Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-03-04
From WASHINGTON.


! In the Senate, Mr.. Sumner introduced bill
to exclude disloyal persons from the public
| lands Of the United States.
MIR. Wilson introduced bill which pro-
! vides that future enlistments in the regular
army shall be for three instead Of five years,
and the soldiers in the regular army who en-
listed prior to July %, 1861, shall have the
privilege Of enlisting until the first day ofMay
next, with the usual bounties.
Ia the House, on motion of Mr.. Shouse of
Pa, the committee on military affairs were in
structed to inquire into the expediency of in
creasing the number of cadets at the Military
Academy, and also the expedeIoy of repeal
ing much Of the enrolment act as gives pay
to officers absent with leave.
Mr.. Schenk, from the committee on militia
ry affairs, reported the following:
Resolved. That the bounties authorized to
be paid under existing laws and the regula-
tions and orders Of the War Department to
veterans re-enlsting or persons enlisting in
the regular Or volunteer service for three years
or during the war, shall be paid from the st
Of March to the LIST of April, any law or reg
ulation to the contrary notwithstanding, and
that the same bounty be paid out Of any mon
ey not already appropriated for that purpose
extending the time for payment of bounties
The House then passed the resolution OF
thanks to Admiral Porter, commanding the
Mississippi Squadron, and his officers and
men, for eminent skill and endurance In CO.
operating with tie army in re-opening the
Mississippi river also to Commodore Ring
gold, officers nd men, for daring and skill in
rescuing the United States troops from ship
wreck during 1861.
Mr.. Blair Of Mo-, from the committee on
military affairs, reported bill, which after
debate was passed, allowing persons in North
Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama and other
Southern. States to be enlisted in the army
with all the privileges under the existing lsw
in regard to pay, bounty, &c, such volunteers
70 be credited to such States or subdivisions
of States as they may elect. The bill was
passed, yeas Al, nays 40.
On Monday morning. about l o'clock, as
4 detachment Of the "a Massachusetts Caval
~, under command of Capt. J. L. Reed, who
had been out on scouting expedition, was
returning towards Drainesville, Va, on the
way to Vienna, they were attacked on the
Drainesvllle pike, about two miles from the
latter place, by gang of rebel guerrlllas, sup
posed to be under the notorious Mosby, con-
cealed in the pines. In the detachment Of
Mass. cavalry there were 80 men, while
Mosby. it is supposed. had Mt least between
200 and 800 men. The 2d Mass. were fred
upon from the dense pine woods near Drains
Vile and retrested. Afterwards light of our
men were found dead and seven wounded.
while it is supposed from fifty to seventy-ive
we're taken prisoners. At least that number
is missing, but as scattering ones are coming
in from time to time, the number will doubt
less be considerably reduced. Among the
prisoners is Capt. Manning Of Maine Capt
J. S. Reed the commander Of the detachment.
was shot through the left lung aud died in
few minnets after being wounded. Mosby
beat precipitate retreat. Troops we're at
once sent in pursuit of the guerrllss, but the
pursuing party has not yet been heard from.
AWashington letter says advces from near
Charleston report that some $4,000 troops
have been despatched by the rebels to TsllA-
hasse, Fla. for the purpose OF disputing the
advance of our forces upon that place. Part
OF these troops are said to have been sent from
Georgia and the remainder from Besuregara'
army. If the number of the rebel troops be
CORRECTLY stated, the opposing rmies will be
very n'arly matched should they meet in
uthhll IbHuhts
The Worlds 1ecial Washington dispatch
Of Wednesday evening says Gov. johnson
and the Tennessee delegation had an inter-
view with the President to-day relative to
the restoration of Tennessee to the Union
1t is understood that while they did not ia
yor the Presidents plan, the interview was
mutually agreeable and the Delegation e1-
pressed the opinion that Tennessee would be
firmly reconstructed with a civil government.
Special dispatches from Washington state
that Lees orderly, deserter, has arrived.
Tho strength Of Lees army IL not over rs, 600
He expects our army to be ready for opera
tions by the middle Of March, at which time
he mas ordered all his men to be back. Lee
expects by March or April to have 10000
men to check any advance Of our army OF
drive it back on Washngtod and to invade
Pennsylvania.
II ia remarkable fact, and one vividly IL
Illustrating the sithtulness Of the Union voun-
teers ip North Carolina, that in the first reg
iment there has been but one deserler, and he
, northern man by birth, aud not one deser-
tion from the second.