ort of magnetism, is credited by many. It is certain
that Mr. Morris, superintendent of the telegraph office, has called upon
his friends for the largest Confederate flag in the city to hang out of
his window. He says nothing more; but he may have sent dispatches to the
President, which he is not at liberty to divulge. There may be later
news from Lee; or Vicksburg may be relieved; or New Orleans taken; or an
armistice; or nothing.

I am glad my son's company were ordered in to-day; for, after a week of
fine fair weather, it is now raining furiously. This would have
prostrated the _tender_ boys with illness.

JULY 7TH.--It appears that the fighting near Gettysburg began on
Wednesday, July 1st, continued until Sunday, the 5th, and perhaps
longer. Up to Friday the Northern papers claim the advantage.

This morning at 1 P.M. another dispatch was received from the same
(unofficial) source, stating that on Sunday the enemy made a stand, and
A. P. Hill's corps fell back, followed by the enemy, when Longstreet's
and Ewell's corps closed in their rear and captured 40,000
prisoners--who are now guarded by Pickett's division. It states that the
prisoners refused to be paroled. This might possibly be true.

This account is credited. Col. Custis Lee, from the President's office,
was in my office at half-past two P.M. to-day, and said nothing had been
received from his father yet--but he did not deny that such accounts
might be substantially true.

The President still keeps his eye on Gen. Beauregard. A paper from the
general to Gen. Cooper, and, of course, referred to the President, in
relation to the means of defense in his department, and a call for more
guns, was sent back to-day, indorsed by the President, that by an
examination of the report of Gen. Huger, he thought some discrepancies
would appear in the statements of Gen. B. Thus, it would seem, from a
repetition of similar imputations, the President has strong doubts of
Gen. B.'s accuracy of statements. He is quick to detect discrepancies.

Gen. D. H. Hill sends in a characteristic letter. He says the rivers are
all swollen, and he can make no movement to-day in pursuit of Dix's army
of the Pamunky--or rather "the monkey army." He says that the Brooke
Pike outer defenses are so defective in design, that a force there
could be driven off in five minutes by the enemy's sharpshooters. He
wants them amended, and a certain grove cut down--and recommends that
engineers be p