ttlitovid kittmo, THE ASSEMBLY AT DAYTON. To•day the General Assembly com mences its sessions-at Dayton, a beauti ful inland town in Ohio. It will be opened with a sermon by the last mode rator, Prof. Henry B. Smith D. D., of Union Seminary. We should j udge fro m the list of delegates thus far published, that it will contain a very fair propor tion of the working force and talent of , the body. Among the questions to come before it, there will probably be none of greater importance than the one pertaining to the Publication cause, par ticularly the completion of its endow ment, and the proposed hymn and tune book. The question of union with other bodies of Presbyterians will doubtless be mooted, in what form precisely, it is •im possible to tell. Should overtures on this subject actually be made by the Assembly meeting at Newark, interest ing developments of feeling and senti ment wouldfollow. We much misjudge the temper of either body, however, if they take any decisive steps at this time on the subject. Both assemblies will celebrate the Tercentenary of John Calvin's death, May 27th, with appro priate ceremonies. We regret that our own arrangements for fully ; reporting the Assembly have fallen through, from the failure of the reporter, whom we had, as we thought, engaged for the service. REV. J. GARLAND HAMNER., Of the Presbytery of Wilmington, has kindly consented to not, as our agent at Dayton. PLEDGE OF THE WOMEN'S NATIONAL COVENANT. For three years, or for the war, we pledge ourselves to each other and the country, to purchase no imported article bf apparel. BADGE PROPOSED A badge /vas proposed by 1111. s. Ann S. Stephens, the authoress—and adopted, viz., a black bee, with wings enamelled according to nature, worn with tri-colored ribbon, a little in front of the left shoulder. A WORD TO THE MEN The following resolution, adopted by the ladies inaugurating the movement, is espec ially commended to the sex whom it concerns. ..&solued, That while as the wives and daugh ters-and women of America, we are ready and determined to practice self-denial for the benefit of the country and our sex, we earnest ly request the men of America, also to abstain from the use of imported articles, especially wines, liquors and cigars. Mtn of the Mel THE GREAT STRUGGLE IN VIRGINIA. The Power of the Republic at last Demon- strated. THE DOWNFALL OF TILE PRO•SLUYERY CONSPIRACY. We said a few weeks ago, that the Govern ment was determined to put forth such a degree of strength in the opening campaign, as by the favour of Providence, would suffice to give the death blow to the rebellion: The destruction, rout, or capture, of the rebel army of Virginia, was at length admitted to be the surest way of effecting this object, and consequently, preparatiOns on a grand scale to overmatch it in strength and generalship, were made. To this end, the most successful general in the National Army, Gen. U. S. Grant, was placed in supreme command, with especial reference to the movements of the Army of the Potomac. His - policy, which is also that of common sense, to make the enemy feel the weight of our numerical superiority, guided the Government, in mus tering an immense army, far greater, Proba bly, than any with which Lee has hitherto been confronted. That army, composed largely of re-enlisted veterans, well drilled, abundantly equipped and furnished for its deadly work, and last—not least—toned up to a comparatively wholesome moral condi tion by the work of God, at the various sta tions and headquarters during the Winter and Spring, moved forth upon its mighty er rand, amid the intense and prayerful expec tation of the people, commencing its march from Varions_stations, on Monday the 2d day of May. The crossing of the Rapidan was effected without opposition on Tuesday and Wednes day, at Culpepper, Jacobs', Germania and.' Ely's Fords. No rebels were seen, except a few pickets, who retired as they advanced. Burnside's corps crossed on Thursday. Simul taneously with this advance to the right flank of Lee's army, Gen. Butler, with Gen. W. F. Smith, who fought under Grant in the Vicks burg campaign, Gen. Gilmore whose army had been brought up from Charleston, and a formidable fleet of gunboats and iron-clads, advanced up the James River, and threat ened Richmond from City Point and posi tions higher up the river. Gen. Sigel moved up the Shenandoah Valley to cut off the railroads supplying Gem Lee from that quar ter ; and Gen Aierill,stalgther west, be rn-fantsy column from the Kanawha Valley, moved upon the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad. Gen. Sherman moved in force from Ringgold upon Dalton, on - the same day. The vast conception of a simultaneous .and distracting onslaught of the National for ces upon all the vital points in the revolted territory, was thus carried out as by the im pulse of a single and intelligent mind and powerful will. Returning to the Army of the Potomac, by dark on Wednesday, an immense army, with