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[[start page]] to Judge Campbell's son. He has joined the [[Union?]] army & she can here from him but very rarely- Poor child I pitied her she looked pale & sad. 19th Harpers Ferry has been evacuated. It was an easy place to hold & the Government anticipated hard fighting there. Father saw Gen. Scot in the evening he said the place was not of much importance to the Southerners. He did not wonder it was abandoned. The Gen. was amusing himself with Shakespeare after the cares of the day. Mr. [[Townsand?]] was with him who had been on the battle field in the engagement at Bethel Gen. Scott expressed his disapprobation of the blunder which had been made. He did not like the appointment of Civilians to post of such important command. ^The art of War [[strikethrough]] [[?]] [[/strikethrough]] he said [[strikethrough]] was [[strikethrough]] is certainly [[strikethrough]] more [[strikethrough]] as difficult [[strikethrough]] than [[strikethrough]]] ^as the art of shoemaking & who even ^thought of practicing [[strikethrough]] made [[/strikethrough]] the latter without serving an apprenticeship? The Gen. thinks he might end the war in a year if [[strikethrough]] left to his [[/strikethrough]] ^permitted to carry out his own plans [[strikethrough]] [?] [[/strikethrough]] but great complaints are made of his slow movements. Most of the troops have left the city now. We have [[strikethrough]] seen [[/strikethrough]] ^had a visit from the Rev. Mr. Green this week ^ who has just returned from the South He says the Southern troops are much inferior to those of the North. They are comprised in part of boys of 14 & 15 years of age. Pres. Davis is in very delicate health should he die the [[prospect?]] of the South will be dark. [[end page]] [[start page]] Gen. Peirce has been very much blamed for the disasterous affairs at Great & Little Bethel. But Gen. Butler his superior in command planed the attack & he alone if any one should be censured. Bethel is not far from Fortress Monroe where Gen. Butler is stationed. Sat. 15th Went with [[N___G___?]] to visit the camps of the 1st 2nd & 3rd Maine Regiments they are near together in the vacinity of Columbia College. A German regiment is not far off. We saw three parades at once from our carriage while the music of two seperate bands blended very sweetly together. M. 17th Another [[strikethrough]] [?] [[/strikethrough]] regiment arrived from Mass. yesterday we saw them as they marched up the avenue dusty & travel stained. " 18 Prof. Lowe made some experiments with his baloon. He wishes to be of service to the Government in reconnoitering the forces & position of the enemy. He arose to the height of 200 feet carring with him light telegraph wires by means of which he found he could readily communicate with individuals on terra ferma. About sundown he moved ^majestically along through the air to the Presidents grounds the balloon drawn by a crowd of men & boys. We started for the same place by a shorter road but were soon [[end page]]
