cheerful and entire devotion. And the sad assur¬ 
ance was well founded. The flag was not struck 
until his son had fallen. 
A Prayer Encored. — The Newark Mercury'. 
gives an account of the Anniversary exercise of a 
Mission School iu that city, from which we extract 
the following:—'■ During the singing of ‘ Our Glori¬ 
ous Union Forever.’ two sisters, aged four and 
seven, stood on the left of the singers, both having 
dresses and head wreaths of red, white, and blue, 
the eldest representing the Goddess of Liberty, and 
the other the presiding Child Genius of the Repub¬ 
lic. The song finished, the youngest child knelt, 
and folding her tiny hands, offered Up the following 
artless prayer for her country: 
“Oh Lord, look down from out the sky, 
And hear n child who prays to Thee; 
A child that loves the United States, 
And evtr.V wicked traitor hates. 
Oh bless our soldiers and our sailors; 
George McClellan and the others; 
Our pretty flag with victory crown. 
And don't let any one tear it down. 
Bless all '.lint's good, no matter what, 
And don't forget old General Scott." 
Ae the child uttered this lillle prayer, with all the 
earnestness and simplicity of her innocent nature, 
a breathless silence came over the audience, and in 
the lowest depth of every heart there stirred and 
trembled a gush of genuine feeling that finally hurst 
into wild applause. The prayer went up to Ib-aven 
once more, and two bouquets fell at the feet of the 
children.” 
The Brave Tars.— It is some consolation to us, 
and a set-otf to our recent disaster in Hampton 
Roads, that our frigates sustained the traditional 
renown of our navy. There was no panic like that 
of Bull Run, no surrender like that of Roanoke or 
Fort Donolson; the Cumberland went down with 
her guns firing and her ling flying. This incident 
will recall the spirited lines of Professor Lowell, in 
one ot his recent “ Biglow Papers ": 
“ Better that all our strips an' all their crews 
Should sink to rot in ocean's dreamless ooze, 
Each torn flag wavin’ challenge e/. it went, 
An' each dumb gun a brave man's moniment, 
Thau seek such peace ez only cowards crave; 
Give me tiie peace of dead ineu or of brave.” 
Natural.— Jeff. Davis has recommended that the 
Confederate soldiers released on parole by our gov¬ 
ernment, be absolved from their obligations not to 
take up arms, and mustered into service again. Of 
course. It is perfectly natural that men whose 
public careers have been marked by the most fla¬ 
grant violations of sacred oaths, should demand a 
similar disregard of honor in their subordinates. 
Nor is it any worse than 1o cheat in the fair 
exchange of prisoners, as in the case of Roanoke 
and Corcoran, It is hardly probable, however, that 
a confederate absolution would save such of those 
guilty of breaking parole as are caught again, from 
being shot, in accordance with the rules of war. 
Gone on a Trip North.—T he finest plantation 
between Nashville and Columbia is that of Major 
Shields. As we passed, his fences were lined with 
negroes. One of these was hailed with— 
“ Who is your master?” 
“ Major Shields.” ‘ 
“ Where is he?” • 
“ In do Suthen army.” 
“ Don't yon wish we may catch him?” 
“ Lor' bless your soul, massa, he’s done cotched 
a’ready?” 
“ Where was he caught?” 
“ Why, at Fo’t Donelson ! They got him up ’most 
to Canada now!” 
Can we live with them again?— The Key West 
correspondent of the New York Times writes: I 
have often heard the declaration that when the 
rebellion shall have been crushed, there can be no 
re-union of the States. The statement is very com¬ 
mon, especially among Southern men. But if the 
state of affairs here is of any significance, it points 
to the iallacy of the idea. There are now living 
here men who have signed the ordinance of seces¬ 
sion ot Florida, who have opened hooks for sub¬ 
scriptions to the bogus confederate loan, some who 
have refused to sell coal to the United States vessels, 
and some who have threatened national officers or 
those who should presume to accept national office, 
and those, generally speaking, whom l have been 
assured were the most determined rebels. Yet they 
have now all taken the oath of allegiance, and are 
quietly conducting their business amid a very 
numerous representation of Northern men, and all 
is order and quiet. Some of these persons are anx¬ 
ious to conceal and forget that they have rebelled, 
and may be found competing for the trade of the 
army and navy, and mixing in the gayer scenes 
It appears from official dispatches received at the 
Navy Department that when our force reached New- 
bern they captured nine merchant vessels. Their 
cargoes consisted in the aggregate of about 4,000 
barrels of rosin, besides tar. pilch, oil and shingles, 
nine bales of cotton, ite. 
