest is marching against Altoona. We shall soon have stirring news.
All is quiet near Petersburg and Richmond to-day. Eight of the local companies (clerks) have been ordered to guard the prisoners to Salisbury, N. C.