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fOLUJIE XLV. MILLEDG.EYILLE, GEORGIA, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 1864. MJMBER 21. & SON, ^‘-nlTOBS ANT ° PROPK IET OR8. MILLER, EDITOR. gin 1 ^ gfBpHEN F. S A5^ aCIiTE E Ttr»*' .^03 for Six Month*, in Advance. Per TRAKSIKNT advertising. a ten lines, each insertion, $2 00 iqnar legal advertising. Qtii*W •'7' Y^tters of Administration ,by Executors, Guardians, &c., 5 00 l | t® lD! * . „ f nr Lotters of Dismi ssion ; 8 rJ#> , ion f or Letters of Dismission ,X^ aMp - 8 00 '*>.*» fc. r l _o»v. lo «e'l L,«.d .nd g ^ S f ! to Debtor* and Creditors, . 6 00 isr.f * r p« w, * w * i>~i>*«x, ~ jjiliw*’ ^ifhleTv often lines, or lees, t 00 U^ajsal,» often lints, or less, 10 00 . Advertisements of fleshy Sheriffs ex- ten lines, will bo charged m pro- P x‘iColleetor’s Sales, per square...— 5 00 ^foreclosure of Mortgage and other month- , Xertisements, $2 00 per square of ten Lfor each insertion. Establishing lost papers, per square of * ^ Kit lines, For a nun advertising his wife, in advance, 10 00 Tributes of Respect. Resolutions by 8o- Obituaries,«fcc., exceeding stx lines, to be charged as transient advertising. Vo deviation from the above scale of prices un- derinypretenee. jy Kemittancos by mail at our rusk. t««s subservient to .hi* selfish views, that he resembled the blank leaf be tween the Old and New Testament, belonging to neither, and making a cov er of both. No one would laugh at this* it is exactly that description of wit which has been defined “ an anexpecl- ed association oUapparently dissimilar ideas, exciting pleasure and surprise.” Lord Byron was once asked by a friend, in the green room of Drury Lane The atre, whether he did not think Miss Kelly’s acting in the “Maid and the Magpie” exceedingly natural ? “I real- y cannot say,” replied his lordship ; “I was never* innocent of srealing a silver spoon.” This is drollery rather than wit, and excites onr laughter, without claiming any portion of our ad miration. . One of our poets, a remarkably ca daverous-looking man, recited a poem, descriptive of a country walk, in which the following couplet occurred >— “The red breast, with his furtive glance, Comes and locks at me askance t” upon which a wag exclaimed—“Gadl if it had been a carrion-crow, he would have stared you lull in the face a re mark so hurnocoas and unexpected, that it was received with a-unanimous shout of laughter. Here the absurdi ty of the idea, if it did not amount to wit, was something better, or, at all events, more stimulative of the risible faculties. WIT AND WISDOM. JFAVS—the modern—are proofs, we are told, ot the truth of Christianity. Are they not at the same time, proofs of the. want of Christianity in those who profess, without feeling, its char itable doctrine ? ’ as the Scriptures, when they enjoin love of our neighbor, carefully "warn us to put the most en larged construction upon the word, it ij difficult m reconcile the virulent de nunciations, and the incentives to scorn and haired of the Jews, which so many of the clergv infuse into their sermons, either with Christianity, good taste, or right feeling. Our Savior was a Jew ; the greater protiori of the Bible is Jew ish; ihe len commandments, which constitute the basis of our morality, are Jewish. Whv, then, should we dislike our fellow-subjects, and spiritu al half-brethren, because they happen tube Jews, more even than we hate Turks and Pagans, who are ulter ali gns and infidels ? All persecution is de moralizing, and the Jews have been long exposed to its worst species.— that of public prejudice, aggravated by civil and other disabilities. Abolish allreligious pains, penalties, and dis tinctions, and this oppressed race will quickly become elevated in the moral, mwell as in the political scale. What a picluresqueness do these de fendants of Abraham impart to the otherwise monotonous surtace of socie ty! Far and wide do we travel, to he boid the inanimate mouldering remains of Greece and Home ; while in the Is raelites, our neighbors and fellow- bttnsrnen, we may contemplate the living mint of a nation still niorc an- dentand illustrious. Who can survey their adust complexions, oriental phys- logimmies, and dark-flowing beards,, converting them into unladed portraits 1,1 the old scripture characters, without ^ing carried back, in imagination, to he crowded streets ofSolyina, a*ul the jiiories of King David ? .. biere are moral points <?f view, also, tn which they cannot be* contemplated p'uhoui exciting respect and admira- l| on in every candid mind. For eight- e enhundred years, under persecutions I !norc relentless and unremitting than P e w orld ever witnessed, have they c ‘ un gto their ancient faith with an in- ‘lotnitable and unparalleled heroism, •lartynlorn is comparatively nothing; r' ea ffi, the affair ot a moment, is easily confronted; but the life-long death of COn tinual oppression, scorn, and hat- r^all which might be avoided by the jiUerance of a single word, none but a .'