all its trains, artillery and appendages, had been moved an average distance of fifteen miles, and thrown over a considerable river. Not a straggler was left behind : not a horse or mule strayed by the wayside ; not an abandoned wagon was encountered in the rear; not a single one of the usual signs that : mark the path of an army even inconsidera ble in size was visible. So compact; so orderly, so swift a movement; says the correspondent of the Inquirer, I believe to be without parallel. The beauty of the movement, says another, was astonishing to the army itself. Instead of moving against the centre of Lee's army atMine Run, Gen. Grant, by, a sudden march, threw himself at once across the Rapidan and upon the enemy's right flank. The consequence was the turning of that flank ; and the lines of the contending armies, in place of extending east and we st, changed to north, west and southwest. Thus, the Rappahannock and Fredericksbnrg, were in Grant's rear. He moved without any base, as in the first advances on Vicksburg, taking sixteen days' rations in wagons and on the men. The section of country thus reached, including the old battle-ground of Chancel lorsville, is called the 'Wilderness, very 'densely wooded with low timber, almost im practicable for artillery and affording excel lent cover to an advancing foe, familiar with the country. The Battles Commence. ThurSday, May 5, commenced a series of battles in which both armies fought as if, in deed, the fate : Of the Nation and of the re bellion were now at last to be decided. Sikh 'rebel stubbornness and vehemence, met by such unflinching firmness and tenacity by the brave soldiers of the Union, with such fearful slaughter on both sides, had not been seen in the whole course of the War, if ever before in the history of man beligerent. Thursday May 5. On learning that Lee had left his entrench- Ments, our army which had advanced a few miles from the Rapidan, formed on some eminences stretching from Chancellorsville towards Germania ford, to meet him. Our men passed towards Orange, Court House, and their" movements were upon the turn pike and plank-roadS running southwest from Fredericksburg to Orange Court House. Sedgwick was ordered to take the right, Warren the centre, and Hancock was ex pected to come up on the left. Warren and Sedgwick got into line about 11 o'clock, and soon after skirmishing was heard on the front. About noon Gen. Warren was order ed to push Griffin's diviSion forward to the right and left of the turnpike, and ascertain what the enemy were about, Bartlett's bri gade moved up the left. And Ayers' regia. tars to the right of the road—Sweitzer's following in reserve. After advancing about three quarters of a mile, they suddenly found themselves confronted by a well-form ed and strong rebel position on a thickly wooded ridge. A severe fight ensued. Our two brigades held their ground against evi dently greater numbers for nearly an hour, but the enemy succeeded in overlapping Ayers' regular brigade, and forcing it back precipitatly. The flank of Bartlett's bri gade being exposed, it was also soon forced back for some distance. Two pieces of the 2d Massachusetts Battery had to be left be hind in consequence of the killing of nearly all the horses, and fell into the hands of the enemy. Two other brigades came up to sus tain these, when the enemy withheld further demonstrAtions on the part of the line. Our loss is estimated at 600. Meanwhile, before Hancock on the left, could fully execute his movement, the ene my under Longstreet, at 3, P. M., attempted to get between him and the remainder of the army. Getty's division of Sedgwick's corps was ordered at once to stay this dangerous dethmistration. Hancock's advance, Mott's division, arrived just in time to form with Getty's, to the left and right of the plank road leading directly from Chancellorsville to Orange Court House. Gen. Grant ordered them to attack the advancing enemy, in order to give the remaining divisions of Ran cock's, time to come up and form. 'They did so, and became at once hotly engaged in woods so think that it was almost impossible to advance in line. The enemy in vast force pressed energetically and repeatedly upon the front, and a most furious musketry fight continued for nearly two hours. The heavy timber and dense undergrowth rendered the use of artillery impossible, and .only a few rounds from heavy pieces were fired on ei ther side, but as to violence, the musketry surpassed everything in the history of the Army of the Potomac. Our line steadily held its ground until the whole corps was forward, when nightfall prevented an ad vance on our part, and put an end to the fight. Probable loss 1,000, including Briga dier-Gen. Hays, of Pittsburg, Pa. Gen. Lee made two attempts to cut our army in two, both on the right and left, by getting between the river and Warren's and Sedgwick's corps, with only part of Burn side's across on the one side, and between Hancock's corps and