HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, Saint Augustine, Fla., July 7, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel E. W. SMITH,
A. A. G., Dept. of the South, Port Royal, S. C.:

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that nothing has occurred since my last dispatch worthy of special mention.

A little tug called the Montones, Captain Hayes, came into this port on her way to Montones, Cuba, and was viewed with great suspicion. Such I find to have been the case at Fortress Monroe, Beaufort, N. C., and Hilton Head. At the latter place she was thoroughly overhauled. I had detectives at work, but was unable to get sufficient evidence to warrant me in seizing her. One of the crew, a rampant, noisy rebel and armed blockade-runner, I arrested and sent by to-day's boat, the Collins, to the Head. I recommend that he be sent to New York. The Montones would be a most serviceable boat for the rebels in Indian River, and despite her excellent papers I fear such may be her destination.

There is scarcely a whisper of disloyalty here, though undoubtedly there may be latent treason. The people seem to be satisfied with the government of the post, which I endeavor to keep thorough and strict, though kind.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOS. R. HAWLEY,

Colonel Seventh Connecticut Volunteers, Commanding Post.

HDQRS. DISTRICT OF FLORIDA, DEPT. OF THE SOUTH, Jacksonville, July 7, 1864.

Captain W. L. M. BURGER,
Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: The apprehensions expressed by me to the major-general commanding in regard to the probable movements of the enemy appear to be justified by the facts, as a movement of the rebel forces has been made toward Yellow Bluff. Major Mayer, of that place, reports that Colonel McCormick, Second Florida Cavalry, has taken his advance camp on the headquarters of Trout Creek. A rebel vedette has been pushed to the Saint John's, between Trout and Cedar Creeks, and five torpedoes have been taken up by our boats in that vicinity yesterday and to-day. The lookout on our signal tower reports a number of camp-fires seen for two days in the neighborhood of Trout Creek. In the course of to-morrow I hope to know what the force of rebels is, and I shall attack them just as soon as Colonel Beecher's regiment gets its arms, which I trust will be by the next boat.

I send up the camp and garrison equipage of the Seventh U. S. Colored Troops. That of the Seventy-fifth Ohio Volunteers cannot be found; it is probably at Picolata, where are now the headquarters of the regiment.

On my return I find that the horses necessary to the battery have not been supplied, owing to the losses by glandes, and that it is impossible to put in service more than five of these fully equipped. I trust the major-general will send these back as soon as they can be spared from his operations, for in my present paucity of numbers