July 22.—Major-General Sherman assumed command at Memphis, Tenn. Four hundred citizens took the oath of allegiance, and one hundred and thirty were provided with passes to go to the South.—General Dix, on the part of the United States, and Gen. D. H. Hill, for the rebel government, made an arrangement for an immediate and general exchange of prisoners.—(Doc. 103.)
—President Lincoln issued an order in reference to foreign residents in the United States. The ministers of foreign powers having complained to the government that subjects of such powers were forced into taking the oath of allegiance, the President ordered that military commanders abstain from imposing such obligations in future, but in lieu adopt such other restraints as they might deem necessary for the public safety.
—The steamer Ceres was fired into by the rebels at a point on the Mississippi, below Vicksburgh, Miss., killing Capt Brooks, of the Seventh Vermont regiment, besides inflicting other injuries.
—Governor Gamble, of Missouri, in view of the existence of numerous bands of guerrillas in different parts of that State, who were engaged in robbing and murdering peaceable citizens for no other cause than that such citizens were loyal to the Government under which they had always lived, authorized Brig.-Gen. Schofield to organize the entire militia of the State into companies, regiments, and brigades, and to order into active service such portions of the force thus organized as he might judge necessary for the purpose of putting down all marauders, and defending peaceable citizens of the State.
—The effect on the Yankee soldiers of General Pope’s recent orders to the “Army of the Rappahannock” is already being felt by the citizens of Culpeper. The party who burned the bridge over the Rapidan on the thirteenth took breakfast that morning at the house of Alexander G. Taliaferro, Colonel of the Twenty-first Virginia regiment. On their approach the Colonel was at home, and was very near being captured; but, by good management, contrived to escape. After they had breakfasted, the Yankee ruffians searched the house, took possession of the family silver, broke up the table-ware and knives and forks, eta, and actually wrenched from Mrs. Taliaferro’s finger a splendid diamond ring of great value.— Richmond Examiner, July 23.
—President Lincoln issued an order directing military commanders within the States of Virginia, North-Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas, to seize and use any property, real or personal, which might be necessary or convenient for their several commands, for supplies or for other military purposes.—(Doc. 155.)
—A band of rebel guerrillas entered Florence, Ala., and burned the warehouses containing commissary and quartermaster’s stores, and all the cotton in the vicinity. They also seized the United States steamer Colonna; and after taking all the money belonging to the vessel and passengers, they burned her. They next proceeded down the Tennessee River to Chickasaw, then to Waterloo and the vicinity of Eastport, and burned all the warehouses that contained cotton.— A band of about forty rebel guerrillas attacked a Union wagon-train near Pittsburgh Landing, Tenn., and captured sixty wagons laden with commissary and quartermaster’s stores.
—An unsuccessful effort to sink the rebel ram Arkansas, lying before Vicksburgh, was made by the Union ram Queen of the West, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel A. W. Ellet. The Arkansas was hit by the Union ram, but with very little injurious effect The fire of the rebel shore batteries was to be diverted by the gunboats under Commodore Farragut, but by some mistake they failed to do so, and the Queen of the West in making the attack was completely riddled by shot and shell from the shore batteries and the Arkansas.—(Doc. 152.)
—A party of rebel troops, who were acting as escort to the United States post surgeon at Murfreesboro, Tenn., who was returning under a flag of truce to the lines of the Union army, were fired upon when near Tazewell, Tenn., by a body of National troops belonging to General Carter’s brigade, killing and wounding several of their number.