^-■principled soul can endure. Their ‘“ e xible tenacity, in this respect, pre- l^ Bl3 a grand, I had almost said a sub- ;ne spectacle. I .'JOKES—The cayenne of conversa- r IOn > and the salt ot life. “A joke’s J^cper'iiy,” vtavs Shakspeare, “lies in | .* tar of the hearer and indeed it 5 t,J inetimes exceedingly difficult to pfono ‘bad '■Dice whether it be a good one or one, risiblv speaking, for a bon rr >ay be too witty to tic pleasant, or ; - e *6t to elicit laughter; while a poor P e asantry, by the help of some ludi- turn, or expression, or associa- fi °“ °f ideas, may provoke cachination, j deployce. Nay, there are cases, n w bich a joke becomes positively from its heing so intolerably bad, (jp ls a Pplauded, in the inverse ratio lls tDeiii, as the greatest honors are , 1 *-» »» luvz nwiioio “■ ^ ^'Deiimes showered upon men who *\ e Die least honor, The admiration * C| teJ by the highest order of jvit is lh n u r - aU y 8enni15 because it sets us ),j ' n S* It is said of a crafty Israe- ^ e ' who deserted the Hebrew fhitb, °ut embracing that of the Christians, a y^t endeavored to make both par- a JUDGMENT—A faculty of which v*ery few people have enough to dis-' cover that they want more. In form ing a judgment of each other, the sex es usually proceed upon the falsest and most deceitful grounds. If a wo man lie struck by a man’s exterior, she invariably thinks well of his morals and his talents r gain her love, and yoa secure her esteem ; she judges of every thing by the impression made upon her self, and in the credulity that prompts her to believe what she wishes, is easi ly lead away by her confiding and af fectionate nature. Men, sexuidly speak ing, are still more blind and rash iir their judgment, or, rather, in their to tal want-of It. If they are smitten by a pretty face, they inquire no further, and ask fyut .one question—YVill you have me ? They marry the face, of which the beauty is to last, perhaps for one year only—at most for ten,— and they kuow little or nothing of the mind with which they are to be associ ated until • death. In balancing the re spective motives of the sexes, the ad vantage is, as usual, all on the side of the females. Both are precipitate, and both wrong ; but women are misled by their trust and affections, while men fall into the same error from the influ ence of their passions and their senses. If any of my male readers donbt this judgment, let them doubt their own. KING—According U9 the doctrine of despots and their worshippers,the hered itary proprietor of a nation p according to reason, its accountable first magis trate. Monarch* are the spoilt chib dren of fortune ; and, like the juvenile members of the class, are often way ward, peevish, and jit jat ease/ We talk offfieing “as happy as a king but which of us is nok happier,—at least, in love and friendship, the great sweeteners of life ? There is no court ship in Courts. A king goes a wooing in the person ot his privy counsellors ; marries one whom he never saw, in or der to please the nation, of which he is the ruler-, only to be its slave ; and is generally cut off from those domestic enjoyments that constitute the highest charm of existence. Friendship can not offer him a substitute, for equality is its basis ; and he who wears a crown is at *once prevented by station, and prohibited by.etiquette, trorn^indulging in any communion of hearts. Truly he ought to be exempted from all other taxes, since he pays quite enough for his painful pre-eminence. A wise man, however #ell qualified to shine in courts, will seldom desire to share theirxlangerous splendor. Di ogenes, while he was washing cab bages, seeing Aristippus approach, cried out to him—“If you knew bow to live upon cabbages, you would not be paying court to a tyrant.’ “If you knew how to live with kings,’ replied Aristippus, “you would not be wash ing cabbages.” “Of all kinds of men,” says a French writer, “God is least beholden to kings ; for he does the most for them, and they the h ast for him.” And vet the patri ot king, who con-fers happiness upon a whole nation, must render a more ac ceptable service to the Deity than any other mortal can proffer. KITCHEN—The burial-place of the epicure’s health and fortune. - “What a small kitchen !” exclaimed Queen Elizabeth, after going* over a handsome mansion.