B. F. McNEIL, Editor and Proprietor. Efc t § IS PUBLISHED txtrr Friday Morning on Juliana Street, OPPOSITE THE XEK6EL HOI SE, BEDFORD, BEDFORD COUNTY, PA. TERMS: tl .75 a year if paid strictly in advance, J2.00 if paid within six months, $2.50 if not paid with £• aix rnonthg. Rates of Advertising, One Square, three weeki or less $1 25 One Square, each additional insertion less than three months ....30 3 Months. Months, 1 Tear. One Square $3 50 $4 75 $8 00 Two squares 5 00 7 00 10 00 Three squares 6 00 9 #0 15 00 i Column 12 00 20 00 35 00 One Column .20 00 35 00 65 00 Administrators' and Executors' notices $2.50. Auditors notices $1.50, if under 10 lines, Betrays $1.25, if but one head is advertised, 25 cents on every additional head. One square is the SPACE occupied by ten lines of min ion. Fractions of a square under five lines count as a half square, and all over five lines a full square. Adver tisements charged to persons handing them in. PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS CARDS. r_ . ________ ATTORSEY AT U, BEDFORD, FA. Will attend promptly to all business entrusted to his eare. Military claims speedily collected. Office en Juli ana Street, two doors north of the Inquirer Office. April 1,1864—r,f. ESPT M. ALBIP, ATTORNEY AT LAW, BEDFORD, PA., Will faithfully ,nd promptly attend to all business en trusted to his earn in Bedford and adjoin iag counties. Military claims, Pensions, back pay, Bounty, Ac. spee dily collected. Office with Mann A Spang, on Juliana street, 2 doors south of the Mengel House. April 1, 1864.—1£ A. B. SCBBOIROW, ATTORSBT AT LAW, BKDFORD, PA. Office one door south of the "Mengel House," Will attend promptly to all business intrusted to his care. Collections made on the shortest notice. Having, also, been regularly licensed to prosecute Claims against the Government, particular attention will be given to the collection of Military claims of all •hinds; Pensions, Back Pav,Bounty, Bounty Loans, Ac. Bedford, apr. 8, 1864—tf. ALEX. KINO, ATTORNEY AT LAW, And agent for procuring arrears of Pay and Bounty money. Office on Juliana Street, Bedford, Pa. April 1, 1864—tf. KIMMELE * UNOEMFEETEK, ATTORNEYS AT LAW, BEDFORD, PA. Have formed a partnership in the practice of the Law. Office on Juliana Street, two doors South of the Mengel House. April 1,1864—tf. JOHN HA JOB, AUBTICE or THE PEACE, HOPEWELL, BEDFORD COUNTY. Collections and all business pertaining to his office will be attended to promptly. Will also attend to the sale or renting of real estate. Instruments of writing carefully prepared. Also settling up partnerships and other ac counts. April 1, 1864—tf. | JXO. MOWER, ATTORNEY AT LAW. BEDFORD, PA., April 1,1864.—tf. JOSEPH W. TATE, ATTORSET AT LAW, BEDFORD PA. WILL promptly attend to collection!" and all husineM entrusted to his care in Bedford an l adjoining coun -ties. Money advanced on Judgments. Note" and other Claims. Has for sale Town Lots, in Tatesville, and St Joseph.s on Bedford Railroad. Farms and unim proved land in quantities to suit purchasers. Office opposite the Banking House of Reed A Scbell. apr. 15, 1864—10 m. RUPP, SHANNON, A CO., BANKERS, Bedford, Pa., BANK OF DISCOUNT AND DEPOSIT. COLLECTIONS made for the East. West. North and South, and the general business of Exchange, trans acted. Notes and Accounts Collected, and Remittances promptly made. REAL ESTATE bought and sold. G. W. RUPP, 0. E. SHAXSOS, F. BENEDICT. apr. 15, 1864—tf. PHYSICIANS, &C. I. N. BOWSER, DEsrrurr. Permanently located in Woodberry, will carefully and punctually attend to all operations entrusted to his care.— Teeth inserted from one to an entire sett, in the latest and most approved atyle, and at rates more reasonable than ev r before offered in this section of eonntry. Call and see tprrimrui A LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWSPAPER, DEVOTED TO POLITICS, EDUCATION, LITERATURE AND MORALS. Jtlwt § ortrg. A REBEL POET. An agreeable army correspondent of the Syracnao Journal, writing from new Brandy Station, Va., under late of April 21st, says: Strange aa it may seem, we made gome eery pleasant icquaiutances among the prisoners we were sent to guard, )ome of whom we had helped to capture, and care for when wounded on the field. One rebel, Maj. MeKnight, of the rebel tten. Loring'a staff, was an especial favor ite. He eras a poet, musician and joker, and used to run "from grave to gay, from lively to severe," on al most all matters. I append a little morceau of his, un der the nom dr plum of Asa Harts, entitled MY LOVE AND L My Love reposes on a rosewood frame, A bunk have I; A coueh of feathery down fills up the same; Mine's straw, but dry; She sinks to rest at night with scarce a sigh; With waking eyes I watch the hours creep by. My Love her daily dinner takes in state, And so do I; The richest viands flank her silver plate; Coarse grub have I; Pure wines she sips at case, ber thirst to slalso; 1 pump my drink from Erie's limpid lake. My Love has all the world at will to roam; Three acres I; She goes abroad or quiet sits at homo; So cannot I; Bright angels watch around her couch at night ; A Yank, with loaded gun keeps me in sight. A thousand weary miles now stretch between My