MARTINSBURG, April 27, 1864-11 a.m.

(Received 3.30 p.m.)

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

Six rebel prisoners, of Gilmor's battalion, were brought in yesterday. I examined them. They wish to be exchanged and go back to the Southern army, with the exception of an Irishman, a sailor, who wishes to take the oath of allegiance. I had a private interview with him and he says the following:

Longstreet's troops were encamped on last Saturday between Charlottesville and Gordonsville, on his way to Lee. He says that 2 men came from Richmond to join Gilmor's battalion, at Mount Jackson. They told him that Roland [?] was on the Peninsula, and that Wise has taken command at Charleston. Opinion prevails in the South that we have got tired of Charleston. He assures me that there is no truth in the rumor of Johnston having joined Lee's army; at least there was nothing known about it at Staunton and in the valley. He says that General Elzey, at Staunton, is authorized to strengthen his division, assisted by Marshal Kane, of Baltimore, from all Marylanders of Lee's army and other commands, but that Lee refused to let them go. Imboden has been made a major-general, and Gilmor is before a court-martial for robbing citizens on the railroad instead of destroying bridges and cars, when he made his last raid.

Our cavalry had a successful skirmish yesterday at Springfield, north of Romney.

FRANZ SIGEL,

Major-General.

CHARLESTON, April 27, 1864.

Major General F. SIGEL,

Martinsburg:

Your dispatch received. I will be ready to move on the 2nd of May. Will you please have a portion of the Eighth Ohio Cavalry ordered here at once, say, one battalion, to command this post, and let the remainder of the regiment draw and send their equipments and horses after them to this place?

GEORGE CROOK,

Brigadier-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPT. OF WEST VIRGINIA, Numbers 85.
Cumberland, Md., April 27, 1864.

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II. Brigadier General J. C. Sullivan, U. S. Volunteers, is relieved from further duty at Webster, W. Va., and will proceed to Martinsburg, W. Va., to assume command of the First Infantry Division of this department, now there concentrating.

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By order of Major General F. Sigel:

T. MELVIN,
Assistant Adjutant-General.