—“It is by having so small a'kitchen, that I am enabled to keep so large a house,” replied its owner. KNOWLEDGE—A molehill remov ed from the mountain of our ignorance. A knowledge of useful things, of which others are ignorant, is never con sidered an excuse for an ignorance ot trifles that are generally known.. After a scholar has attained a cer tain age, no knowledgeThat you can let in upon his mind will do him any harm. Cattle may be admitted, into ah orchard, to graze it after the trees are grywn up, hut not when they are young. Partial instruction may be a partial evil, but universality of knowledge, however high the standard, will never take the poor out of their sphere. Ele vating the lower, without depressing the up|>er classes, it will he an unmix ed good to both. But if.knowledge be power, *will not its universality givoa dangerous ascendency to the multi tude? Njo-—for the few will* be still wiser than*the many. The most igno rant will then run the greater risk. In a general illumination, it is only the unlighted windows.that are pelted and broken by the mob. —— » SorrcHdtr of Fort DoieliQR-. A correspondent of the Appeal per petrates the following reminiscence: “I see the enemy have failed to dis lodge Forrest from West Tennessee and Kentucky yet, notwithstanding their boasts, and the fact that reinforce ments have been sent them (rom Chat tanooga. Forrest is loo much for them. He is.the hardest not they have crack- ed at yet. By the way,* speaking of this gallant officer, I have heard an in teresting account of the capture of Fort Donelson, in which he figured promi nently, and which if true, entitles Hun him to great credit lor his daring enter prise and determination. My author ‘is a prominent member of Cong/ess, who was one of the investigating com mittee on the Fort Donelson disaster. Although I would by no means give ( his name, yet I do not hesitate to give these unpublished particulars, as they are bound to leak out some day or oth er. On Saturday night before the surren der, a council was called. Pillow, Floyd, Buckner and a number of Brig adiers composed this body. There was much confusion and'an exciting debate for a while. Some thought it necessa ry to surrender, and same didn’t. It was midnight and no definite under standing was come tOi Gen. Floyd seeing this, dismissed .the council, re questing Pillow and Buckner to remain. The three sat down gloomily by the fire, to ponder over ihe sad aspect of affairs. A long silence ensued. At last Floyd said : ■ “Well gentlemen, it remains with us to decide this matter, and we must do it at one®. It is now midnight, and if we retieat, we have not a moment to bse.” “I say retreat,” said Pillow. “Isay surrender! We have shed enough blood already to no purpose,” said Buckner. “Well, gentlemen,” said Floyd, “I see you are still divided, and as 1 have the ca*ting vote, I will settle ihe inkier at once. I favor a surrender myself, provided the duly does not devolve uj»on me. I can’t surrender because the United States Government have ■indicted me for treason, and the prob ability. is that if they werq to get me they would hang me. So you see the thing- is impossible. I transfer the command to you, General Pillow.” “Well, General,” said Pillow, “Pm in the same fix as youiself. The Yan kees have got mo indicted fnr shipping guns and munitions of war to ihe Con federate Government. So you see I can’t surrender, either; they would hang me as quick as the}' would you, and if you are excusable, I guess I am too. So I transfer my right of com mand to you, General Buckne/.” Gen. Buckner bowed but said noth ing. At that moment a noise was heard without. The door opened and a courier announced an officer who de sired admittance. He was ordered to show him in, and the next moment Col. Forrest, a}l splashed with mud and water, with bigh-topped boots and an old slouched hat, made his appearance. He walked to the fire-place and sealed himself without saying a word. After a few moments, Floyd said ; “Well, Colonel, have you anything important to communicate that you come here at this late hour, or has your curiosity led you to pay us this visit in order to find out what we had decided upon ?”— “Both,” replied Forrest, dryly, then risiqg from his chair lie said : “But is it possible, gentlemen, a3 I have already heard whispered this night, that you intend to'surrender ?” “Yes,-” was the reply, “we have just arrived at that conclusion.” “But,” said Forrest, “there, is no oc casion for it* gentlemen ; the whole army can easily escape without the loss of a man ;'not an hour ago I crossed the river on my horse where it wa6 not waist deep. I crossed it going, on horseback,’and waded it coming hack. It is free from Yankee pickets, also, and there is no danger to be feared.” “Yes, but colonel,” said Gen.Floyd, “my scouts have reconnoitered the en tire river, and an officer who arrived not half an hour ago, told .me that he had tested the. river everywhere and no spot had he found that was forda ble.” “I don’t care, general, if be did,” i said Forrest, “he told you a d—d lie,! as I am ready to swear that I waded ; the river pot half an hour ago, as my wet -clothes will testify. And now gentlemen as it is getting late, it is high time you should be acting. Will you take my advice and make your es cape.” . . “No,” was the reply, .