the remainder of the army on the other. That he was foiled in both purposes and that the army has been concentrated, notwithstanding his two well conceived attacks, constitutes a , most sub stantial success for Gcn. Grant. Not quite - one-half of the army was engaged to-day. At night, every corps was in proper position. Burnside's being fully up. Friday, May 6th. This day's fighting was a terrible trial to the spirit of our army and its leader. So fierce, so bloody, so dubious, nay so nearly a disaster in its general results, that as Mr. Lincoln is credibly reported to have said, any other general, meeting with such a re ception from the rebels would have been back again at his -old position across 'the river. In nothing has the indomitable spirit of Gen. Grant been better displayed, or the endurance and spirit of the army, when under a competent leader, been more honorably =vindicated, than in the conduct of:both after the sanguinary and awful conflicts of this day. It reminds us somewhat of Rosecrans and his gallant army the night after the in decisive conflict of Stone river. A light haze covered the ground when day dawned on Friday morning. As it disap peared before the sun, and as the pickets of both armies came in sight of each other, hostilities began from a slow and straggling interchange of shots between the pickets. The firing increased in warmth until six o'clock, when the engagement became gene ral, and continued with little abatement• throughout the day. Longstreet, reinforced during the night, fell on our left under Han- This magnificent sordiblioaactrtra.4..y.... mag , nificent corps, during the morning had ter-, rible work before him. Pressed by the ap parently constantly increasing forces of Longstreet, he struggled hard, fiercely and long to hold his own, but was twice driven back to his breastworks, and once the adven turous Rebels ventured to plant their colors within his field-works, but the insult was instantly avenged by hurling the enemy, neck and heels, out of the sanctuary. At last relief came in the shape of the Ninth Corps, under the gallant Burnside, and Han cock was allowed to breathe free once more. Such fighting as Hancock did that day had probably never been seen before. Back and forth, first charged and then charging, the bodies of-Union and Rebel dead lying side by side by hundreds on the contested ground, attested the unparalleled severity of the conflict. PHELADZEMBIA, THURSDAY, MAYI9, 1864. The charge of Longstreet was overwhel ming and crushing. Solid masses of infantry were hurled upon Hancock, line after line, with an impetuosity which nothing could withstand. It was exceedingly fortunate for the sixth corps, and for the whole army, that he was checked at the critical period, and driven back with as much precipitation as he came. At night Hancock occupied his breastworks, and had nothing but prisoners and rebel dead to show for the slaughter of the two days' fighting. He behaved with conspicuous ellantry throughout, and was on the field in person when dangers were thickest. So muchfor our left. Our centre, under Warren, was also hotly assaulted, and late at night, according to correspondents, was compelled to abandon its first line of breast works, bringing the skirmish lihe within a half a mile of Gen. Grant's head-quarters. But the most furious, sudden and damaging onslaught was made upon our extreme right under Sedgewick. The battle was believed to be ended and our men were busy en trenching, when A. P. Hill's rebel division assaulted them with such fury, that our right was turned at once, and according to corres pondents, two brigades, those of Gen. Sey mour (from Florida) and Gen.' Shaer, with their Generals, were cut off and. swept com pletely away by the reflux tide. As how ever Gen. Grant himself states officially that we have not lost any organization, not even a company, the statement is dciubtless incor rect. One of the disagreeable incidents of the day was a wild stampede of straggling soldiers, and teamsters which threatened serious consequences for a time. Brig. Gen. Wadsworth was killed in these sanguinary engagements. • The enemy had thus turned our right flank, and the impracticability of a further engagement against the enemy in that position was easily perceived. Our right was turned, and Germania Ford was poten tially in the hands of the enemy. Our line was now bent into an angle, and facing both south and west. Earthworks skirted our entire front. Our losses in killed, wounded, and missing could not thus far have been less than fifteen thousand, and we had only gained a slight advantage on, the enemy's right. But the enemy; though successful on our right flank, was unable"to profit by the advantage gained. Saturday, May 7th. Saturday morning came and went, and the enemy showed no signs of ability to im prove the advantages gained. Soon from along our lines came reports that the enemy were retreating, and it was soon quite evident that only a small