Love and I; To her this wintry night, cold, calm, serene, I waft a sigh, And hope with all my eai"=et"-ss of soul, To-morrow's mail may bring me my parole. There's hope ahead! we 'll one day meet again, My love and I; We 'll wipe away all tears of sorrow then ; Her love lit eye Will all my many troubles then beguile, And keep this wayward rcb from Johnson's Isle. SONG OF THE ARMY HORSE. The army horse was wofully thin; The ends of bis bones stuck through his He was weak in his knees, and almost dead, Because he had been so shabbily fed. Yet, sick and distressed, he thought that he Might sing a song in a minor key; So he opened his mouth, and nnloosed his tongue, And this is the style of the song he sung: "Spare and lean! Spare and lean! An army horse, not fit to be seen ! Lean and sick! Lean and sick ! Because of the hay-contractor's trick! "I'm sick at heart and I faint away. Whenever I think of these bales of bay ; The outside's fair, —but a scandalous sin Is the villianous stuff they put witbisi. "Alas, Alas! how came it to pass? Where did they grow this kind of grass? I look at the stuff aud groan out, neigh ! I never can eat this sort of hay. "Where is the man that inspects the hay? Under the haystack asleep all day ." Or rather, this suffering horse would say, Perhaps he is paid for staying away. "But the swindling hay contractor! ho Is the person this horse would like to see; He is the man I would like to slay, For cheating us beasts with this worthless hay. "You may say if you please I'm a blood-thirsty horse, But I will finish this deed without remorse; For the scoundrel who furnishes hay to ma Is a traitor as bad as Jefferson D—" COPPERHEAD CO MP LI ME NTS DIS TASTEFUL TO THE SOLDIER. A recent Copperhead conventon, composed of the semi-traitors of Allegany county, Md. endeavored to conciliate the good feeliug of the second Maryland Regiment, Potomac Home Guards, by compliment ing it for courage and endurance. The regiment, however, did not consider a recognition from such a source at all complimentary, and repudiated it in a se ries of resolutions, in which they say : Resolved , That a compliment of such a nature as the one above alluded to, paid, to a loyal man by the en emy of the Government, should be looked upon by the former with suspicion and disgust. A compliment from such a source to soldiers in the army of the Union we considered the e phis ultra of insults. Resolved , That even were we an organization of "American citizens of African descent'' in the mili tary service of the United States, we would not allow such men as those whose names appear, with their knowledge and consent, upon the circular put forth by this self styled Union Convention,to associate with us in any capacity whatever ; neither would we con sider the moral standard of regiment elevated, or its patriotism increased, by the addition of recruits from these would be Unionists. Resolved , That an open foe is more desirable than a treacherous friend—an armed rebel infinitely more honorable than a fire-side traitor. Resolved , That were we in civil life we wonld take measures that none such, by our suffrage should hold office as a gift of the people. Resolved, That we are decidedly in favor of calling a State Convention, and we will vote for no man or set of men who *re not pledged to do all in their power for Immediate or Unconditional Emancipa tion in the State of Maryland ; and if allowed an op portunity of attending the coming election, we will vote for and do all in our power to elect the ticket nominated by the Unconditional men of Allegheny connty to attend said State Convention. Resolved, That if we held the faith of the party whose representatives and chosen agents these gen tlemen of the Convention are, we should desert in a body and go down to Dixie, Davis and the Devil. This is the general feeling of the men in the anny for the Copperhead vilifiers at home. PROFANITY IN THE CARS. A writer in one of our exchanges has the follow ing to say about what has been observed by many persons, viz. : the rapid increase of profanity and vulgarity on the cars: "Ears polite have often been ■hocked by profanity in the cars running on different railroads. To so great an extent has this come that ladies having respect for themselves have been com pelled to change cars because of the shocking and lamentable want of common decency, as exhibited by lomc of the passengers. If a gentleman out of polite deference to the ladies, should happen to even gently reprimand the uncouth and vulgar fel lows, instead of having a desirable effect it seems to make them worse. In such cases the conductors should turn the self-condemned iramoralists out of the cars. The boards of railroads have long since passed stringent resolutions to prevent smoking in the ladies' car and a special car is attached, for the smoker's benefit. The smoke of a cigar is not offen sive to people as a general thing, but the smoke of immorality suggestive of 'fire and brimstone,' is en tirely too stifling to everybody except the low, the vulgar, and the vile ; and it should not be perraited to impregnate the atmosphere of a public passenger car, or any other place where promiscuous crowds of people