HIGHLY IMPORTANT INTELLI

 GENCE FROM THE ARMY.
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By the arrival of the steamer Virginia, from Brazos Santiago, we have been in- formed, by our correspondent, that on the 24th an express arrived at Matamoros, bringing the following highly interesting intelligence from the Army:

 "Anexpress Major CALDWELL, Quarter Mastery reached Monterey at l 1 o'clock at night, on the l7th, leaving again at A. M., the following morning,-in which Gen. WORTH reports, as he hears from his spies, that Gen. SANTA ANNA is marching at the head of between twenty and thirty thous- and men, and is within three days march of SaltilIo. He writes, also, that he has sent expresses to Geh. Wool, at Parras, and Gen. BUTLER had sent dispatches to Gen. TAYLOR. They doubtless have marched to join Gen. WORTH.

 Gen. TAYLOR had left Monterey, with his suite, the day previous, his command having set out for Victoria two days before his departure.

 "The express leaving Monterey for Gen MARSHALL, was forwarded by the latter 10 Gen. PATTERSON, with dispatches, at Mata- moros, and on its arrival, finding Gen PATTERSON had marched for Tampico, it immediately started in pursuit. Dispatch es arrived here with this intelligence to Gen. JEsUP, at 1 1 o'clock A. M. and he i'm mediately left for the mouth of the river.

 Great excitement prevails along the valley of the Rio Grande. Most of our posts particularly at Matamoros, Camargo and Monterey, where a number of Ameri- can cltlzens are remalnrng, anu nave put few troops at present, are arming and pre- pairing for the worst. Several persons have been cut of, on the roads above, and travelling is exceedingly hazardous, unless with large parties

 "On any reverse to our arms, every Mexican in the valley turns against usl

 "The Alcalde at Matamoros, who pre- dicted the day our battles have been fought on, says that Gen. SANTA ANNA will attack our forces on Christmas day. If the battle should not be fought before our forces can be thrown into Salillo, or until Gen. FAY LoR forms junction with the forces at that point, we may expect one of the bloodiest conflicts that our flag has ever witnessed"

 ". o. Mercury