morning toward Bulltown have just arrived, and report that none of the enemy has been seen in force in either vicinity. Both scouts also report the roads in an impassable condition for advance of a heavy column.

Very respectfully, yours, & c.,

W. G. MCNULTY,

Captain, Comdg. Detachment Twenty-first New York Cavalry.

HDQRS. FIRST SEPARATE BRIGADE, EIGHTH ARMY CORPS,
Relay House, Md., November 9, 1864.

General E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: In compliance with the directions of the Secretary of War, I forward you the "black flag" captured by Detective C. H. Marsh from General Early's command, Monday night, August 1, 1864, while in their lines near North Mountain. The flag was in charge of two rebels, and set up against a tree. One of the rebels went in search of water; Marsh, who had been watching the flag from night-fall, determined to get it, if possible, sprung upon the man left alone, secured him, took the flag from the pole, and brought the flag and prisoner safely through within our lines.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. B. TYLER,

Brigadier-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. MIDDLE DEPT., 8TH ARMY CORPS, No. 112.
Baltimore, Md., November 9, 1864.

Official information having been furnished making it clear that evil disposed parties in certain counties of the State of Maryland, within the limits of the Middle Department, intend obstructing the operation, and nullifying, as far as they can, the emancipation provision of the new constitution; and that for this purpose they are availing themselves of certain laws, portions of ancient slave code of Maryland, as yet unrepealed, to initiate, as respects the persons heretofore slaves, a system of forced apprenticeship; for this, and for other reasons among them, that if they have any legal rights under existing laws, the persons spoken of are in ignorance of them; that in certain counties the law officers are so unfriendly to the newly made freedmen, and so hostile to the benignant measure that made them such, as to render appeals to the courts worse than folly, even if the victims had the money with which to hire lawyers; and that the necessities of the case make it essential, in order to carry out truly and effectively the grand purpose of the people of the State of Maryland - emancipation of every slave, man, woman, and child, within her limits, from and after the 1st day of November of this present year - that there should be remedies extraordinary for all their grievances - remedies instantaneous, without money or reward - and somebody to have care for them, to protect them, to show them the way to the freedom of which they have yet but vague and undefined ideas. It is therefore ordered:

I. That all persons within the limits of the Middle Department heretofore slaves, but now free by operation of the new constitution, shall be considered under special military protection until the Legislature of Maryland may, by its enactments, make such military protection unnecessary.