are apt to collect. It is an intolerable nui sance, and with a view to its abatement we would suggest the propriety of attaching a profane car in front of that occupied by smokers, for the accommo dation of those who have no regard for the laws of God or for the feelings of those who may be within the sound of their voices." i'• ' ' It is reported that the Rebel ram Albemarle which captured Plymouth, is now in full possession of Albe marle Sound. On Friday last she was seen from Roanoke Island. It is reported that an iron-clad from Fortress Monroe had arrived at Hatteras; and ■ras under way to meet this Rebel ram. BEDFORD, Pa., FRIDAY, MAY 20, 1864. flu Wat fflt Iht Union. THE GREAT BATTLES. Terrible battles between the armies of Grant and Lee took place on Thursday and Friday. The special correspondent of the Rochester Democrat has arrived in Washington, with the following account of operations up to Friday morning: CROSSING THF. RAPIDAN. "The whole Army of the Potomac effected the passage of the liapidan on the 4th instant. Gen eral Wilson's cavalry division forded the river at Germannia Ford, and General Gregg's division at Ely's Ford, eight miles below, at daybreak. The few mounted pickets of the enemy that were watching the two points, scampered off before them. Double pontoon bridges were at once thrown across the river, and the infantry that had marched to the Ford during the nieht commenced crossing over about 8 A. M. Gen. Hancock's corps and the reserve artillery crossed at Fly's Ford and Gen. Warren's at Germanna. Sedgwick's corps followed the latter. The passage of the river con tinued all day at both points. Gen. Hancock is encamped on the ChanceJlorsville battle-ground, (ion. Warren is at the old Wilderness Tavern, and Gen. Sedgwick at the tavern and Germanna Ford. Both Gen. Grant and Gen. Meade's headquarters are at this point for the night. "Not a snot was fired during the crossing. Im mediately after reaching thejsouth bunk Gen. Wil son's ana Gen. Gregg's cavalry pushed forward, the former to Parker's Store the latter some dis tance beyond Chancellorsville. They discovered nothing of the the enemy but weak parties of cav alry, developing the fact that there was no strong rebel force south of us. About a dozen prisouers were taken by our cavalry, among whom were sev eral couriers. One of the latter carried a despatch from Gen. Rhodes to Gen. Kwell, informing him that the Yankees had crossed in force at Germanna and Ely's Fords. THE BATTLE OF THURSDAY OPINED. ' 'Reveille was sounded at 3 A. M. on Thursday, and our whole army was a train in motion at day light According to the order of the day. lien. Hancock's corps was to march upon Chanceliors ville, southwestwardlv on the Pamunkev road to Grove Church, Gen. Warren's from Old Wilder ness Tavern to Parker's Store, on the Orange Court House plank-road. Sedgwick's corps was to follow behind Warren's. Gen. Sheridan was to concentrate the whole cavalry corps at Piney Branch church, a few miles south of Chancellors ville, and start upon a general hunt after Stewart's cavalry, the mam body of which was reported to be concentrating for a fight. '"The different bodies had been in motion but a short time, when, at about 6 o'clock, reports came in from both turnpike and plank-road running al most parallel from this vicinity to Orange Court house, that the enemy were advancing with infan ts and artillery toward us from near Old and New \ erdiersville. The evidence accumulating in the course of the next, two hours that strong rebel columns were moving upon us from the directions mentioned, Generals Grant and Meade came up from Genua nna Ford, and orders were issued to halt the various columns of infantry, concentrate and form them for battle at this point, "Commanding ridges running from the north west to the southeast cross both roads over which the enemy were advancing, about half a mile to the west of this point, offered a fine position for the formation of a liattle front, and was selected for this purpose. Sedgwick was ordered to take the right, Warren the centre, and Hancock was expected 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 ordered to push Griffin's division forward to the right and left of the turn pike, and ascertain what the enemy were about. Bartlett's brigade moved up the left and Ayres's regulars to the right of tfie road—Sweitzer's fol lowed in reserve. W SEVER* FIGHTING. "'After advancing about three quarters of a mile they suddenly found themselves confronted by a well formed and strong rebel position on a thickly wooded ridge. "A severe tight ensued. Our two brigades held theij ground against evidently gjeater numbers for nearly an nour, buf the enemy succeeded in overlapping Ayers's regular brigade and forcing it hack precipitately. The flank of Bartlett's bri gade being exposed, it was also soon forced back for some distance. Two pieces of the Third Mas ' sachusetts Battery had to he left behind in conse ?iuence of the killing of nearly all of the horses, and ell into the hands of the enemy. Sweitzer's bri gade, and Wadsworth's, of Robinson's division, were ordered forward, and relieved the two bri gades. The enemy soon attacked these, but were