-‘it is loo late.” “I have one request to make,” said Forrest, “I have a fine regiment of cav alry here, and I want permission to take it out'. Grant me this much and lam off.” Gen. Buckner nodded his head, when Forrest bolted out of the house, took his command, crossed the river at the aforesaid place an<4 made his escape without the loss of a man.— More anon. Arkansas. Interesting Details of Affairs In Virginia Annexed will* be found interesting details of matters which have trans pired in Virginia, since the commence ment of the fight. . They are culled from the columns of the Richmond Ex aminer : THE BATTLE NEAR PORT WALTHALL. On Friday evening, May 7tn, the ene my commenced to advance against Airt Walthall Junction, the point where ihe branch meets the •iiiwostpm of the Petersburg railroad—a distance of some three miles. There was some sharp skirmishing in which the enemy was repulsed with a loss of a hundred and filly in killed and wounded. On Saturday the enemy, afte-r being rein forced, renewed his attempt to advance, and about twelve o’clock, after some sharp skirmishing along the lines, a battle was-joined'by the opposing fore-, es, and continued with great fury for some four or five Jiours* The enemy fought with great stubborness, and showed a resolute purpose to reach the railroad. Our forces, under command of* Gen. Bush rod Johnson, resisted the advance most gallantly, and about six o’clock, after a most spirited engage ment, drove back their infantry. . The artillery continued to fire slowly, but the enemy made no atteippt to recover the ground they h^d lost. During the night for prudential reasc/bs, General Bushrod Johnson fell back upon Swift Creek bridge, a most important struct ure on the railroad, a mile and a half from Petersburg, and about the same distance lrom Port Walthall Junction, against which i-t is well known that this advance of the enejny is directed. The enemy’s strength is not known, but the best informed sources estimate it at not less than ten thousand. The prisoners taken report that this whole inovhment up the James river is under the direction of General Butler, and that he accompanies the expedition in person. CAPTURE OF ONE OF THE FEDERAL GUNBOATS. A Federal gunboat was captured in James nver on Saturday, May 8tin Being pursued closely by the Feclerals, our forces were obliged to blow her up. No loss on our side. Twenty seven Federals were captured. Five Fed erate were killed. The gunboat was the Sasheere. The captain was a- mong the killed. One of the Lieutenants captured stated that the Federal force landed at Bermuda numbered seventy thousand. The Richmond Examiner thinks*he over estimated the number about sixty thousand. RECON NUISANCE OVER THE PETERSBURG * RAILROAD. A reconnoitering party started out on the Petersburg Railroad, on Sun day. The road was found to be in good .order to within three quarters of a mile of Port YValthall, with the ex ception of a single rail which was fixed in such ft way that it would not be ob served by a careless observer, and at the same lime would surely throw a train off the track going at ordinary speed. While fixing it the officer heard rustling in the l/ushes supposed to pro ceed from a reconnoitering parly of Yankees making their escape. No danger being apprehended trains were run over the road on Monday. STATEMENT OF A YANKEE DESERTER. On the*train arriving at Chester they found a Yankee deserter, who had come into our lines and given him self up. He. was brought over and handed to the prison authorities. This deserter reports the force of the Yan kee army f rom thirty to forty thousand, and say that their plan of operations is to tear up the railroad and move on Petersburg. *He says that Butler com mands in person, and (hat Gen. Gil more is also along with the greater por tion of his forces from before Charles ton, having left Charleston hirnsejf and withdrew as much-of the force there as could be spared, for the purpose o£co- operating in this movement. He says that Gilmore’s force comprises the Tenth and a portion of the Eighteenth arm}’ corps, and sailed from Charles ton about len days ago, rendezvousing at Glpuchester Point, before setting sail up the river* He says that six regiments of negro troops accompany this expedition, and that their forces are scattered