M. Howe to order out to Seth Williams, May 1, 1863

May 1, 1863—9 p. m. Brig. Gen. S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General, Hdgqrs. Army of the Potomac: Your telegram received. Have ordered a brigade to move at once to Banks’ Ford and report to General Benham. JOHN GIBBON, Brigadier-General.

SEDDON’S HOUSE SIGNAL STATION, May 1, 1863—12.30 p. m. Major-General REYNOLDS: Enemy’s battery on the crest of the hill in our front remains the same as yesterday, and workmen are engaged in erecting new batteries on each side of it on the same knoll. It is my belief that their infantry force is not as large as yesterday. Two camps that were to be seen in the woods yesterday, in our front, with their parks of wagons, have been removed. A train of wagons was to be seen this morning moving along the crest of the hill from their right toward Fredericksburg. LOUIS R. FORTESCUE, Tneutenant and Signal Officer.

MAy 1, 1863—7.30 p. m. Major-General PECK, Suffolk, Va. :

Hood’s and Pickett’s divisions, of Longstreet’s corps, are in our front so reported by deserters and prisoners captured to-day. This will leave nothing of Longstreet’s command in your front but Ransom, if he is there.

DANL. BUTTERFIELD, Major-General, Chief of Staff.

SUFFOLK, V. A., May 1, 1863. General D. BUTTERFIELD, Army of the Potomac:

There may be portions of Longstreet’s troops with your opponents. If so, they are the first installments. Deserters and contrabands who came in yesterday from Hood’s and Pickett’s divisions agree in all points with others that have fallen intoourhands. The pickets of Corse, Garnett, and Law are on all the roads now. There have been heavy rains here for a few days. Longstreet had two railroads in about 16 miles of

his line. JOHN J. PECK, Major-General.

(Sent by General Butterfield to General Hooker, 11.45 p. m.)

PITTSBURGH, P. A., May 1, 1863. (Received 11.40 a. m.) His Excellency the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES:

From 5,000 to 7,000 rebels, under Jones, have got to Mannington, in Marion County, Virginia. They are conscripting, gathering horses, booty, and doing devilments generally. You must send from Burnside four or five regiments to Parkersburg, to fall behind them at Clarksburg. If they cannot come by rail from Parkersburg, there is an excellent road to march on. Clarksburg is 25 miles south of Mannington, and good road also. Send from Washington four regiments to Oakland to co-operate.

I earnestly submit that, without material damage to these commands, the troops I ask for can be spared. They will be sufficient for the purpose, and of inestimable advantage in this section.

If not stopped, they will carry 6,000 horses out of Western Virginia and Pennsylvania.

F. H. PEIRPOINT, Governor of Virginia.

HARRISBURG, P. A., May 1, 1863. (Received May 1—4.25 p. m.)

ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the United States: Tam hourly receiving dispatches from the western part of this State. I presume you are well informed as to the doings of the rebels now threatening our border, and I have assured the people of that region that the General Government has the means and the disposition to protect them.

The following dispatches have just been received from Pittsburgh, dated this day:

The undersigned, who were present at a meeting of citizens to-day to confer with Governor Peirpoint, Senator [W. T.] Willey, and other Virginians, in relation to the threatening position of affairs on the border, by direction of that meeting,

respectfully