I would suggest that the Confederate authorities be called upon to say whether they adopt this act, and that upon their answer such action may be taken as will sustain the dignity of the Government, and give a promise to afford protection to its citizens.

I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

HDQRS. ARMY AND DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA,
New Berne, N. C., February 11, 1864.

Major-General PICKETT,

Dept. of Va. and N. C., Confederate Army, Petersburg:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose a slip cut from the Richmond Examiner of February 8, 1864. It is styled "The advance on New Berne," and appears to have been extracted from the Petersburg Register, a paper published in the city where your headquarters are located.

Your attention is particularly invited to that paragraph which states "that Colonel Shaw was shot dead by a negro soldier from the other side of the river which he was spanning with a pontoon bridge, and that the negro was watched and followed, taken, and hanged after the action at Thomasville. "

THE ADVANCE ON NEW BERNE.

The Petersburg Register gives the following additional particulars of the advance on New Berne. Our army, according to the report of passengers arriving from Weldon, has fallen back to a point 16 miles west of New Berne.

The reason assigned for this retrograde movement was that New Berne could not be taken by us without a loss on our part which would find no equivalent in its capture, as the place was stronger than we anticipated. Yet in spite of all this, we are sure the expedition will result in good to our cause. Our forces are now in a situation to get large supplies from a country still abundant; to prevent raids on points westward, and keep toreis in check and hang them when caught.

From a private, who was one of the guard that brought the batch of prisoners through, we learn that Colonel Shaw was shot dead by a negro soldier from the other side of the river which he was spanning with a pontoon bridge. The negro was watched, followed, taken, and hanged after the action at Thomasville. It is stated that when our troops entered Thomasville a number of the enemy took shelter in the houses and fired upon them. The Yankees were ordered to surrender but refused, whereupon our men set fire to the houses, and their occupants got bodily a taste in this world of the flames eternal.

The Government of the United States has wisely seen fit to enlist many thousand colored soldiers to aid in putting down the revolution, and has placed them on the same footing in all respects to her white troops. The orders of the President on that subject are so just, full, and clear, that I inclose a copy for your information:

GENERAL ORDERS,
WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 252.
Washington, July 31, 1864.

The following order of the President is published for the information and government of all concerned:

"EXECUTIVE MANSION,

"Washington, D. C., July 30, 1863.

"It is the duty of every government to give protection to its citizens of whatever class, color, or condition, and especially to those who are duly organized as soldiers in the public service. The law of nations and the usages and customs of war as