The militia, furloughed by Gov. Brown so inopportunely, are returning to the front, the time having expired.
A Mr. B. is making Lincoln speeches in New York. It seems to me he had a passport from Mr. Benjamin, Secretary of State.
Gen. Lee writes to-day that negroes taken from the enemy, penitentiary convicts, and recaptured deserters ought not to be sent by the Secretary to work on the fortifications.
October 20th.—Cloudy. There is a street rumor of a battle below, and on the Petersburg line. The wind is from the west, and yet we hear no guns.
The Secretary of the Treasury sent to the Secretary of War to-day an argument showing that, without a violation of the Constitution, clerks appointed to places created by Congress cannot be removed. We shall see what the Secretary says to that.
October 21st.—Bright.
Fort Harrison (Federal) opened its batteries on our lines at Chaffin’s Farm yesterday evening, without effect. An officer tells me that heavy and quick firing was also heard on the Petersburg lines, indicating, he thought, a battle. We have nothing of this in the papers, or in any dispatch I have seen.
Assistant Secretary Campbell is writing a portion of Mr. Secretary Seddon’s report for him. Mr. C.’s son was promoted to a majority yesterday.
At 2 p.m. we have a rumor that Gen. Early has been defeated, losing all his guns but one.
A letter from the Secretary of the Treasury recommends the detail or exemption of the bank officers of South Carolina. The poor country clod-hoppers have no friends, and must do the fighting.