held at bay. Brisk musketry and artillery firing were kept up for an hour or so longer, when the enemy drew off from that part of the line. Our 1 loss in this affair was quite severe^— Ayres'i and Bartlett's brigades principally suffering. Nodefi nite figures can now be given. But the total will probably not exceed six hundred in killed, wound ed and missing. "Among the wounded are General Bartlott, slightly; Col. Hays. Eighteenth Massachusetts, slightly; Col. Gwin, One Hundred and Tenti Pa.; Col. Lombard. Fourth Michigan. We took about three hundred prisoners. FRESH TROOPS ORDERED UP. "Hancock's corps had been ordered to torn off the road he had started out on, and march over a cross road as rapidly as possible for this mint, to complete the formation of the line of little.— About three o'clock in the afternoon, after the fight on the centre had closed, a movement bv the enemy was discovered, evidently meant to throw a force between Hancock and the remainder of the army. Getty's division of Sedgwick's corps was ordered at once to stay this dangerous deoonstra tion. 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 diroctiy from ChanoeUorsville to Orange Court-house. General Grant ordered them to attack the advancing ene my, in order to give the remaining divisions of Hancock's time to come up and fbrnu They did so, and became at once hotly engaged in voods so thick that it was almost impossible to advance in line. Birney's division of trie Second co-ps soon came up, and quickly formed on the right if Getty. Burlow's and Gibbons's division formed a second line as they came up.'' TERRIBLE MUBKETRY FIRE. "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 render ed the use of artillleiy impossible, and only a few rounds from heavy pieces were fired on either side, but as to voilencc, the musketry surpassed every thing in the history of the Armv of the Potomac. Our line steadily held its ground until he whole corps was forward, when nightfall prevented an advance on our part, and put an end to the fight. Wadesworth' division and a Brigade of Robinson's division, under command of General Robinson, were ordered to take the enemy in froit of Han cock by the right flank, but darkness prevented the full execution of this plan. The loss on our left will probably reach one thousand, including General Alexander Hays, killed; Colonels S. S. Hicks, Carrall and Tyler among the wounded. FAILURE OF LEE S TACTICS. "Hanoock's men behaved most admirably. Tlie Fifth New York cavalry, in advance en the road to Parker's Store, was attacked by superior force in the morning and driven back with considerable loss. General Sheridan sent a message to General Meade in the evening, to the effect that he had met part of Stuart s eavalry and was driving them in'every direction. Genearl Lee made two at tempt* to cut our army in two, both on the right and left, by getting between the river and bar ren's and Sedgwick's corps, with on'y part of Burn side's across on the one side and between Han cock'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, notwith standing his two well-conceived attacks, constitutes a most substantial success for General Grant.— Not quite one-half of the army was engaged.'' THE BATTLE RESUMED ON FRIDAY. The special correspondence of the Tiniest, wri ting from headquarters at Wilderness Tavern, Fri day evening, May 6, gives the following intelligence of the great battle on Friday: "The day has closed upou a terribly hard-fought field, and the Army of the Potomac has added an other to its list of murderous conflicts. Lee's tactics, energetically employed at Chuncellors ville and Gettysburg, of throwing his whole army first one wing and then upon another, have again been brought to bear, but I rejoice to say that the army of the Potomac has repulsed the tremendous onslaught of the enemy, and stands to-night solidly in the position it assumed this morning. The first attempt was made upou Han cock upon the right, somewhat weakened in num bers by the battles yesterday ; but the iron old Second corps nobly stood its ground • then the enemy hurled his battallion upon .Sedgwick, end once or twice gained a temporary advantage, but our veterans were nobly rained, and the rebels re pulsed with awful loss. "About half past four P. M. Lee made a feign ed attacked upou the whole line, and then sudden ly fell with his whole force upon Sedgwick, driving him back temporarly, but the advantage was soon j regained, and the rebels hurled back with greai loss. Night had now come on. and it is believed at headquarters, at this hour, that Lee has with drawn from our front. Although the nature of the ground has been of a terrible character, most of it bmng so thickly wooded as to render movements ail but impossible, and to conceal entirely the ope rations of the enemy, yet he has been signally re pulsed in all his attacks, and nothing but the na ture of the battle-field has prevented it from be ing a crushing defeat. The loss on both sides has been very heavy, but at this hour of hastily wri ting I cannot even give and estimate. REPORTED LOSSES. "The number of our wounded is reported at about ten thousand, the killed at two thousand. The losses of the