Yesterday it was raining, and about 10 o’clock I received an order to be at New Bern at 12 o’clock to sit on a board of survey of foreign stores. I got a dug-out of Grossonfer & took two of my men to row, - the oars light & the blocks broken off - waves running high, and wind blowing strong southwest - we had a hard time getting down half of the way, we ran to shore and poled. Lt Wright & Goodridge 57 N.Y. were the other two. The latter was away North. We looked at the rotten hay & oats and adjutants today. Lt. Morris was substituted. The schooner had been chartered by the gov. of Dibble at New York - he slipped in private stores, & 40 bales of hay were left on deck. She sprung a leak off Hatteras & was near sinking - both hay inside & outside was damaged. We reported; however, that Dibble who had put the store in & smuggled them into a port not open ought to be held liable at least for the 40 bales outside - for though they would have been damaged even if put in there, he ought to have put them inside & it was a question whether by displacing the forage with other smuggled goods would not make him liable for the whole. He is such a mean old curse, he ought to be caught up. It rained this evening and I had to walk up. This morning as we were going down the guards of the H com. discharged their pieces, & the minces with an angry [hing] came into the water all around us. Though we know what it was, it was a scared and mad party. Worse scared than in battle, & we have then many a hearty imprecation. Dick was so scared he was going to jump into the Creek. We got a mail from the North with news of the battle of Hanover Court house and oak grove, & evacuation of Corinth. Rec’d a letter from John of the 28th June.