all through the narrow strip of land between the Appomattox He gives his Fourth New and the James river, from Bermuda Hundreds to Port YValthall. He re ports that Gen. Butler rode through his troops on Friday and was cheered lustily by the men. • He says their loss in *lhe battle of Saturday, near Port Walthall, was one thousand in killed, wounded and miss ing, and that he heard their officers so estimate it. He explains this,, great loss by alleging that the Y'ankees were ambuslied by our men and fired upon with most terrible slaughter—or, as he expresses.it. “they got a volley before they knew it.” He reports great de moralization in Butler’s army, and ex pressed a great surprise on seeing our soldiers, sayingthat they were “so much irmre enthusiastic than the Fedejals.” He says the Yankees had heard noth- ingof Grant’s repulse, and that the first intimation he got of it was on get ting into our lines. This Yankee deserter relates his sto ry with an air of great plausibility and frankness. He says that at the lime of his deserting he was on the reserve picket, and that going ’over to the house of Mrs. Howell, on the excuse of “getting some water,” he took advan tage to give the Yankees the slip, im mediately passed over to the plank road and made tracks for Chester, where he was taken up. name as David Kinsela, Hampshire regiment. * ANOTHER DISPATCH FROM GEN. LEE. About seven o’clock Sunday eve ning another dispatch was received from Gen. Lee, stating that the enemy had abandoned their position and was marching’orf Fredericksburg ; also that he was moving on their right flank. This dispatch showed that the Yan kees ha<j been forced to .desert thpir fortifications, anti that the programme they had laid out had been illustrat ed. * THE LOSS IN THE BATTLE. No estimate, for obvious reasons, can now be made of our loss in,the bat tles of the Rapid Ann. Gen. Lee in Inofficial dispatch, says that “our loss in killed is not large,”—little ariillery being used on either side—and that “many of our men are but slightly vvounded.”* As far as known, we have lost three brigadiers—General. J. W. Jones, of V irginia, Gen. Jenkins, ol South Carolina, anil General Staf ford, of Louisiana. Several of odr prominent officers are wounded. Gen. Longstreetamong the number.. As in the'case of Stonewall Jackson, Gen’s Longstreet and Jenkins- were shot through mistake, by our own' men. * The enemy’s loss is very large. All accounts say that the carnyge was ter rihle. The Y ankees fought with more desperation than ever before during the war. A gentleman who was in the fight tells us that as the Yankees approached the forces of A. P. Hill, they cried out “come on you accursed rebels. YVe will teach you how to fight. YY'e are western men.” And here came the fight in earnest-—hand toihand anti man to mutfc But our men proved„to much lor the Yankees, and alter a desperate struggle—such probably, as was never before known in this war—the Yankees gave way, and were soon in full retreat. Here arose yells from our men which might be heard for miles. They had repuls ed the enemy, and he was in fall re treat to the cover of his forticalions. Even by our account, the Yankees have lost Major-General Wadsworth, of New York, killed, and Major-Gen eral Seymour and Shaler captured. Wadsworth Was a prominent citizen of New York, and onc% ran for Mayor of that city, and was subsequently a can didate for Governor, in opposition to Governor Seymour. This Seymour is said to be the same man who command ed the expedition in-Florida, and who created such bluster with his negro troops. It is reported also that Ma jor-General Foster, of North Caroli na notoriety, has been captured. It is plain that the Y r an.kees have suffered terribly in this battle, and that Grant’s army been budly worsted. REPORTED FIGHT NEAR SPOTSYLVANIA the JameS and the Appomattox river*. In their retreat, on Sunday, they left their dead and wounded on the field* and sought refuge under their gunboat*. A detachment of our force* had beeu ordered to drive in their picket*)' and ascertain, if possible, in what strength they are about Port YValthall. The railroad, up to our latest accounts, had received no injury, and the enemy wa* held in check in the narrow neck of land reaching from Bermuda .Hun dreds, on the Jumes river, to Port Walthall, on the Appomattox river. SOME OF THE GALLANT DEAD. Gen Stafford died in Richmond on Sunday morning, from the effects of« wound in his shoulder inflicted by a small minnie or musket ball, ranging- from the left shoulder to the right, and • ouching the spinal column. He wa* from Louisiana,, had been in the war from its commencement, and had dis tinguished himself for his bravery. He was about forty live years old. He leaves in his native State a wife and nine children. Brig. Gen. Jenkins another of our distinguished dead, is a great loss.