August 14.—The Grenada (Miss.) Appeal of this day published the following: “In another column, this evening, will be found the order of the Adjutant-General of Rhode Island, calling for a regiment of ‘colored persons,’ who will ‘constitute a part of the quota’ from that State. The ‘gentleman of color’ has at last turned up ‘by authority,’ to the eternal disgrace of the twenty millions of whites who thus acknowledge their inability to conquer seven millions. Whenever this regiment appears on the field let the black flag be raised.”
— D. A. Mahoney, editor of the Dubuque (Iowa) Herald, was arrested by the United States Marshal. Mr. Mahoney was charged with discouraging enlistments.
—The Thirty-third regiment of Massachusetts volunteers, commanded by Colonel Albert G. Maggi, left Lynnfield for Washington.—A slight skirmish took place near Helena, Arkansas, between a scouting-party of National troops, who were looking after cotton, and a body of rebel guerrillas, resulting in the defeat and retreat of the guerrillas.
—General Pope, commanding the army of Virginia, issued an order from his headquarters near Cedar Mountain, Va., enjoining on the officers and soldiers of his army to abstain from entering the houses, molesting the persons, or disturbing the property of citizens, under pain of speedy and severe punishment. Whatever provisions, forage, or other articles might be required for the subsistence or use of the troops would be taken possession of, but only under an officer with authority for that purpose.
—President Lincoln gave an audience to a committee of colored men at the Executive Mansion, Washington. They were introduced by Rev. J. Mitchell, Commissioner of Emigration. E. M. Thomas, the chairman of the committee, remarked that they were there by invitation to hear what the Executive had to say to them. The President, after a few preliminary observations, informed them that a sum of money had been appropriated by Congress, and placed at his disposition, for the purpose of aiding colonization of the people, or a portion of the people of African descent, thereby making it his duty, as it had for a long time been his inclination, to favor that cause.
—The rebel General Breckinridge addressed a note to Colonel H. E. Paine, commanding United States forces at Baton Rouge, La., complaining that the Union troops in that vicinity had wantonly burned many private houses; had taken or destroyed much private property without compensation; had seized and carried away into imprisonment, upon false and frivolous pretexts, many unarmed citizens, and that negro slaves were being armed and organized to be employed against them. He informed him that such acts were regarded as in violation of the usages of civilized warfare; and that, in future, upon any departure from those usages “he would raise the black flag, and neither give nor ask quarter.”—See Supplement.