By orders recently issued, it is the duty of the' 
Commanding General in the field, or of a depart¬ 
ment. to make arrangements for the safe keeping 
and reasonable comfort of bis prisoners. He will 
give no order exchanging prisoners or releasing 
them, except under instructions from the depart¬ 
ment; but in emergencies admitting of no delay, the 
General will act upon bis own authority, and give 
any order relative to these prisoners the public 
interest may require, promptly reporting his pro¬ 
ceedings to the War Departmental)rough the Adju¬ 
tant-General. A general depot for prisoners will 
be provided by the Secretary of War, to be under 
the command of the Commissionary Generals of 
prisoners, but leaving it discretionary to the Gen¬ 
erals commanding departments, or in the field, to 
send their prisoners thither. 
The order preventing newspaper correspondents 
passing the Federal lines has been revoked, and 
Col. Anson Stager authorized to grant passes to the 
editors, correspondents, and reporters of news¬ 
papers to enter the lines of the United States army, 
upon receiving satisfactory proof that the person 
applying for such pass is loyal, and his written 
parole not to publish any information of military 
operations that would give aid or comfort to the 
enemy. Persons holding such passes to he subjects 
to such rules as the General Commanding may 
prescribe. 
The following. Proclamation and Orders were 
issued during the past week: 
PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESIDENT. 
Washington, April 16,1S62. 
It has pleased Almighty God to vouchsafe signal 
victories to land and naval forces engaged in sup¬ 
pressing internal rebellion, and at the same time 
avert from our country the dangers of foreign inter¬ 
vention and invasion, it is therefore recommended 
to the people of the United States, that at their next 
weekly assemblages in their accustomed places of 
public worship, which shall occur after the notice of 
this proclamation shall have been received, they 
especially acknowledge and render thanks to our 
Heavenly Father for these inestimable blessings; 
that they then and there implore spiritual consola¬ 
tion on behalf of those who have been brought into 
affliction by casualties and calamities of sedition 
and civil war; and that they reverently invoke 
Divine guidance lor our national councils, to the 
end that they may speedily result in ihe restoration 
of peace, harmony and unity throughout our bor¬ 
ders. and hasten the establishment of fraternal rela¬ 
tions throughout all the countries of (lie earth. 
in witness whereof I have hereunto 
struck by a cannon ball on the afternoon of Sunday. 
Gen. Johnston’s body was left on the battle-field, 
and is in our possession, as well as the bodies ol a 
large number of other prominent officers. 
The Gazette's Tennessee correspondent says the 
sum and substance of the battle on Sunday is we 
were pushed from disaster to disaster, until we lost 
every division camp we had and were driven within 
a mile of (he Landing. The timely aid of the gun¬ 
boats, the tremendous efforts of our artillerists and 
Buell's approach saved us. On Monday, after nine 
hours hard fighting, we simply regained all that we 
had lost in the liable on Sunday. Not a division 
advanced half a mile beyond our old camp except 
that of Gen. Lew Wallace. The lowest estimates 
place our loss in killed and wounded at. 3,300, and 
in prisoners at 3,000 to 4,000. The rebel loss in 
killed and wounded is probably 1,000 heavier. The 
rebels in their retreat left acres covered with their 
dead, whom they carried to the rear, and destroyed 
the heavy supplies they had brought up. 