enemy exceeds this. He left his dead and disabled on the field in our hands. The Ambulenoe Corps, with its admirable organization, is working to its full capacity, earn ing the wound ed to Rappahannock Station. Sixteen trains of cars, dispatched from Alexandria to-day. will re ceive them. It is expected that they will return ; with their bruised and mangled freight about day light. "Several car-loads of ice were also sent down for comfort of the wounded. The Sanitary Com missions are 011 the field, with plentiful supplies of everything necessary for the wounded. The government has hospital accommodations here for thirtv thousand, which will probably meet all de mands, SATURDAY THE THIRD DAY. From the Philadelphia Inquirer. WILDERNESS, Va., May 7, 1804. A deep aqd almost impenetrable mist pervaded the whole battle-field at sunrise this morning, and_ we wt.-. not a* usual greeted with th solute of the cannonade in the morning. Beyond some de sultory musket tiring on the left of Sedgwick's po sition. nothing happened to disturb the monotony of the morning until about ten o'clock, when a sharp musketry engagement took place on the left of Sedgwick's corps. Generals Grant, Meade and Burnside spent nearly the whole morning in con sultation. The enemy planted a battery about 11 o'clock in some woods on the Orange Pike road, about half a mile from our intrenchments. andment shells with visible effect into some camps a JParter of a mile from head-quarters. This fire was replied to by our batteries on either side of the load. This was followed by sharp musketry skirmishing, dur ing which the rebels were driven in about a mile. Some light shirmishing took place about 10! o'clock on the left of Hancock's corps, during which a few artillery shots were exchanged, but without any material result. At noon Gen. Meade and retinue left head-quarters and proceeded to an eminence on the right of the Chancellorsville road for the purpose of establishing a new base of operations, but after taking a brief survey he re turned to his original quarters. The rebels had been all day massing troops on the right of our line, with the intention of flanking us, and early in the afternoon a moderate cannon ade was heard in that direction. A few companies of cavalry, on their way from Gennania Ford, weie met by the extreme left of the line of the enemy soon after passing the ford, and they were driven in on the Chancellory ill? road to within our lines. Artillery and infantry were placed in the rear of Sedgwick's corps, for the purpose of checking any demonstration on our right flank. 1 luring the en tire afternoon, with the exception of an occasional cannon shot, nothing of any moment occurred. At five o'clock in the afternoon the order was given for a general movement of the whole line in the direction of Chancellorsville, previous to which Hen. Grant, accompanied by his staff, paid a visit around the different corps lines, and was received with tumultuous cheering. Shortly after five o'clock the long, solid lines of the devoted Union army could he seen emerging from the various positions in which they gave bat tle to the rebels for the three days previous, and gradually they massed on the open, undulating niece of country, directly in front of G-en. Meade s head-quarters. Column after column broke on the sight, apparently springing from the ground, and forcibly reminding one of Roderick Dhu s boast to James Fittjame*, in Walter Scott's "'Lady of the liake.'' Gradually the army massed in solid phalanx at the point indicated, and as gradually did the col umns emerge from that phalanx and file over the different roads in the direction of Chancellors ville. From the woods opposite General Head-quarters, on the east, could be seen the troops of General Burnside, slowly winding down the hill and swing ing around on the Chancellorsville road. The tour different army corps. Hancock s. \\ arren's, Sedg wick's and Burnside's poured in living masses over the different avenues to the new positions to be taken. . About dark the rebels, who bad just been made aware of the march of theMJnion army, ventured from the position to which they had been driven back by our forces, and from a distant hill opened a battery on some of our rear columns but without inflicting any injury. As the batteries opened fire the banus performed '"Hail Columbia, " . ankee I)oodle," Ac., in defiance and contempt. Birnev's Division of Hancock's corps were de tailed, by Gen. Meade, as a rear guard to cover the march, or as it was, strictly speaking, the ad vance of the Union army. This division took po session of the intrenchments of our troops during the movement, and most effectually checked any demonstrations of prowling rebels on our lefr. The troops were engaged the whole night in moving; infantry, artillery, baggage, ammunition and supply wagons, ambulances and every variety of vehicle attendant on a great army, blocked up all the roads for miles. The weather was extreme ly warm, and impenetrable clouds of dust filled the air, rendering the march an extremely unpleasant one. SUNDAY, THE FOURTH DAY. Aa Sunday is a day that has figured so conspieu oiwly iu the jjjre&t events of the wsr, it was oonfi