By Telegraph

(Reported expressly for the Gazette.)

Opinion of the Attorney General in regard to Pensions.

Rumored Promotion of General Rosencrans [sic].

Skirmish between the Rebels and Gen. Sickles’ Division.

__________

From Washington

WASHINGTON, April 4.

Attorney Gen. Bates has given his opinion that the acts of January and August, 1813, granting pensions for wounds or disabilities are applicable only to the forces thereby created, and will not cover the cases of those called into service by the acts of the 22d of July last; nor are their widows and entitled to pensions under the act of fourth of July, 1836.

Grave doubts may be suggested whether the existing laws make provision for pensions to widows of those now in service who may die from disease or be killed in battle; and upon the whole question the Attorney General inclines to the opinion that there is no adequate provision of law by which such widows are entitled to pensions.  In addition to the bounty conferred by the act of July last, the militia, under the president’s proclamation of the 15^th of April 1861, which was in accordance with the law of 2d August, 1813, are, in cases of wounds and disabilities, entitled to pensions under its provisions.

Previous to adjournment to-day, Senator Trumbull gave notice he should call up the confiscation bill and press it daily until disposed of.

An official war bulletin from the War Department, creates two military departments – first, that portion Virginia and Maryland lying between the mountain department and Blue Ridge, to be called the Department of the Shenandoah, to be commanded by Gen. Banks.

Second, that portion of Virginia east of Blue Ridge and West of the Potomac, and the Fredericksburg & Richmond Railroad, including the District of Columbia and the country between the Patuxent, to be called the Department of the Rappahannock; to be under command of Gen. McDowell.

Special to the Tribune.

Wm. H. Russell, of the London Times, has engaged passage to England in the next Cunard steamer.

Times’ Special.

The committee on the conduct of the war have examined several witnesses bearing upon the charge of atrocities by the rebels upon our wounded soldiers at the battle of Bull Run, and the evidence so far is a disgraceful record against the chivalrous Southerners.

The House committee on printing introduced a resolution to-day providing for the printing of 100,000 extra copies of the final report of the committee on war claims at St. Louis.

It is asserted in official circles that Brig. Gen. Rosencrans [sic] is to be promoted to a Major Generalshiip.

The Times’ correspondent telegraphs to-night from Budd’s ferry as follows:

HOOKER’S DIVISION, April 3.

A corps of picked men belonging to the Excelsior brigade, left Liverpool point under the command of Gen. Sickles, early on Tuesday morning, for Stafford Court House, on a reconnaissance.  The troops landed at the Shipping Point batteries, and marched from thence past Dumfries through Aquia to Stafford.

There was a skirmish between a body of 500 rebel cavalry and the advanced corps of Sickles’ command, six miles this side of Stafford, and firing on both sides was continued until we reached that place.  The rebels in their retreat set fire to the town and all the stores.  Our forces promptly stopped the conflagration.  A number of prisoners, horses, stores, &c., fell into our hands from Brook’s station.  A force of 1,200 rebel infantry, and a battery of six field pieces were moving up to support their cavalry, after remaining three hours in Stafford camp.

Gen. Sickles with a part of his corps arrived back at Shipping Point this morning.  The rest came by Brest’s Ferry, opposite Liverpool.

Our casualties were 2 wounded and a few missing.

The corps marched 48 miles in 17 hours, over the worst mountain roads.

There are a few troops at Fredericksburg.  They are falling back to Richmond.  The citizens state that the Confederate Government intend abandoning Virginia.

WASHINGTON, April 4.

The grand jury of the District of Columbia has found two bills of indictment against Horace Greeley for an attack made on the Marshal of the District in the New York Tribune.

A military hospital has been ordered to be established at New Albany, Ind., and Jefferson Barracks, near St. Louis; have been converted into a military hospital.

The Secretary of War has communicated to Congress his opinion that the present organization of the medical bureau is inadequate to the service.  He has authorized Surgeon General of New York, under direction of the Governor, to organize a corps of volunteer surgeons to render medical aid when requested.  A similar organization has been made under the Governor of Pennsylvania, and valuable service has been rendered.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, April 7, 1862, p. 2