On tli** 5th Inst., nt 10 o’clock A. M., the firing of 
many shots in quick succession told us that the ball 
was opened, and a few minutes later the line of 
rebel eartkwoiks was in view at the intervals be¬ 
tween the patches of forest. Our artillery had 
engaged the battery in front at medium range, and 
received a few short, quick replies; but the enemy's 
firing soon ceased almost entirely. Our skirmishers 
and sharp shooters had now completed their recon- 
noissance, and reported the condition of the country 
and the situatioii of the works. As nearly as can 
be ascertained, the rebel works extend a distance of 
nearly two miles , beginning in front of Yorktown on 
the river and running toward Williamsburgh. Con¬ 
trabands report that the defenses extend at intervals 
across to the James river. 
As the skirmishers extended on either hand, 
numerous guns were discovered; our pieces were 
brought into line, and soon Ihe action became gene¬ 
ral. The works seern to be simple earthworks, with 
guns mounted on the top. At. the left, the forest has 
been felled so as to obstruct the passage ot our 
infantry, and give range to their guns. As the works 
in this direction were discovered, our pieces opened 
lire, which was kept up in a spirited manner on 
both sides until night closed upon the light. At this 
point the work was hottest, and nearly all the casual¬ 
ties of the day occurred here. Five men at our 
guns were killed and six wounded. The troops 
killed on our side were all from Massachusetts. We 
obtained position in trout of the enemy and on his 
flank, while our gunboats were signalled on ihe 
river ready for action. As the sun went down, the 
rebels appeared upon their works in large numbers, 
their band playing “Dixie” and the Marseillaise 
Hymn, and they cheering vociferously. 
The 6th lust., (Sunday,) writes the correspondent 
of the Philadelphia Inquirer, has been a day of rest 
with the soldiers. There has been little or no firing 
from the rebel forts, although during the afternoon 
some twenty or twenty-five shells were thrown at and 
into the forts on the north by a Union battery. 
Upon the forts named two rebel flags were seen 
floating to-day for the first time. 
The most important feature of the day has been 
the balloon ascension, which, in point ofimportance 
to the Government, lias been one of the grandest 
balloon recounoissances ever made. The first 
as.iension was made at live o’clock iu the morning, 
and ihen and there the position and strength of the 
enemy was ascertained for the first, time. Subse¬ 
quently recounoissances of from one to two hours 
were made and important information gained. 
The fortifications of the rebels are of the strongest 
possible character, and sweep an extent of country 
of seven miles, extending across the peninsula from 
the York to the James rivers. Behind these fortifi¬ 
cations they have a large reserve force, bo that the 
entire strength of the rebels at this point is rated 
from twenty-live to thirty thousand men. Their 
forts are mounted by guns of the heaviest caliber, 
and some of them are ol a continuous character for 
miles, being connected by earthworks. The heaviest 
to render the line one of vast strength in a military 
sense, nature has given to it the topographical 
characteristics to which I have alluded. 
Information received shows that the rebels have 
now a force of 60,000, which is rapidly being added 
to by troops from the neighborhood of Richmond, 
which is one day from Yorktown by railroad and 
rjver, they having four steamers and sixteen trans¬ 
ports in use; and by the time the roads are in condi¬ 
tion for the Union army to move, the rebels may be 
able to meet them with lftO.OOO men. The flower 
of their army, with the best arms, are in a strongly- 
intrenched position. Previous to our troops occu¬ 
pying their present position, the military authorities 
had no means ot ascertaining the extent ot the rebel 
works. Information obtained through deserting 
contrabands and other sources, show that the enemy 
have nearly 500 guns, some of them of the largest 
caliber. The rebel General, Joseph E. Johnston, 
with some of his forces, has arrived and taken com¬ 
mand in person, showing that they intend making a 
desperate resistance to the advance of our troops at 
every point. 
The cheering news from the Western Department 
arrived here to-day, and our troops are wild with 
enthusiasm over the result, and are anxious to be 
led to achieve similar deeds of valor. 
On the 8th we learn that the night previous Capt. 
