A definitive answer concerning question 2:
The Hadith is in fact Saheeh, and was found in Sahih Bukhari, book 56 (Jihad), Hadith 18 of 294. Please view it here:
حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ الْحَوْضِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ بَعَثَ...
Asalaamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatu brother. This post has gone dead for some time, and I'm sorry to see that you never received a satisfactory answer. Please allow me to give it a try. I'm a beginning student of knowledge, so please forgive me for any errors.
1) The Hadith in question...