April 2.—At Washington, D. C, the Committee on Political Prisoners ordered that Mrs. Greenhow, Mrs. Rosanna Augusta Heath, and Mrs. Morris, be sent beyond the Union lines. Mrs. Greenhow made a full confession, admitting that she was engaged in forwarding letters, papers and information to the rebels. She refused to tell what source of communication she kept up, and gave no names of her spies in Washington. But other information gives the names of several; two ex-Senators and several members of Congress, one of whom still retains his seat. Mrs. Morris also made a confession, admitting her treason in aiding the rebels by forwarding information. They all refused to take the oath of allegiance, or even give a parole of honor not to aid the enemy.— Philadelphia Inquirer.
—The United States Senate passed the House resolution—ayes thirty-two, nays ten—suggested by the President, declaring that the United States ought to cooperate, by giving pecuniary aid, with any State which may adopt the gradual abolition of slavery.—The bill for the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia was discussed, but no vote taken.
—A party of Colonel Ashby’s rebel scouts made their appearance early this morning on the high wooded ridge on the opposite side of Stony Creek, near Edenburg, Va. They were fired on by some of the Twenty-ninth Pennsylvania, when Ashby unmasked four guns and threw several shells into the Union camp. The rebels subsequently retreated.— Baltimore American, April 8.
—Cavalry pickets of Gen. Lew. Wallace’s division, at Crump’s Landing, on the Tennessee River, were driven in this evening. A sharp skirmish occurred, in which company I, Fifth Ohio cavalry, lost three men, taken prisoners, namely, Sergeant E. F. Cook and privates Wm. Tidwell and John Lilly.—Cincinnati Gazette.
—Major Donaldson, Chief of the Quartermaster’s Department, in New-Mexico, arrived at Washington to-day. He brings much important information in regard to the rebel raid into that territory. He says the rebels hold every position of value, except Fort Craig and Fort Union. The latter, which is the most important Fort in the far West, containing millions of dollars’ worth of government stores, is now safe beyond peradventure. It is garrisoned by one thousand five hundred soldiers, has water within the fortification, and provisions for an almost unlimited siege. It will be the rallying-point for the ample Union forces now marching to expel the invaders.
Major Donaldson says the march of the Colorado Volunteers, a regiment of nine hundred and sixty men, organized by Gov. Gilpin, from Denver City, to the succor of Fort Union, exceeds anything on record. They traversed forty miles a day during the last four days, when they heard the Fort was in danger of falling. Their timely arrival secured its absolute safety. Major Donaldson relates many incidents of the battle near Fort Craig, and says that Major Lockridge, of Nicaragua filibuster fame, fell dead at the head of the Texas rangers in their last charge upon Captain McRea’s battery.—.N. Y. Commercial, April 3.
— Early yesterday morning, a regiment of picked men, belonging to the Excelsior Brigade, under the command of Brig.-Gen. Sickles, left Liverpool Point for Stafford Court-House, Va., on a reconnoissance. The troops landed at Shipping Point Batteries, and marched from thence past Dumfries through Aquia to Stafford Court-House. There was skirmishing between a body of six hundred rebel cavalry and the advanced corps of Gen Sickles’s command, six miles from Stafford, and firing on both sides was continued until the Nationals reached that place to-day. The rebels in their retreat set fire to the town and all the stores. The Union forces promptly stopped the conflagration as soon as they entered. A number of prisoners, horses, stores, etc., fell into their hands. After remaining three hours in Stafford, camp-fires were built on the hills to deceive the rebels, while the National forces withdrew from the place. The casualties of General Sickles’s troops were two wounded and a few missing.—N. Y. Commercial, April 5.
— A rebel force of seven regiments of infantry, two regiments of cavalry, and three batteries, were thrown across the Rapahannock River to cut off Col. Geary’s command at White Plains, Va. By a forced march they reached Salem, within five miles of the Union band, last evening, with the intent of attacking Col. Geary’s command in two columns, cutting off his retreat, and then seizing the formidable Gap, to intercept the progress of reconstructing the Manassas Gap Railroad. The attack was to be made at daybreak this morning. Their movements were made secretly, with the intention of making a dash, and cutting the Union command to pieces. Col. Geary became apprized of their presence and designs, and moved his whole command off quietly during the night, and battled with the mountain roads, wading streams and rivers of mud for five miles, and by daylight occupied Thoroughfare Gap,[1] where he prepared for a resolute and determined stand in the mountain defiles. The movement was a most important one, frustrating a design to accomplish a victory by the destruction of a much-dreaded command, to revive the drooping feelings of the rebels in Virginia. The calls were beaten in the evening, and the camp-fires left burning as usual, after the command marched.
One of the Union scouts was killed, and three of the rebels were taken prisoners.—Philadelphia Inquirer.
—The schooner Kate, of Nassau, N. P., attempted to run the blockade at Wilmington, N. C, when she was pursued. The rebels, finding they could not save their vessel, ran her aground and set fire to her. A boat’s crew from the steamer Mount Vernon extinguished the fire on board of her, before it had burned long, or done much damage. Her cargo was examined, and found to consist of four hundred and fifty sacks of salt, consigned by Addersly & Co., of Nassau, N. P., to John P. Frazer & Co., of Charleston, S. C, or Wright & Co., of St John’s, N. B. After repeated efforts to pull her off, which were all unsuccessful, as she was run well up on shore, it was determined to burn her, which was effectually accomplished—N. Y. Times, April 20.
[1] Thoroughfare Gap is a station on the Manassas Gap Railroad, fourteen miles west of Manassas, Va. It is a gap in the Bull Run Mountain.
