December 22.—General Pryor, with a detachment of rebel troops, attacked a body of New-York Mounted Rifles, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel B. F. Onderdonk, who were stationed at Isle of Wight Court-House, Va., to protect the election of representatives to Congress, under a late order of General Dix. The Nationals were compelled to retreat after a short skirmish, in which the rebels lost two cavalrymen and a number of guns.—Baltimore American.
—Governor Shorter, of Alabama, issued an appeal to the people of that State, calling upon the men and youths exempt from the service of the rebel States by reason of their age or other cause, who were capable of bearing arms, to organize themselves into companies, to constitute a reserved force, subject to service in the State upon the call of the Governor.—(Doc. 84.)
—After reading the Commanding-General’s report of the battle of Fredericksburgh, the President issued a proclamation tendering to the officers and soldiers of the army of the Potomac “the thanks of the nation.”—Major-General Robert C. Schenck assumed command of the Middle Department and Eighth Army Corps of the United States, and issued general orders to that effect from his headquarters at Baltimore, Md.