Ayres. Chief of Artillery of Gen. Smith’s division, 
directed earthworks for the protection of artillery to 
be thrown up, which was done tinder the immediate 
superintendence of Adjutant Kerusow, whose ca¬ 
pacity and zeal have given him a high standing in 
the estimation of the best commanders. The posi¬ 
tion selected advances our pieces to within about 
1,000 yards of the main redoubt of the enemy. 
While engaged in the work, the rebels fired several 
cannon shots, which, though exploding very near, 
the Vermonters never flinched, or lor a moment 
paused, but kept at work through the night. About- 
nine o’clock this morning, Gen. McClellan and staff, 
with a squadron of cavalry, reached Gen. Key’s 
headquarters, at Warwick Court House. Remain¬ 
ing half an hour in conference with Gen. Key, Gen. 
McClellan rode to the front and hastily inspected 
the enemy’s works and our own position, and 
returned to the headquarters of Gen. Key. The day 
is rainy and cold, and operations are entirely sus¬ 
pended. 
The telegraph on the 0th states that the weather 
continues unfavorable lor military operations. It 
has been raining for two days. The creeks are very 
much swollen and the low grounds are covered with 
water, making the roads almost impassable for 
empty wagons. 
We learn by a telegram dated the 12th, that the 
weather was more enlivening. The sun shone 
brightly on the 10th and 11th, much to the 
relief of the thousands of soldiers who are com¬ 
pelled to sleep in the open air. The roads are still 
in very bad condition. The rebels still continue to 
open with artillery whenever they discover a picket 
post, to which our guns never reply. The rebel 
forces have been greatly increased within the last 
two days. On Thursday, several vessels were seen 
to land troops at Yorktown, and also at Gloucester, 
opposite, which place has not been occupied up to 
this time. Re-entbrcemenls have also been received 
from Norfolk by way of James River. The balloon 
reeoimoissancc. by Gen. Fitz John Porter, shows that 
the rebels had materially strengthened their works, so 
that many additional guns had been placed in posi¬ 
tion. He reached an altitude of 5,000 feet, affording 
an unobstructed view as lar as Williamsburg and 
Norfolk. 
Department of the Miiedssippi. 
Details of the fight at Pittsburg Landing, 
Tenn., and of the operations before Yorktown. 
occupy so much of our space, that wo can barely 
mention t ransactions for the week in Gen. Halleck s 
Department 
Commander Foote sent the following to the Navy 
Department: 
Flag Snip Bb.nton, Island So- 10, t 
April 8th, via Cairo. J 
lion. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Miry:— I 
have to inform Hie Department, that since I sent, the 
telegram last night, announcing the surrender tome 
of Island No. 1ft, possession has been taken both of 
the Island and the works upon the Tennessee shore, 
by ihe gunboats and troops under command of Gen. 
Buford. Seventeen officers and 368privatee, besides 
100 Of their sick and 100 men employed on board 
the transports, are iu our hands, unconditionally 
prisoners of war. 
I have caused hasty examination to Tie made of 
the forts, hatteries and munitions of war captured. 
There are 11 earthworks, with 70 heavy cannon, 
varying iu Caliber from 32 to 100-pounders, rifled. 
The magazines are well supplied with powder, and 
there are large quantities of shot and shell and 
other munitions of war. and also groat quantities of 
provisions. Four steamers afloat have fallen into 
our hands, and two others, with the. rebel gunboat 
Grampus, me sunk, but will be easily raised. 
Dispatches from New Madrid say that the gun¬ 
boats Pittsburg and Caroiidolet, on the 7th, shelled 
and silenced the batteries on the opposite shore, 
when Pope ordered the troops across, which was 
accomplished without the loss of a man. The 
rebels fled towards Tipton, sinking several of their 
transports and the gunboat Grampus: their floating 
battery, mounting ten guns, floated down the river, 
and is now aground uear Point Pleasant and will 
be recovered with its armament. 
Gen. Pope took the Pittsburg and Carondolet, 
and with a part of his army marched to Tipton and 
attacked the enemy on the 8lh, He captured three 
Generals, 6,000 prisoners ot war, 100 siege pieces, 
several field batteries, immense quantities of small 
arms, tents, wagons, horses, and provisions. We 
have not, lost a single man. 