force was before us, and drat the rebels were making the most diligent improvement of their time in getting safely back to such a position as would give them the start in a race toward Richmond. Indeed, it was to be feared that the enemy had already moved so far on the route as to put us second in chase. At 3 o'clock, P. M., our army was again on the march, through Chancellorsville towards Spottsylvania C. H., on the road to Richmond. There was a cavalry fight on the road, at Piney Branch Church. All the wounded, reported at 12,000, were sent to Fredericksburg, which from that time has been used as a depot for hospital purposes. Pausing a moment to look at simultaneous movements on other parts of the field, we note .that to-day General Butler sent out a column, which, after a severe struggle, suc ceeded in reaching and destroying a rail-road bridge over the Appomatox river on the Richmond & Weldon R. R., between-Paters burg and' Richmond. The Sliawsheen, an old ferry-boat, fitted up as a gun-boat, was destroyed by a shell exploding the boiler. The Com. Jones, a boat of the same charac ter, was exploded by a torpedo. General Kautz had also advanced with his cavalry command from Suffolk, and destroyed a bridge over Stony creek, below Petersburg: By these onerations Gen. Beauregard is prevented from reinforcing Lee, and his own command was cut in two. At Todd's tavern, the enemy had planted a battery commanding the road by which part of our army moved. A series of con flicts ensued in which the battery was driven back. The position reached by the army to-day was about 2 miles from Spottsylvania C. H. It was very important to reach the C. H., so as to command Lee's road and cut off his retreat to Richmond. Towards even ing General Warren, with a portion of his corps, again moved out on the Spottsylvania roaditowards the Court House, and discover ed the Rebels in great force. This corps was supported by that of General Sedgwick's. Warren immediately gave fight, which, after an engagement of half an hour, resulted in driving the Rebels a short distance beyond the ground they occupied, and also taking possession of their breastworks. To-day there was a lull until 51- o'clock P. M. At this time, in consequence ofa sus picion that the bulk of the rebel Rrmy had gone to Richmond, leaving only one corps to hold us, Grant decided on another attack, which was accordingly commenced, and raged in earnest for several hours. Han cock's corps crossed the river Po in the face of a terrible fire, and established itself on the south bank. This battle demonstrated that Lee still had his whole army with him, his line of battle forming a double curve in front of the court house. The losses in this fight were severe, but G-rant' took several thousand prisoners, among them being a whole regi ment, mostly men recently exchanged. An order from General Lee was found on the prisoners taken in this fight, directing them to try to capture supplies from Grant, m he had no rations to give them, and his com munications with- Richmond were broken. The effect of this and the severe beating they had suffered began to show on his men, who did not cheer, as usual, but fought in, silence. Our troops constructed strong breastworks in front of all their positions. General Sedgwick was shot by a rebel sharp-shooter while riding at the front to-day, and died a short time after. The bullet en tered beneath his left eye, arid came out at the back of, his head. Tuesday, May 10th.—Battle of the ro. Another great and bloody battle, with a general, though not decisively favorable re sult to our 'arms, was fought to-dap. It is grimy-tt , --question like that discerned by Wellington, at Waterloo, when the French Cavalry were destroying his infantry squares. "Hard pounding, gentlemen," said he. "It all depends on who can stand it the longest." On Tuesday, Gibbon and Barlow's divisions were withdrawn from the south bank of the Po, the latter's division closely followed by the enemy, who were checked by our artillery. Our line was formed with Burnside in the rear, to guard the trains. The country here is quite rolling, studded with groves of pine and hard wood, and af fording much better facilities for handling of troops and use of the artillery than that about the Wilderness. The enemy, during the night, had strengthened his naturally formidable position, with rifle pits, breast works, barricades, &c., rendering it stronger General Butler Sunday, May Bth. Monday, May 9th than any line of defence occupied by him since leaving his earthwork, on the Rapidan. Five o'clock P. M., was fixed for the grand assault. General orders, announcing the successes of Sherman in the West, and But ler on the James river, were read to the troops, producing the wildest excitement, and as the hour approached for the attack the enthusiasm of the troops became almost ungovernable. General Grant, surrounded by his staff, Generals Meade, Hancock and Warren, were all stationed on eminences