nt, and his mind is in the meridian of intellectual vigor.

There has been some commotion in the city this afternoon and evening,
but no painful alarm, produced by intelligence that the enemy's cavalry,
that cut the road at Trevillian's depot, had reached Ashland and
destroyed the depot. Subsequent rumors brought them within eight miles
of the city; and we have no force of any consequence here. The account
was brought from Ashland by a Mr. Davis, who killed his horse in riding
eighteen miles in one hour and a half.

Later in the day a young man, sixteen years old (Shelton), reached the
city from Hanover on a United States horse, the enemy having foraged on
his father's farm and taken his blooded steed. He says, when he escaped
from them (having been taken prisoner this morning) 1500 were at his
father's place, and three times as many more, being 6000 in all, were
resting a short distance apart on another farm; but such ideas of
numbers are generally erroneous. They told him they had been in the
saddle five days, and had burnt all the bridges behind them to prevent
pursuit. It was after this that they cut the road at Ashland. They
professed to have fresh horses taken from our people, leaving their own.
I think they will disappear down the Pamunky, and of course will cut the
Central and York River Roads, and the wires. Thus communication with
Lee's army is interrupted!

The Fredericksburg train, of course, failed to arrive to-day at 6 P.M.;
and it is rumored there were 700 of our wounded in it, and that a great
battle was fought yesterday by Lee. These are rumors.

MAY 4TH.--This morning early the _tocsin_ sounded, and the din, kept up
for several hours, intensified the alarm. The presence of the enemy
would not have produced a greater effect. But, in truth, the enemy were
almost in sight of the city. Hon. James Lyons told me they were within a
mile and a half of his house, which is about that distance from the
city. Thousands of men, mostly old men and employees of the government,
were instantly organized and marched to the batteries.

But the alarm subsided about 10 A.M. upon information being received
that the enemy were flying before Gen. Wise down the Peninsula.

After this the following dispatch was received from Gen. Lee:

"MILFORD, May 3d, 1863.

"PRESIDENT DAVIS.

"Yesterday Gen. Jackson, with three of his divisions, penetrated to
the rear of the enemy, and drove him from all his posi