the enemy is reported to be retiring. This indicates General Grant's advance and affords an inference of material success on our part. The enemy's strength has always been most felt in his first blows, and these having failed and our forces not only maintained their ground but preparing to advance, lead to the hope of full and complete success, for when either party falls back disorganization by straggling and desertion commences, and the enemy's loss in killed and wounded must weaken him more then we are weakened. Nothing letter than my last night's dispatch has been received from General Butler. A dispatch from General Sherman dates at 5 p. m. of yesterday states that General Thomas has occupied Tunnel Hill, where he had expected a battle, and that the enemy had taken position at Bazzard's Roost Pass, north of Dalton. Skirmishing had taken place, but no real fighting yet. Nothing later from General Banks. You may give such publicity as you deem proper to the information transmitted to you. It is designed to give accurate official statements of what is known to the Department in this great crisis and to withhold nothing from the public.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, May 8, 1864-4 p. m.

Major-General DIX,

New York:

We are yet without any official dispatches from the Army of the Potomac, except those referred to this morning from the medical director and chief quartermaster, and nothing additional has been received by the Department from any other source. It is believed that no fighting took place yesterday. A part of the wounded arrived in ambulances this morning at Rappahannock Station, and are on the way on by railroad. The Department will probably received dispatches by that train, which will arrive to-night. A dispatch from General Butler, just received, and which left him yesterday,s states that a demonstration had been made by his forces on the railroad between Petersburg and Richmond, and has succeeded in destroying a portion of it, so as to bread the connection; that there had been some severe fighting, but that he had succeeded. He heard from a revel deserter that Lee is dangerously wounded. Pickett also, and Jones and Jenkins killed. Nothing has been heard to-day from General Sherman.

EDWIN M. STANTON.

Secretary of War.

GENERAL ORDERS,
WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 194.
Washington, May 9, 1864.

The following joint resolution of the Senate and House of Representatives is published for the information of all concerned:

PUBLIC RESOLUTION-Numbers 26.

Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United State of America in Congress assembled, That the sum of twenty-five millions of dollars be, and the same is hereby, appropriated out of any moneys in the Treasury not