William went to Belpre on the morning train. On his return he met a man just from Alexandria. He says the Federals are by no means discouraged, but feel as if they had the rebels in a tight place. M'Clellan has advanced his army of 75 thousand. McDowell, Burnside, &c are within supporting distance of Pope. A favorable issue is expected in the pending struggles.
We went in the evening to a melon party. [The location of the melon party is scratched out, but it appears to be Bailey's.] Cool evening, table outdoors, chilly business. Betsey kept us sometime listening to various rumors of guerrillas who were expected to ford the Ohio at the Island here and cut up Nick generally, of spies who went from house to house gathering information and making out lists of Union men, of threats that 'somebody' had made that the times would be no better until our family and certain others were killed or burned out, &c. [The phrase "our family and certain others" is written in pencil over an erasure.] I know these are troublous times -- may their continuance be short, still I think it is useless for us to keep ourselves in a state of chronic fear as many do, driving sleep from their eyes and slumber from their eyelids. I think Ann Harvey is about right when she says she, after much anxiety concluded that, unless "the Lord kept the place, the watchman watched in vain", and so resigned herself to His keeping.
Mr. Goff sent us a fine water-melon, also Mr. Crawford.
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