A special to the Ft. Louis Republican says that 
two hundred hogsheads of sugar and several hun¬ 
dred barrels of molasses, eighty cannon, four hun¬ 
dred wagons, one hundred and twenty-six horses, 
sixty mules, live thousand stand of arms, thirty 
pieces ot light artillery, and great quantities of 
blankets, clothing, &c,, had fallen into our hands. 
The total number of prisoners captured is six thou¬ 
sand, including Adjutant-General McCall and three 
Brigadier-Generals. Gault, Walker and Scliaum. 
Prisoners are being embarked as rapidly as possible 
for Illinois. We also took about fifty-six thousand 
solid shot, and immense quantities ot ammunition. 
Two steamers, fitted up as floating hospitals, left 
St. Louis on the 0th, lor Tennessee river, and large 
contributions of all kinds of supplies are being 
made to-day to furnish two more, which will leave 
this evening. The Western Sanitary Commission is 
moving earnestly in this matter, and every effort 
will be made lor the speedy relief of our wounded 
soldiers at Pittsbprg Landing. 
The following dispatch has been received by the 
Secretary of War: 
Ukadquaktkrs. Third Division, } 
UlJNTSVlLLK. Ala. 1 
After a forced march of inevitable difficulty, leav¬ 
ing Fayettesville yesterday at 12 M.. my advanced 
guard, consisting of Leicnrery’s brigade and .Ste¬ 
venson’s battery, entered Huntsville ibis morning 
at 3 o'clock. Tlie city was taken entirely by sur¬ 
prise. as no one considered the march practical at 
this time. We have captured about 200 prisoners, 
15 locomotives, and a large amount of passenger 
and box cars, telegraph apparatus and the Font-hern 
mails. We nave at last succeeded in cutting the 
great artery of the railroad communication in the 
Southern States. O. M. Mitchell. 
Brigadier-General Commanding. 
Colonel Kelton, Assistant Adjutant-General, and 
General Ketchum are in charge here while Geneial 
Halleck is in the field. 
J r — — • , >11 V* IVUySv II UviVUJ L imvv- UVIVUU'V 
j ska l. t set my hand, and caused the seal of 
- ’ the United States to be affixed. 
Done at the City of Washington the 10th day of 
April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eigh¬ 
teen hundred and sixty-two, and in the year of 
independence the eighty-sixth. 
W. H. Seward. Abraham Lincoln. 
OFFICIAL WAR BULLETIN. 
War Dkpaktmrnt. Washington, ) 
April 9, 1862. J 
Orders giving thanks for the recent Great Victories over the 
Rebels and Traitors. 
Ordered, First, That at meridian of the Sunday 
next after the receipt of this order, at the head of 
every regiment in the army of the United States, 
1 here will he offered up a prayer giving thanks to 
the Lord of Hosts for the recent manifestations of 
his power in the overt hrow of the rebels and traitors, 
and invoking the continuance of his aid in deliver¬ 
ing this nation by the arms of patriotic soldiers from 
the horrors of treason, rebellion, and civil war. 
2d, That the thanks and congratulations of the 
War Department are tendered to Major-General 
Halleck for the signal ability and success that have 
distinguished all the military operations of his 
Department, and for the spirit and courage mani¬ 
fested by the army under his command, under every 
hardship and against every odds, in attacking, pur¬ 
suing and destroying the enemy wherever they 
could be found. 
3d, That the thanks of the Department are also 
given to Generals Curtis and Figel, and the officers 
of their command, for their matchless gallantry at 
the bloody battle of Pea Ridge; and to Major-Gen¬ 
erals Grant and Buell, ana their forces, for the 
glorious repulse of Beauregard at Pittsburgh, Tenn.; 
and to Major-General Pope, and his officers and sol¬ 
diers, for the bravery and skill displayed iu their 
operations against the rebels and traitors intrenched 
at Island No. 10 on the Mississippi river, the daring, 
courage, diligent prosecution, persistent valor, and 
military achievements unsurpassed. 
