ttle word "not"; and
hence the colonel had written to the Georgian: "Your company of cavalry
is accepted." The Secretary refused almost uniformly to accept cavalry,
and particularly Georgia cavalry. I took blame to myself for not
discovering this blunder previously. But the colonel, with his rapid
pen, soon wrote another answer. About one-half the letters had to be
written over again; and the colonel, smiling, and groaning, and
perspiring so extravagantly that he threw off his coat, and occupied
himself several hours in preparing the answers in accordance with the
Secretary's corrections. And when they were done, Mr. S. S. Scott, who
was to copy them in the letter-book, complimented the colonel on their
brevity. In response to this, the colonel said, unfortunately, he wished
he, Scott, were the secretary. Scott abused every one who wrote a long
letter.

JUNE 9TH.--To-day the Secretary refused to sign the colonel's letters,
telling him to sign them himself--"by order of the Secretary of War."

JUNE 10TH.--Yesterday the colonel did not take so many letters to
answer; and to-day he looked about him for other duties more congenial
to his nature.

JUNE 11TH.--It is coming in earnest! The supposed thunder, heard down
the river yesterday, turns out to have been artillery. A fight has
occurred at Bethel, and blood--Yankee blood--has flowed pretty freely.
Magruder was assailed by some five thousand Yankees at Bethel, on the
Peninsula. His force was about nine hundred; but he was behind
intrenchments. We lost but one man killed and five wounded. The enemy's
loss is several hundred. That road to Richmond is a hard one to travel!
But I learn there is a panic about Williamsburg. Several young men from
that vicinity have shouldered their _pens_ and are applying for
clerkships in the departments. But most of the men of proper age in the
literary institutions are volunteering in defense of their native land.

JUNE 12TH.--Gen. Lee has been or is to be created a full general in the
Confederate army, and will be assigned to duty here. He is third on the
list, Sydney Johnston being second. From all I can see and infer, we
shall make no attempt this year to invade the enemy's country. Our
policy is to be defensive, and it will be severely criticised, for a
vast majority of our people are for "carrying the war into Africa"
without a moment's delay. The sequel will show which is right, the
government or the people. At all events, the gove