dently expected that its advent would record some momentous event in the present great movement of the army, but up to the time I write but little has transpired of moment beyond a desperate fight between the old First Army eorps, now attached to Warren's corps, and a portion of the rebel army who attempted to check our advance near Todd's Tavern. A full account of the fighting has been forward ed to you. and it is only necessary for me to allude to it in this connection. In the morning Generals Grant and Meade established their headquarters at Piney Branch, about two and a half miles from Chaneellorsville, on the Todd's Tavern road. A party of twenty-five hundred rebel prisoners, cap tured within the past fewdayß, passed head-quar ters this morning, among them several rebel Gap tains and two Colonels. The weather to-day is intensely hot. and the sol diers, in their onward career, suffered greatly from the intense heat. As division after division filed over the various roads on their way to Spottsylva nia Court House, even' stream, small creek and pool of water was eagerly sought after by the tired soldiers, when, after filling their canteens with muddy water and applying them to their parched lips, they would proceed on the way to Richmond. At three o'clock in the afternoon an order was given to prepare to move and at about four o'clock Generals GRANT and MEADE left Piney Branch and proceeded over the hills in an easterly direc tion, and taking a turn through the woods to the right, selected a spot about two miles distant as a base of operations for Monday's work. About fiveo'clock the train attached to General Head-quarters left, and just at dusk the newly se lected head-quarters were fully established. A detachment of four companies of Massachu setts cavalry went out in the morning on a recon noitring expedition towards the Ilapidan. Thev returned in the afternoon with three empty sad dles, having had a small skirmish with some Reb el cavalry a few miles out. The twenty-five hundred Rebel prisoners alluded to are quartered directly in the rear of GRANT'S head-quarters, and surrounded by a small guard. They are, to say the least comfortably clad. Nearly every man has good shoes, and they really look like good fighting stock. A Union dese rter, who had gone over to the Rebels on cwo occasions, was taken this morning, and will be tried by court-martial, and iffound guil ty will be hung without delay, We are anxiously awaiting the development of the morrow, and the general impression is that a great battle will take place, although it is not im probable the greater portion of the day will be taken up in manoeuvring for positions. We are entirely cut aff from all communication with the North byany regular means of conveyance, and one of the greatest t rials of the newspapeij or respondents is to devise means of getting matter through to their respective papers. It is a matter involving great personal risk, as the country be tween us and the nearest point North that com municates direct to Washington is infested with Rebel guerrillas. Several messengers have gone through, or started to go through, with despatch es to THE INQUIRER, but we areas yet in doubt wheather any of them reached their point of des tination. SKIRMISHES ON MONDAY, FIFTH DAY. SPOTTSYLVANTA COURT-HOUSE, YA. , 1 TUESDAY, May 10,1864. j From the X. Y. Timet. The military situation at this hour (Tuesday, 12 M.) finds the line of the army drawn around Spottsylvania Court-house, in the arc of a circle, the concave towards us. The enemy is in forte at that point, and seems determined to dispute the pn.-wee. I mentioned in my letter of yesterday that the two armies ran a race from the Wilder ness for Spottsylvania. hut unfortunately the ene my won the race. This should not be interpreted as conveying any censure on the army of the Poto mac, which has marched with a new inspiration and a rapidity never before see i in its history.— But the very necessities of our condition as the invading party, with our old base abandoned and a new one not yet opened, obliges us to take im mense trains, which, of course, retard the general movement of the army ; the rebels constantly fall ing back on their base, and favored by their very poverty, can beat us on an equal start. It would certainly have been a great point gained had we been able to make Spottsylvania Court-House in advance of the enemy. An inspection of the map will show you that it is an important strategic point, being the point of divergence of the roads leading southward, both to the right and left. The enemy's command of it enables him toeover the withdraw al of his trains and at the same time bars our fur ther advance, unless on the condition of an as sault —which in the country in which we are now fighting, is very destructive of life —or of a turn ing movement. ****■** About 6 o'clock last evening. Gen. HANCOCK, holding the right of our line, crossed Po Creek and seized the Block House Road, the direct line from Parker's Store to Spottsylvauiu Court-House. Immediately afterward, WARREN, who now has center, advanced his line of battle, drove the reb els for half a mile, and took up a strong position. Up to the present