4th. There shall this day he fired a salute of 100 
S uns from the U. S. Arsenal at. Washington, iu 
onor of these great victories, 
E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War. 
The following complimentary letter was sent to 
Flag Officer Foote: 
Navy Department, April 9,1862. 
To Flay Officer A. II. Foote, Commanding the 
Gunboats 'on ' Western Waters: — Sir: A naiion’s 
thanks are duo to you and to the brave officers 
and men of the flotilla on the Mississippi^ whose 
labors and gallantry at Island No. 10, which sur¬ 
rendered to you yesterday, have for weeks been 
watched With intense interest. Your triumph is not 
the less appreciated because protracted and finally 
bloodless. 
To that Being who has protected you through so 
many perils, and carried you onward to successive 
victories, he praises for Ids continued goodness to 
our country, especially lor this last great success of 
our arms. Let congratulations to yourself and 
command he also extended to officers and soldiers 
who co-operated with you. 
Gideon Welles, Sec’y of the Navy. 
It has been ascertained that the rebel leaders are 
grievously disconcerted by the change of programme 
in the disposition of the army of the Potomac. 
They had early information of the preparations for 
the transportation of Gen. McClellan’s army, and 
supposing that the whole army of the Potomac was 
to be withdrawn from this vicinity, had arranged a 
programme for a bold dash across the Potomac 
above Washington, and a ioray upon the capital 
through Maryland. Gen. Jackson’s command was 
to lead the enterprise, and to he supported by Smith 
and Johnston's forces. 
It was reported that the rebel sympathizers in 
Maryland would raise the standard of revolt, and 
aid the execution of the project by the destruction 
of railroads and bridges, and tie isolation of Wash¬ 
ington from re-enforcements of Union troops. The 
rebel leaders reckoned without their hosts, and 
were taken by surprise at finding General Banks 
within supporting distance of Gen. Shields, when 
the attempt was made to execute the first part of 
their programme. Tho repulse of Jackson, and the 
creation of two new Departments in Virginia, under 
the command of Gen. Banks and Gen. McDowell, 
convince them that in the movement Gen. McClellan 
has left no point unprotected. The Maryland sym¬ 
pathisers who were emboldened to insolence at the 
prospect of this bold feat of the rebel army, have 
become disheartened and are leavin, 
Items anil Incidents. 
Burnside at Nkwbern.— A soldier, writing to 
his friends, thus describes the appearance of the 
Commanding General on the day of the Hattie: 
“ You would have laughed if you had seen Burn¬ 
side on that day. His dress was a compound 
between a coal-heaver and an Italian brigand. If 
you have ever seen the Corsican Brothers played, 
you can form an idea of his costume.” 
The First Government Remittance from the 
“ Confederate States.” —It is worthy of note, in 
connection with the news from Florida, that the 
Assistant Treasurer received on Thursday morn¬ 
ing, the 3d inst., his first remittance from any of the 
Gulf .States since their secession. Mr. George Phil¬ 
lips, the postmaster at Fort Jefferson, Florida, has 
forwarded S77, this being due the Government from 
receipts in his department. 
G KNERAL Buei.l anb Secession Ladies.— A few 
days ago. as Gen. Buell was riding on horseback 
through the streets of Nashville, an aristocratic 
lady, a Mrs. W., living in a fine, large house, stood 
at an open door or window, waved a rebel flag 
toward him, and cried, w Hurrah for Jeff. Davis and 
the Southern Confederacy!” The General reined in 
his horse, turned toward the lady, touched his hat 
with all the courtesy and suavity for which he is 
remarkable, and. surveying the line house from top 
to bottom with the eye of a connoisseur, quietly 
remarked, K An excellent house for a hospital.’' In 
less than two hours every room was full of sick 
soldiers, and Mrs. W. was politely requested to take 
kind care of them. 