— From the first he had always been not ed for his bravery. He was the youn gest Brigadier in the service, being scarcely twenty-eight years of age. Col.-John L. Muller, another gallant son ofSouth Carolina, was among the killed. COURT HOUSE. - A fight was reported to have tak en place on Saturday, May 7th, near Spoilsylvania Court House between Gregg’s Y’ankee Division and two brig ades of Fitshugh Lee’s cavalry—YY r ick- liain and Lomax’s. The enemy was repulsed after a sharne light, in which it is said we lost two hundred in killed, wounded and missing. 'Fite ‘Yankee loss not known—supposed to be much greater. The Y’anKues were repulsed and were driven some distance. The country in which the fight occurred is filled with a dense undergrowth and both parlies were discomfitted. in the fight. T^e Yankees at last accounts were in full retreat from this positioiv THE INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE SfUTH SIDE ON SUNDAY NIGHT. m The last information received at headquarters Sunday night, stated that the enemy about Port Walthall junc tion had retired to his fortifications, and that all was quiet up to the latest advices. The,-euemy are' repotted to be entrenching themselves between WOUNDED GEORGIA OFFICER8. Among the wounded officers at Rich mond, are the following from Georgia : Lt. R YV Hood, 3ist Ga., in thigh ; Lt D B Sanborn, Phillips’ Legion ; Lt S D Mann, 4’4th Ga., thigh ; Lt S A Sanders 53d Ga., head ; Lt S E Fahn, 50ih Ga., neck ; Lt Col YV 8.’ Harls- field, 53d Ga., mouth ; Capl A YV Gib son, 45ih Ga., hand ; Lt B S Tharp, 4th Ga., thigh : Adj’t A G Thompson,' 12th Ga., hand ; Capt L Poole, 24tn Ga., both thighs ; Lt D II Calhoun, 4lh G*., shoulder ; Lt J T Pugley, 3Sth Ga., arm ; Lt G H Priee, Cobb’s cavalry, arm ; Capt G H Baldwin, Cobb’s cavalry, ai m ; Capt J L Dogge, Phillips’ Legion, bead ; Lt Col W C Holt, lOih Ga-, thigh ; Lt W C Dodd, 5th Ga., hip; Brig. Gen. Benning, Benning’s Biigade, left shoulder, se verely ;• Lt H B Williams, 4th Ga., thigh ; Lt Col. YV H YYTUis, 4th Ga., knee ; Lt B R Herty, 4ih Ga., in arm ; Col YV C Hodge, 17th Ga., shoulder ; Maj RM Bry, 31st Ga., abdomen; Maj YV r B Jones, 6th Ga. shoulder f Lt J Carlledge, jOth Ga. leg ; Lt A G DeLay, lGtlfGa., neck ; Lt A W Lat imer, 49ih Ga., Lt D LoVell, 61st Ga., shoulder; Lt R L Anderson, 4th Ga., arm. Another instalment of officers was expected in Richmond by the train Monday evening, and accommodations were prepared lor them. All the wounded received were doing well Sunday. The Ladies of Richmond it is said are particularly attentive in the distribution of delicacies and comfort ing smiles. Demonstration at Drewrifs Bluff"- On Monday morning Richmond was thrown into great excitement by the report that the Y T ankees had seized the Railroad at Chester, torn up the track, - burned the town, and were marching in large force against Drewry’s Bluff, with the evident design of attacking it in the rear. The Yankee’s halted at Berdee’* about two miles from the .bluff, and formed a line of battle, opened an ar tillery fire, and commenced moving in full force against the south front. No assault was made, however. It only ^ proved to be a demonstration. The Y’ankees retired at night. NEWS FROM lee’s ARMY. On Monday morning the War De partment received a dispatch lrom Gen. Lee, in which he said—“After a sharp encounter with . the Fifth army corps (YYarren’-s) and Tobbett’s division of cavalry, Gen. R. H. Anderson with the advance of the army, repulsed the ene my with heavy slaughter, and took pos session of Spotsylvania Court Hpuse. On Monday night another dispatch was received from Gen. Lee in which he states that “After the repulse of the enemy from Spotsylvania Court Home, receiving reinforcements he renewed the attack on our position, but was again handsomely driven back.” “The reliable gentleman” during Monday started the rumor that Lee had captured fifteen thousand Y'ankees bat this proved to be incorrect. - • A RECONNOISSANCE ON. THE PETERS BURG RAILROAD. On Monday afternoon, Mr. Gill, the Superintendent of the Petersburg Rail road, started on a reconnoissaace down the road. He proceeded as far as Chester, and found the road* to that point, uninjured, but learned that the Yankees had lorn up the track a short distance on lh£ oilier side of Chester. He was informed that about six thousand Yankee troops were in Ches- te’r Monday morning. They had not destroyed any property up to last eve ning, but said they should burn every house in the county last night. At five o’clock, when Mr. Gill left, a heavy fight was reported to be going on in about six miles of Chester.