Cloudy with rain. Busy all morning in writing notes to Lord Russell and others. The Consuls are again exercising my patience. We had today the sequel of the news. It appears from this that the indecisive result of the battle of the 17th ended in the retreat of the rebels over the river without essential loss. Thus though the invasion of Maryland is at an end, the war remains in Virginia as it was. This certainly was a great disappointment to me, for I had hoped after so good a beginning that the end would be the dispersion of the rebel forces. I now can scarcely208 foresee the end of the struggle. The ruin that is impending over the people of the slaveholding states is apparent enough. A large part of their territory is devastated, and their slaves are gone or else in a wild and critical situation. But the effort on our side is likewise exhausting enough. The ultimate consequences it is hard to foresee. Perhaps it is better not to try. I read some of the life of George Rose. Those were times of great distress too—yet here in England after half a century more powerful than ever!