Royal. General Lee having left for Richmond, General Jackson was in chief command.

Saturday, November 1.-Great activity is displayed in removing the sick to Staunton. Winchester and its vicinity is garrisoned and picketed by the First Louisiana Brigade, First Regiment Maryland Infantry, and squadron of Maryland Cavalry, with pickets extending north 6 miles.

The 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th were days of constant arrival of prisoners, stragglers, exchanged prisoners from the Southern capital to join their commands. Newspapers from North and South were received daily. The appearance of Yankee cavalry within 6 miles of the city, by way of Hancock; the continual advance of McClellan's forces toward Warrenton; Sigel on Manassas and Ashby's Gap, and the maneuver of the Yankees at Wardensville, created quite a consternation among the chivalry. A daily evacuation was spoken of; the sick and wounded were more vigorously removed, while all movable conveyances in and about the city were pressed for the immediate use of the army. The fortifications northeast of the town were neither garrisoned nor guarded; they retained the same appearance as when evacuated by the Yankees. The conscript crop has turned out, like at other places South, a failure, several dozen being the gatherings of no less than six counties, and of that number five refused to take up arms under all circumstances, but subjected themselves to close imprisonment for a period of time, but finally yielded.

General Longstreet's corps, having been encamped on the Front Royal road, 9 miles from Winchester, resumed its march on the 2nd and 3rd of November, to meet General Lee at Culpeper, who was reported awaiting him, having 15,000 men under his command. The arrival of a report, received on the evening of the 4th, claiming a grand victory over General Sigel, and the utter rout of the Yankees under him by Jackson and Hill, created quite a jubilee among the citizens and soldiers, and their pale countenances displayed the chivalric smile once more. Soon their common brag began to make its rounds-Jackson was again ready to advance and enter Maryland. The cry, "Winchester is not going to be evacuated," was hailed in the streets. Army supplies were arriving slowly, consisting of flour, tobacco, blankets, clothing, and shoes, sufficient to clothe 20 men of each regiment in Jackson's corps. The arrival of 103 Yankee prisoners, captured by White's guerrillas at Snicker's Gap; to buying of Yankee clothing and exchanging Confederate scrip for greenbacks, assumed the appearance of quite a business in and about the prison, while the small-pox did its duty at the hospital. The regular arrival of Northern papers and mail matter was surprising-my authority, a Maryland, and orderly to General George H. Steuart, who had been in the habit of supplying me with his daily Southern gas. I obtained sufficient information to convince me that the business is carried on by Marylanders, not alone citizens, but also by soldiers, by crossing the river a few miles above Williamsport, and 4 miles below Martinsburg.

Sunday, November 9.-Arriving at Strasburg, leaving about 1,200 head of cattle a mile behind, the division, under General D. H. Hill, consisting of infantry and several batteries of field pieces, just entered the town from Front Roayl, under orders to re-enforce Jackson. The commissary department in this place was well supplied with crackers, bacon, and flour.

Monday, November 10.-D. H. Hill leaves at daybreak for Winchester.