It is stated by those who have the opportunity of knowing, that the movements of the enemy along the line of the Rappahannock indicate active operations in a short time. The Orange and Alexandria railroad has been repaired as far as the Rappahannock river, and trains are running daily between that point and Alexandria, conveying commissary and ordnance supplies to the army of Gen. Meade. The enemy's cavalry, in large force, is on the South side of the Rappahannock, and it is also represented that they have one corps of infantry between that stream and the Rapidan. Of the situation of our own army we deem it imprudent to speak.

On the Fredericksburg line, matters are reported without material change. A small Yankee force has made its appearance in Stafford county, about five miles from Fredericksburg.

All is quiet on the Peninsula since the late gunboat fight. The forces engaged in the actions with the steamers at Deep Bottom and Turkey Island were eight companies of the 26th Va. regiment and one section each of Capt. Armistead's and Capt. French's light batteries, the whole under the command of Lt. Col. Couneil, of the 26th. All the forces belong to Wise's brigade, a command that has always done good service when the enemy gave it a chance to meet them. In the engagement at Turkey Island the monitor only fired one shot, and that after she had gotten nearly a mile down the river. This shell exploded among the artillery just as they were limbering up, wounding three members of French's battery--one of them private Gibson, of Giles C. H. severely.

A revival of religion is now progressing in the 46th Va., under the ministration of Rev. W. Gaines Miller, the Chaplain, and also in other regiments of Wise's brigade. There have been over 50 professions of conversion in that regiment, 170 in the 26th Va., and a number in the 4th Va. heavy artillery, at Chaffin's Bluff.

--A Court of Inquiry has been called to meet in Montgomery on the 15th inst., charged with the duty to inquire into the events of the campaigns in Mississippi and eastern Louisiana during May, June and July, and especially as to the surrender of Vicksburg and Port Hudson. The Court will report the facts, together with its opinion on the merits of each case.

The cavalry just now are having a monopoly of fighting during the much needed respite the infantry are enjoying. You have doubtless received a report of another tilt which occurred Tuesday afternoon, between a body of our cavalry, commanded by Gen. Stuart, and a force of Yankee cavalry estimated at three brigades. For obvious reasons I forbear to mention the exact force engaged on the part of the Confederates. The fight occurred near Brandy Station, and from the locality, the force they had, and other circumstances, it is inferred that it was the identical body of Yankee cavalry that attempted the bold reconnaissance Saturday. This time Gen. Stuart brought on the fight, opening with his effective horse artillery on the position of the enemy partially concealed in a wood. We had eight pieces under command of Major Beckham, and the Yankees twelve, with which they promptly responded, and advancing forced our outer line of skirmishers back to the main body. Our right and left wings advanced, and the fight became general. The Yankees were driven back nearly to the river, but being reinforced we fell back, and drove the enemy in turn back to his covert in the woods. Immediately on the opposite side of the river was a large encampment of infantry which probably prevented a further pursuit.

The fighting was less severe and more desultory than that of Saturday, and continued from about 2 o'clock P. M. until nearly night, when our forces occupied a position considerably in advance of their line at the beginning. Gen. Stuart then re established his line of videttes as held by him before the fight.

We have as yet no means of ascertaining the enemy's loss, as they carried their dead and wounded from the field. Our loss was about six killed and eighteen or twenty wounded. Among the former is Adjutant B. C. Bouldin, of the 14th Va. Reg., Jenkins's brigade, and son of Judge Bouldin, of Charlotte. The Colonel and his Staff were riding along the lines when a shell fell in their midst, exploded, and wounded both animal and rider, a fragment striking the Adjutant in the back, in the thigh, cutting the femoral artery, and between the knee and ankle. He was carried from the field and expired in about three hours. His remains were sent down by the Central train to-day.