hour, the situation remains as here described. The rebels have as yet shown no disposition to assume the offensive at this point. It was confi dently expected ou Sunday night that an attack would take place on HANCOCK'S front, toward the C'atharpen Road, and on a line with the Rock Road. The troops shewed great diligence in Continued on second page.) Dispatches from Cairo, dated Friday, state that a Union train of two hundred and forty wagons, while returning to Pine bluff, was captured by the Rebels on the 25th uit, together with tlie escort, under the command of Col. iJrake, comprising the Twenty-sixth lowa Regiment the Seventy-seventh Ohio Regiment, and the Forty-third Indiana Reg iment, with four pieces ofartillery. Gen. Steele e advance of cavalry reached Little Rock on the Ist inst. His main body was greatly harassed by the Rebels during his retreat from Camden, aud he was compelled to destroy his trains and every bndge behind him. On the 50th he crossed the Valine River ; but before crossing he was attacked by the Rebels under Gen. Fagen, and during the eve ning a portion of the Rebei cavalry crossed above, and proceeded withiu eight nules of Little Rock causing considerable alarm there. Latest reports from Little Rock assure us that both that place and Pine Bluff are sate. Gen. Andrews, with three nundred men, had arrived to strengthen the force at Pine Bluff. Gen. Sturgis's cavalry had a fight noar Bolivar, Tenn, on Monday last with the itebels under For est. Our troops numbered TOO, with two pieces of artillery ; those of the enemy were 1,000. After a light of two hours, in which Gen. Sturgis lost on ly two killed and ten wounded, the Rebels were driven across the Hatehie River, destroying the bridge behind them. Advices from bull s Gap an nounce the destruction of the East Tennessee and V irgiiiia Railroad for a distance of 15 miles between Lick. Creek and Greenville, Tenn.. by a brigade of troops belonging to Gen. Cox's command. Every bridge and railroad tie in the whole_ extent of 15 miles was burned, and the road left in such a con dition that it cannot be repaired for months. Ano ther expedition burned all the bridges on the road over the Watauga River, and toye up the entire track at ail points withiu their reach. We have New-Orleans dates to the .10th. It is that a skirmish had taken place between Grand Kcore and Alexandria. Gen. Lueas, with our rear guard, engaged the Rebels, under W bar ton, two or three Brigades strong, and fought him day and night for three days. We cleaned them out. The Rebs had about 10,000 cavalry, and har assed our force until within seven miles of Alexan dria. Our forces were under Gen. Emory. Vol. 37. No. 91: FROM GENERAL BANKS ARMY. THE RETURN TO ALEXANDRIA. The Retreat C onducted by General Franklin. A Severe Engagement. The special correspondent of the St. Louis Re pnUiean with the Red River expedition, gives full particulars ofGeneralßank'sretreat to Alexandria. Our forces arrived at that place on the 26th and 27th of April. The Republican,"B correspondent says : GENERAL FRANKLIN CONDUCTING THE RETREAT. General Franklin and General A. 3. Smith held a consultation at Grand Eeore last week, and :i --greed upon a programme by which they could bring the Army successfully back to Alexandria.— Franklin laid his plan before General Banks, and told hint that he ( Franklin j lead held a consultation with General Smith, and that they had agreed ujv on the plan, and that he would undertake to conduct the retreat, if he (Banks) would not interfere.— General Banks assented, and thus virtually turned the command over to General Franklin, tie took a cavalry escort and came on to Alexandria, arriv ing here a day or so in advance of the main army. A SEVERE ENGAGEMENT. General Franklin took up his march from Grand Ecore last Thursday, destaoying all the stores for which he had no transportation. When his army arrived Cane river, Saturday morning, where General Franklin expected to cross, he found the rebels under Pick Taylor, posted on a high emi nence on the opposite side, in force, to dispute the crossing. Franklin at once opened on them whith artillery, and heavy cannonading was kept up all day Saturday, Saturday night and until Sunday morning about nine oclock. In the meantime Franklin sent a large infantry force up Cane river two or three miles, where they sucoeded in finding a ford, at which they crossed over, came down near the bank, and charged the heights. A severe en gagement ensued, in which both sides lost heavily. The rebels were driven from the hill, and a cros sing of the whole army effected. Two hundred and fifty of our wounded at this battle came down on Monday, on the steamer Red Chief. Their wounds had not been dressed wheu they arrived here. I have not been able to learn the exact estimate of losses on both sides. It is my, opinion, however, that our losses will not exceed four hundred in kil led, wounded, &c. The reliel loss is perhaps great er. The Rebels soon closed in on General Frank lin's rear, and there has been sharp skirmishing ail the way down. GUERILLAS. This place has been in a constant state of excite ment and alarm since it was known that the army was lulling back upon