Litchfield enquirer., 1864-04-14

A highly important General Order has been issued from the headquarters of the Army ot the Potomac, which is intended to clear the decks generally for active operations. All ci- williams, suffers and their employers, are order- cd to the rear by the l6th. Members of the Sanitary or Christian Commissions, and regis tered newspaper correspondents only. can re- main. All property for which there is no transportation, also goes to the rear, and the authority of Corps Commanders to grant fur loughs is revoked, and none to be granted save in extreme cases, or in case of re enlisted vet crans.
 Later news from the Red River Expedition is received in Cairy and New Orleans, by steamship, which left the latter place on the 3d inst. On the esth of March, Gen. Smiths forces had fight with the rebel Gen. Dick Taylor's army, 1900 strong, on Cane River, 27 miles above Alexandris. in which the reb- els were defeated with loss of 200 killed and wounded, aud 500 prisoners. It was General Smiths intention to pursue the enemy and make him fight 2 pitched battle. By the arri- val of the steamship Morning Sur at New York yesterday from New Orleans, April 2, we have further particulars of the fight, though entire credence was not given to the news in New Orleans on the 2d. In the fsht at Ba- you Rapides, on March 8, our forces captured two hundred and sixty prisoners. including twenty-two officers, four guns and four hun. dred horses.
 A dispatch from Louisville reports that l9 rebels, belonging to the Third Kentucky rebel Cavalry, of Forests command, came into Hopkinsville. op the 7th inst, and took the oath ot allegiance. They report that on March 2s, when between Mayaeld and Paducah, For. rest disbanded the Th,rd, Seventh and Eighth Regiments of Kentucky Cavalry. aud permit ted them to go home.
 Tbe bill before tue New Jersey Legislature permitting tho soldiers of that State to exer- else the elective franchise, has been defeated by strie. party vote. Tho Coppsrheads, calling thsm selves Democrats. decided that . citizen who takes up arms iu defence of his country, is not entitled to the elective fran chiss II this vote does not disgust the peo, pie of New Jersey with Copperhsadism, we fear that there is nothing that can.
 A party of refugees. just arrived at Wash inston from Richmond, give glowing accounts of the rapidity with which Lee is reinforcing his army by conscription, which, though quiet, is merciless in the extreme. It is asserted that Lee will have sp army of eighty thous. and or ninety thousand men to open the Spring campaign with. It is the general understand ing among the citizens of Richmond, that the rebsi leaders have concluded defensive line of operations this spring. Misery and want everywhere in Dixie continue to prevail, and the great problam of the food question is to eks out present supplies until vegetables can be raised.
 Mrs. Lucy A. Rice, refugee from Rich mond, has arrived at Baltimore. Mrs. Rics, despite the tyranny that reigns in Richmond, has always preserved her loyalty to the Union and sviuced warm sympathy for the suffer ;no. of ou: officers and men who have been imprisoned in Ricnnond. Her house was fol nine days the hiding place ana, refuge of Col streight, Major B. B. Mcdonald, and anS!he' officer, after they escaped from Libby Prison and were waiting an opportunity to get out o' the city. Mrs. Rice has reached our lines in a destitute condition. She has hesn forced to abandon all che possessed in Riohmaud: - 1 Brigadier General Wilson, formerly of Gen eral Grants staff, and lately in charge st ths
 Cavalry Bureau at Washingtoa, has been Fe
 fisvsa, and appointed to the command ef th' First Cavalry Division of the Army of the
 Potomac, formerly commanded by the late General Buford.
 N Gen. Butler has stripped the shouidsr-ssrap' of that humbug, Col. Charles Henry Foster of North Carolina who has manufactured SC . mnch "Union sentiment" in that state that } did uot exist, and been elected to Congress by nobody, and raised go many regiments eH lpaper.