within sight of 'each other, while the vast columns of our army slowly gathered them selves together for the great struggle. Just as the attack was- to be made, the enemy advanced upon our right. Troops were hurried to its support and the rebel ad vance Was checked. Half-past six-Was then fixed.upori for the .assault. Watches were compared by the corps commanders and finally all separated with orders to attack at the appointed time. The moments flew fast, and , at the appointed hour, simultaneously with the roar of the twelve signal guns, the whole front advanced, with cheers from the whole line. The movement was indescribably grand. A por tion of the forces' moved in solid colnmns, while others advanced in the usual order .of battle, the whgle army, moving together, and yet each command- fighting its own, battle. The whole rebel line opened a most mur derous fire, against which our lines irresisti bly swept, driving the enemy slowly back from his poaltions, capturing nearly two thousand, prisoners and .three pieces of artillery. The latter, however, were retaken by the rebels before the cliase of the engage ment. Night closed the` battle with our forces occupying the fieldi The most determined/ and persistent ef fort which has been made ever since the commencement of the fight in this locality was made to turn our,i right. Charge after charge was made by the enemy on the right of our column to turn and break it. Our men repulsed each eharge most valiantly. At length the sth corps drove the enemy, compelling him to fall back' into his third line of defences.. The effect of this repulse was apparent. The rebel dead at points lay piled in heaps. The general assault, made at 6 P. M., is described as the. most magnificent and terrible one of the war. Col. Wainwright took personal supervision of the artillery of this corps. Our -batteries, through the cut ting down of some trees, were placed in very advantageous pOsitions, as likewise the batteries of the other corps. Simultaneously these cannon hirled their murderous mis siles of shrapnel; canister and shell into the ranks of the enemy, accompanied by a general volley of musketry ; and from this hour till dark the combat deepened. In describing the battle, wounded officers say that officers and men on both sides stogd up with evident. determination to make this a closing campaign, the ranks standing face to face within quarter musket range, and firing without flinching, the rear ranks closing up the gaps occasioned by the fall of their comrades in front. General Sheridan's Movements. On the 9th inst., General Sheridan, with a large force of cavalry, marched around the enemy's right flank, and on the evening of that day reached the North Anna river without serious opposition. In the night he destroyed the enemy's depot at Beaver Dam, on the Virginia Cers,,tral•Railroad, west of the junction of the Virginia Central and Fredericksburg Railroad, south of Lee's army. He destroyed two locomotives and three trains, containing one hundred cars, and.-..other stores for the rebel army, amoiiiiting to a milliorrand a half of rations. He also, in this vicinity, destroyed about ten miles of railroad track and several culverts, and recaptured three hundred and seventy-eight of our prisoners, who were being sent to Richmond. From this point he took a southeast course, and struck the Richmond and Fredericksburg Railroad at Ashland Station, which is about fifteen miles from Richmond. Here, on the 11th, he destroyed one loco motive and a large train of cars, the depot, engine -house, and some Government build ings containing army stores. He also de stroyed six miles of railroad track, six culverts, two trestle biridges, and the tele graphic wires in the same neighborhood. At about seven o'clock, A. M., on the 11th, he resumed the march on Richmond. He found the rebel Stuart, with his cavalry, concentrated at Yellow Tavern, and imme diately attacked him. After an obstinate contest he gained possession of the Brock Turnpike, capturing two pieces of artillery and driving the enemy's forces back toward Ashland and across the north fork of the Chickahominy—a distance of four miles. At the same time a party charged down the Brock road and captured the first line of the enemy's works around Richmond. Finding the second line too strong for assault with his forces, General Sherman moved off towards the James river, crossing the Chickahominy on his way by Meadow bridge. The enemy attempted pursuit, but were handsomely repulsed in, two considera ble engagements. During these fights the Celebrated J. R B. Stuart, the cavalry commander, who twice rode around Mc- Clellan's army, was killed. Our forces encamped safely at Bottom's Bridge, May 13th. Total loss, 350. Army of the Potomac—Thursday, May 12th.