No information has been received of movements of the enemy to-day; but from the most reliable sources Meade's headquarters are still at Warrenton, and a day or two since a portion of his army were picketing in the vicinity of

I can report nothing as to dispositions of our own army. A report prevails that Major-Gen. Hood has been promoted Lieutenant General, and Brig.-Gen. Wilcox to the rank of Major General. It is understood that on account of dissatisfaction among the officers and men of Rodes's celebrated old brigade at the appointment of Col. John T. Morgan, of Alabama, to that command, he has declined to accept. I hear that both Col. C. A. Battle, of the 3d Alabama, and Col. O'Neal, of the 26th Alabama regiments, have been recommended as fit officers for the vacancy created by the promotion of Gen. Rodes on the battle-field of Chancellorsville.

Quiet prevails to-day. "The situation" is such, however, that several weeks or a few days only may elapse before the present status is disturbed.

Gen. "Extra Billy" Smith, your Governor elect, having doffed his uniform and returned to civil life, is on a visit to the army and relatives in the section of country adjacent.

The Atlanta (Georgia) papers tell of an interesting judicial decision rendered by the Supreme Court of that State in an impressment case. Major Cummings, under instructions from the Secretary of War, seized most of the sugar in Atlanta, Georgia, for the use of the Government, allowing therefore the sum of seventy-five cents per pound, the price fixed by the Impressment Commissioners of that State. The parties represented by Cox & Hill refused to accept the seventy-five cents per pound as just compensation, having paid considerably over that price for the sugar. They at once commenced action against Major Cummings, and by mutual agreement between the parties a case was at once made up, presenting all the points involved — the object of both parties being fairly to the test the constitutionality and validity of the law. We quote from the Atlanta (Georgia) Confederacy:

It was argued before Judge Bull, at Chambers, in this city, a short time age, by the consent of the parties, and his decision sustaining the constitutionality of the law, the competency of Congress to pass such an act, and the equity of the schedule of prices fixed by the Commissioners, has been published in our columns.

At the time the case was argued before Judge Bull, both parties, by mutual consent, made him an arbitrator to say, not officially as a Judge, but in his opinion as a citizen, looking alone to equity, if the particular lot of sugar in question, being of an extra quality, was not worth more than the price fixed by the Commissioners to be paid for the sugar — both parties consenting and agreeing that such arbitration and his award should not prejudice the case either way, in any Court in which it might thereafter be considered. Judge Bull awarded that this lot of sugar was worth 85 cents per pound, being ten cents more than the Commissioners had fixed as the price to be paid for sugar.

When the case came before the Supreme Court, the counsel presented this arbitrament, and asked them to pass upon it the same as Judge Bull did, as well as upon the law involved in the case.

It will be seen from the following minute of the decision that the Supreme Court has determined that the schedule of the Commissioners was not "just compensation," and, therefore, reverse the decision of the Court below, and that they decline to perform the office of arbitrators, or to say what is just compensation, as Judge Bull did. But inasmuch as both parties had agreed to settle the matter in dispute, so far as this particular lot of sugar was concerned, by the arbitration as well as to have the principle involved in the law adjudicated, the Supreme Court have directed that just compensation be ascertained by a trial before a special jury at the next term of the Supreme Court, in this county, if, in the meantime, the parties do not agree upon some price.

It will also be seen that the Court have refused to decide the constitutionality of the law, or the competency of Congress to pass such an act — though it was fairly before them. It, however, was not necessary to dispose of the case, and the Court have evinced a desire to avoid a decision on the case before it is absolutely unavoidable.

The following is the minute of the Supreme Court's decision:

"The judgment of the Court is reversed upon the ground that the adjustment of the schedule of prices, to govern for sixty days, did not secure to the holder of the property seized by the Government just compensation, as required by the Constitution.

"The parties in this case having, by their consent, taken the case out of the course of proceedings prescribed by law, and thrown upon the Court the duty of assigning just compensation; and this Court declining to take upon themselves the duty of affixing the same, nevertheless, to meet the anomalous state of the case produced by this consent, it is ordered and adjudged that unless the parties agree upon some just compensation, or some mode of ascertaining the same, before the first day of the next Superior Court, the Judge of said Court cause an issue to be made by the parties, and tried before a special jury for the ascertainment of the same."

Maj.-Gen. D. H. Manry, commanding at Mobile, has revoked all leaves of absence from his department. Officers and men are ordered to rejoin their commands without delay.

Maj.-Gen. Hindman has been assigned to Withers's division of Bragg's army.