Honor to the Brave. — At the battle of Win¬ 
chester. a battalion of one hundred and fifty Irish¬ 
men, who had been impressed into the rebel service^ 
were pushed to the front and ordered to fire upon 
our troops. They nobly refused to do so, and 
though forty-three of them were shot down, they fell 
with their muskets loaded, true to (he last. There 
have been many noble deeds in this war. but none 
about the record of which the muse of history will 
weave a more glowing charm, than this. All honor 
to the martyr sons of the Green Isle, who welcomed 
death rather than raise their hands against the flag 
under the folds of which they found an asylum and 
protection. 
A Noble Tribute. — When the veteran Commo¬ 
dore Joseph Smith, on duty at Washington, saw by 
the first dispatch from Fortress Monroe that the 
frigate Congress, commanded by his son Joseph, 
had raised the white flag, he only remarked quietly, 
“Joe’s dead!” No Roman father ever paid a 
nobler or more emphatic tribute of confidence to a 
gallant son, than is contained in the words so 
uttered, nor gave that son to his country with more 
defences on the road. We again passed the works 
at Big Bethel, and proceeded steadily along our 
chosen route. Gen. Key's corps took the extreme 
left, following the shore of the James river, and 
having for its point o< destination the rear of York¬ 
town, approaching that city on the Williamsburg 
road, by which it is expected to flank the rebel 
earthworks. This corps took the road running from 
Williamsburg, on the James river, across to York¬ 
town. Gem ilcintzelman’s corps took the center 
road, heading direct to Yorktown. General Sedg¬ 
wick’s division of Gen. Sumner's corps took the 
extreme right, and thus we approached the town 
from three different directions. 
Gem Heinlzelman’s corps took the road direct, 
without meeting any occurrence of interest until 
it reached Ellis' Mills, fifteen miles from Fortress 
Monroe and nine miles from Yorktown, when two 
guns were discovered mounted upon earthworks ot 
considerable extent, defended by some seven or 
eight hundred infantry and cavalry. Our artillery 
was immediately drawn up iu order, and fire was 
opened upon the enemy, who replied three times 
and then fled, taking their guns and ammunition 
with them. Rebel pickets were seen at different 
points, and two ot them were taken prisoners. 
They proved to be part of a Mississippi regiment, 
but said tbev were natives of Cincinnati and Wis¬ 
consin. They reported that earthworks of consider¬ 
able extent had been erected two miles from York¬ 
town. and that the rebels were hastily adding to 
their fortifications and re-enforcing their troops. 
AFFAIRS AT WASHINGTON 
The President sent a message to the. Senate, on 
the 10th inst,, concerning a treaty recently agreed 
upon by Lord Lyons and Secretary Seward, and the. 
correspondence had by these gentlemen, the whole 
relating to the African slave trade. The President, 
without expressing any opinion on the subject, trans¬ 
mits the papers to the Senate for its ratification or 
rejection. If ratified, the government of Great 
Britain will then pass upon the subject. If the 
treaty, as now drawn up by the ministers of the two 
governments, is finally agreed upon and becomes a 
law.it is believed that by a thorough compliance 
with its provisions the slave trade will cease to 
exist iu less than ton years. 
Mr. Gyrus W. Field arrived in Washington on the 
,12th inst., direct from London, and reports that the 
feeling in England and France in favor of this 
country is daily increasing. It is said Mr. Field 
brought with him from Europe proposals from influ¬ 
ential capitalists to supply a very large amount of 
war material to the United States, to be delivered in 
New York, and payable entirely in bonds of our 
government. 
The city is being fast cleared of the bogus army 
officers who have infested the hotels and promen¬ 
ades of Washington lor some time past. Counter¬ 
feit colonels, majors, and line officers by scores have 
been arrested and confined in the central guard 
house, and released shorn of their feathers. 
ig by scores. 
Numbers have been arrested in their attempt to 
escape into Dixie, and others who were known to 
have organized for the occasion, are seeking avenues 
southward iu small parties. The removal of the 
restriction upon the passage of civilians across the 
Potomac has afforded many of them the long looked 
for opportunity. 