—A Still Greater Battle. After a period of quiet on Wednesday, the struggle was once more renewed. The bat tle of Thursday is acknowledged to be the heaviest of all, lasting from daylight till after dark, renewed about nine o'clock P. M., and continued till nearly three A. M., with parties during the night contending for the possession of a line of rifle pits, from which our men had driven the enemy in the morning, Says the correspondent of the New York Times :—Let the 12th day of May be written in the calender as one of the fasti of the Republic ; for it marks the date of one of the deadliest and most decisive struggles, and one of the most brilliant victories of the war. At midnight, Hancock, with his corps, changed from his position on the extreme right, and went in on the left of the line, between the 6th Corps and Burnside, where there had, been a gap. In order to do this, it is said, a road had to be cut. At 4 o'clock in the morning he assaulted the enemy's position. One report says the enemy were completely surprised; another, that a vig orous resistance was offered. All agree that the onset was most determined, brilliant and speedily successful. The troops rushed in on the rifle-pits of the enemy, bayoneting them in their works, cutting their lines, and capturing on the first charge over three thousand men and several guns, including the greater, portion of the " Stonewall Bri gade," belonging to the division• commanded by General Ned Johnson, and forming part of Ewell's corps. General Johnson himself was taken prisoner. The guns, 30 in num ber, were immediately turned on the flying enemy. The assault was continued till nearly the whole division of the corps was captured, and other troops amounting in the aggregate to a thousand men. The prison ers were at head-quarters by seven o'clock, where several interviews of an interesting character, between our own and the rebel officers, who were old acquiintances, are reported to have taken place. It is said that Hancock extended his hand first to Johnson, who was so much agected as to shed tears, saying that he would have "preferred death to captivity." Afterwards he offered his hand to stuart, whom he had formerly known, saying, " How are you, Stuart?" The rebel officer, assuming an air of quiet hauteur replied sullenly, " I am General Stuart of Confederate army, and under present circumstances I decline to take your hand!? To which Hancock very promptly replied, "under any other cir cumstances, General, I should not have offered it." Birney and Barlow's Divisions of the Second Corps were the ones that made the original charge upon the first line of the enemy's Breastworks. We have taken thirty-nine guns and thirty stand of colors. These guns were together captured by the troops of Generals Birney and Barlow. Gen. Birney's Division will not number over twenty-five hundred men out of seven thousand,, the number of his'.originol cora ' • mand. , On other parts of the line, our success was but partial compared with the , brilliant achievements of Hancock. Warren on the right was drawn back, Lee having repaired his left in a strong position which could not be carried. Buinside on our extreme left, advanced but slowly during the morning, through a dense woods, in which the Rebels had dug small detached rifle pits at every' favorable point, from which they fired with deadly effect as we advanced ; but, in spite of their advantagess, they were steadily pushed back, driven from their advanced earthwyrks, and compelled to take refuge in their main line of intrenchrnents. An assault was ordered at 3 P. M., during which our extreme left was flanked by a rebel brigade, and three regiments of Col. gartrafts brigade, including the 51st Penn sylvania were boldly cut up, their surrender being demanded by the.ebels on the flank. the demand was not acceded to, and an ex tremely sharp hand:to-hand conflict ensued, our men bravely holding their ground for a time and gallantly defending their colors. About three hundred men of - the Seven teenth Michigan and Fifty-first Pennsylva nia were, however, ultimately made prison eis, including Lieutenant-Colonel Chas. - N. Swift, of the Seventeenth Michigan. A stand,of colors of the 51st Pa., with Capt. Alabaugh who had bravely seized it was cap tured. The other color was brought off, the corporal who carried tt bayoneting a rebel soldier who endeavored to take it. The regiments then retired but the seventeenth Michigan, or rather what was left of it, had however, to bring off the field more than their own number , as prisoners, including Colonel Barber, of the Fifth North Carolina, who was in command of the brigade on their flank. The enemy rushed on in eager pursuit, but were suddenly checked on emerging from the woods into an open field by find ing themselves literally mown down by a tempest of grape and canister from two or three batteries planted in line and nearly nearly together on the opposite side of the field. They retreated in confusion, leaving their dead and wounded lying in heaps upon the ground at the edge of the woods. The portion of our line which had given way was then brought up, and although it was not possible