Alexandria. This alarm has been increased by frequent guerilla raids on the | opposite side of the river. Un Sunday morning a | number of rebels, numbering forty or fifty, made a dash on Pineville, on the opposite side of the riv er. tired a volley at the boats, captured some ofour scouts and pickets, and spread terror among the women and children of Pineville. The gunboat opened on them, and shelled the opposite shore for about an hour. This caused al most a panic in Alexandria, as the shelling began about five o'clock Monday morning, at a time when the most of the inhabitants were asleep. The can nonading was loud, and shook the houses, making the window sashes rattle. This was-too much for the nerves of delicate women, and many'were the hands that were wrung in horror at the thought of a battle in our midst. The matter was soon ex plained and the excitement gradually subsided The excitement was revived Monday evening. The rebels made another dash at Pineville, causing a 'big scare.' The gunboats opened out. and shelled the woods back of the village Nobody hurt. A REBEL JOKE' It is said .'hat the rebels captured at Mansfield two wagons loaded with paper collars; and that General Dick Taylor returned the collars through a flag of truce, with a letter to General Ranks, in which the facitious rebel-said: "I have boiled, fried, baked and stewed these things, and can do nothing with them. We cannot eat them. They are a luxury for which we have no use, and I would like, therefore, to exchange them for a like quan toty of hard-tack." The joke is a good one. and has convulsed the western boys, who hare no great admiration for the "Liberator of Louisiana." — When the western troops passed General Bank's head-quarters, coming into Alexandria, yesterday, they groaned, jeered; and called aloud, "How about those paper collars ?" THE BLACK FLAG. Before the battle of Pleasant Hill. General Dick Taylor sent in by a flag of truce, a letter to Gen end Banks, in which he told him that if nryro I troop* were used against the Confederate arm;/, he I ( Taylor) trxndd raise the blade flag, and show no | quarter. It may be owing to this fact that no ne ; gro troops were engaged, they having been sent to the rear (or rather to the front) to guard the bag gage train, on its way back to Grand Ecorc. THE GUN BOATS. As many will doubtless attach some blame to Admiral Porter for getting his gunboats ashore above the falls, and allowing them to be caught, it is but justice to him and his squadron of bravo men to that the country owes him and them much for the part thov performed. Had it not. leen for thegunbonts above Grand Eeore. after the battle of Pleasant Hiil. the rebels would have cap tured Bank's entire fleet of some thirty or forty transports, all loaded with valuable stores. The naval despatch boat Benefit. Captain Leery, com manding. while carrying to the transports, a hun dred miles, by river, above Grand Eeore. the news of Bank's retreat, and an order for their return, was tired into at Grapps' Bluffs, forty miles above Grand Ecore, by a battery of four pieces of artil lery-. and by about 500 infantry. The rebels fired forty shots, killing the captain of the boat J. T. Hatcher, and two others; two shells burst in the engine room. The benefit carried two pieces, which did good service, firing fifteen shots, killing and wounding some thirty rebels. I am indebted to A. J. Jones, master's mate on the flag ship, and who commanded one the guns on the Benefit, for these facts. The rebels must have known that the Benefit carried despatches announcing Bank's defeat, and hence their desperate effort to cap ture her. LTQI'OR IN THE ARMY.—General Howard made the following sensible remarks as to liqnors in the amy, in a late speech : I did not drink at college. I did not drink at "West Point; but when I srot into the army I found it was all the fashion. If you went into an officer's quar ters the first thing was to offer you something to drink. It was thought you did not treat him with proper respect if you did not. I fell into the habit. I drank whiskey and offered it to others. When I was stationed at Florida, I onca offered whisky to an officer and hedeclinod. I urged him to drink and he drank. A short time after I attended him in the horrors of delirium tremens, and I made up my mind that it was wicked, and that I never would do it again; and have not. Ido not keep it in nty quarters or my tent. I know it is a hard stand to take, especially for a young officer; but 1 can say from my own experience that it will pay. THE Richmond Examiner thus winds up an edito rial fullv justifying and glorifying in the massacre at Fort Filiow: "Repeat Fort Pillow, repeat Plymouth a few times, and we shuil bring the ranker i to their senses: and, what is even better, our Government will rise to a proper sense of its position as an organ of a naton, and no longer act as if it were the junta of a aet of revolted prisoners. The Enquirer fmdsr no evidence of massacre at all. and refers to the hoapi tali ties extended to Gen. Chalmers by the ol the steamer Platte Vatiev as proof that no ontrage was committed. The editor adda thirt' a, negro at 1 $5,000 is too valuable to be shot."