to resume the attack on the Rebel fortifications with any prospect of success, we held our ground up to the furthest point attained, and gained the advantage of a con siderably better position that that previously occupied. The losses of the entire corps in this en gagement must have been nearly, if not quite Three thousand. Despatch from Gen. Grant. " SPOTTSYLVANIA C. IL, May 12, 6.30 P. M. —The eighth day of battle closes leaving be tween three and four thousand prisoners in our hands, for the day's work, including two General officers and thirty pieces of artillery. The enemy are obstinate and seem to have found the last ditch. " We have lost no organization, not even a company, while we have destroyed and cap tured one division (Johnson's,) one brigade (Dobbs's,) and one regiment entire, of the enemy." Gen Meade's Congratulatory • Address: HEAD -QUARTERS ARMY . OF THE POTOMAC, May 13, 18641.—,Soldiers : = The moment has ar rived when your Commanding-General feels authorized to address you in terms of con gratulation. For eight days and nights, almost without intermission, in rain and sunshine, you have been gallantly fighting a desperate foe, in positions naturally strong, and rendered doubly so by intrenchthents. You have compelled him to abandon his fortifications on the. Rapidan, to .retire and attempt to stop your onward progress, and now he has aban doned the last intrenched position so tena ciously held, Suffering a loss in all, of eighteen guns, twenty-two colors, and eight thousand prisoners, including two general officers. Your heroic deeds - and noble endurance of fatigue and privations will ever be memora ble. Let us return thanks to God for the mercy thus shown us, and` ask earnestly for • its continuation. Soldiers ! your work is not yet over. The eneiny must be pursued, and if possible, overcome. The courage and fortitude you have displayed renders your Commanding General confident your future efforts will re sult in success. While we mourn the loss of 'many gallant comrades, let us remember the enemy must have suffered equal if not great er losses. We shall soon receive reinforce ments, which he cannot expect. Let us de termine to continue vigorously the work. so well begun, and under God's blessing in a short time the object of our labors will be ac complished. . GEORGE G. MEADE, Major-General Commanding. Official—S. WILLIAMS, A. A. G. (Approved,) U. S. GRAisIT, Lieutenant-General Commanding the Armies of the United States. Saturday, Nay 14th. The excessive rain of Friday delayed or wholly prevented further movements of a serious character for the time being. A general assault was to have been Made on the enemy's right wing on Saturday morning, but owing tolhe wretched condition of the roads, which hid been rendered almost impassable by the storm, a portion of our army failed to get into position in time, and the`attack had to be abandoned in consequence. In the afternoon the rebels, by a sudden dash, drove our men from a strong position held by the sth corps. Just before dark, a column led by Ayres brigade retook the position, driving back the rebels with severe loss. Our own loss was as high as two or three hundred. After the repulse of the rebels one of the di visions of the sth Corps made a charge upon the enemy's position, and, it is reported, captured a rebel battery and" a nunlber of prisoners. _ Reinforcements are going to General Grant daily and have begun to reach his army. In Maryland, Kentucky and New Jersey, the militia have been summoned for a hundred days, to relieve veteran regiments from guard duty, and allow every available man to go to the front. The H. Y. Herald puts down our loss at 35,000, 5000 of which are prisoners ; very many of the wounded are slightly so, about 4500 have been killed. These ti..fure4 are not official, and may he exaggerated. It is said we have captured 12000 prisoners, 9000 of whom were on their way to Washing ton on Saturday. The loss of the enemy is unknown. His troops, according to prison ers taken, are on quarter rations. Friday and Saturday, Nay 13th and l4th. General Hancock with his indomitable corps, renewed operations to-day, and push ing forward, learned that after the severe punishment of the day previous, General Lee had retired four miles, and had his army in position. On Friday night, a movement was made by our sth and 6th corps to the left with a view of attacking early on Satur day morning. Correspondents say that Lee's wagon-train was moved westward and the belief spread that he designed retreating towards Lynchburg. Up to seven o'clock Sabbath morning, May 15th,there had been no further. fighting. The wads are verY heavy from the protracted rain. General Sherman.. By brilliant and energetic strategetical movements General Sherman, .well seconded by General McPherson, had May 14, com pelled the evacuation of Dalton, by the rebel Johnson. The position would probably have defied a direct assault. The flanking movement by General Mc Pherson was amirably conceived and execut ed, and secured a vital point at Snake Gap, opening upon Resaca, fifteen miles in the rear of Dalton. No sooner was this done than General Sherman shifted the main body of his troops to the right, following General McPherson. Johnston had no alternative but to take flight from his stronghold on the mountain General Kirkpatrick at the head of a divis ion of cavalry, reached Johnston's rear, and destroyed the railroad a few miles south of Reason May Bth. General Butler. General Butler's despatches dated May 14, at S A. M., and 10 A. M., show him to be stirring at an early hour. He was conducting regular, siege operations against Fort Dar ling,assisted by therenowned siege officer, the Hero of Pulaski, Gregg, Wagner, Sumter and Charleston, General Gillmore. This general on the previous evening, assaulted and took the enemy's works on their right. General Smith, of Vicksburg celebrity, carried the enemy's first line on Saturday morning, the 14th, whereupon the enemy retired into 3 square redoubts. Latest Tuesday Up to 8 o'clock Monday morning, the operations of Meade's army continued sus pended, on account of the roads. At 12 o'clock Sabbath night, May 15th, the rebel Gen. Johnston was compelled by Sher man, to evacuate his position at Resaca. Re sat:a is on the Atlanta and Chattanooga Rail road, fifty-six miles from the latter place, eighty-four from the former, and sixteen miles south of Dalton, Johnston's first posi, tion. It is also about forty miles northwest of Rome. Our loss is unofficially stated at 3000. . Butler's movements of May 14, 15, and 16, are unofficially stated as follows : Gen. Burnham's Brigade charged. upon the enemy's outer works at Proctor's Creek, and carried the entire line, section by section. At ten, A. M., our batteries opened upon the enemy, who had fallen back to heavy earth works near Fort Darling. Our loss is one hundred and fifty men, and, we took a few prisoners. At 4, P. M., a shell exploded a Magazine in Fort Darling. May 15.—A small rebel gun-boat came down opposite Fort Darling, this morning, and threw several shells into our cavalry, after which she retired. - At noon the enemy came out of his fortifications to attack Heck man's Brigade. The fight lasted Until 4,P. M. Our musketry drove the enemy back to his works, and the sharp-shooters along the lines kept the :rebel artillery silenced. At 9, P. M., the enemy advanced upon our line, near the Petersburg turnpike. After a short and sharp engagement with musketry, we drove the enemy back to his breastworks. May 16, at 10, A. M., the enemy made another sortie which was repulsed with slight loss on our side. The Navy.—Capture of Blockade Runners. • Captured on the 7th, off Wilmington, blockade runner Young Republic, of Nassau, formerly the Conqueror of New York, from which port she sailed about forty days since, Her Cargo consisted of 600 tons of tobacco and 1,300 bales of cotton, all on Confederate account, and she was commanded by rebel navy officers, Capt. Frank W. Harris acting as commander. The Navy Department has received infor. mation of the capture by the United State: steamer Connecticut of the new iron screw steamer Greyhound, off Wilmington, on the 10th inst. She loaded at, and cleared front Liverpool in January last, and is owned or held by Henry Lafore, the rebel agent, Her cargo consists of 106 bales army cloth, and 158 bales and boxes, contents unknown; soda, iron, &c. She has arrived in Hampton Roads. Among the passengers captured on her is the notorious woman Belle Boyd, who has been several times under arrest. Incidents of the Battles. Far down the plank-road where Hancock fought, beyond the thickest rebel dead, lay a boy severely wounded—perhaps not less a soldier that he was but a boy. He had fallen the day before, when we were farthest advan ced, and had remained unmolested within the rebel lines. They had not removed him, and he was alone with the dead when I rode up. The poor fellow was crawling about gath ering violets. Faint with loss of blood, un able to stand, he could not resist the tempting flowers, and had already made a beautiful bouquet. Having caused a stretcher to be sent for, I saw him taken up tenderly and borne away wearing a brave, sweet, touching smile. The'following incidents will show the en thusiasm of the troops :—A soldier, with an arm amputated, said :—" I am sorry I have lost it, for I want to be at them again." He sang " Rally Round the Flag Boys," and a score in the hospital joined the chorus. General John C. Robinson, commanding the 2d division of the sth corps, received a minie ballin his knee, inflicting a painful wound. The General was struck twice tut Sunday, the first ball striking his spur, and glancing off, it struck the belting of his servant, who was immediately behind, ant the ball again glanced upwards, striking the General near the elbow, and passing through the servant's arm.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers