rebels from the hill on the Shelbyville pike. Colonel Sipes proceeded as far as the seven-miles stone without meeting any rebels. He learned from negroes and others that none but small parties of from three to four came near our pickets. The attack on the picket this a. m. was made by three men, and two of those returned badly wounded, one being shot through the leg and the other through the leg and an ugly wound on the head. There are small parties moving in every direction about the country, but the nearest camp is nearly ten miles from here, not far from the Widow Minten's house, and that is an outpost from Fosterville. My pickets on the Shelbyville and Middleton roads are now supplied with a few Enfield rifles, and the pickets on the Wartrace road will have them in the morning. I have given directions that these shall be placed in the hands of the best marksmen, and I trust that they will make a few of the rebs bite the dust.

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

ROBT. H. G. MINTY,

Colonel, Commanding First Cavalry Brigade.

[23.]

SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE OHIO, Numbers 1A.
Cincinnati, Ohio, March 25, 1863.

Captain D. R. Larned, assistant adjutant-general, having reported to these headquarters in compliance with instructions from the Secretary of War, he is assigned to duty at these headquarters.

By order of Major-General Burnside:

W. P. ANDERSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[23.]

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DIST. OF CENTRAL Kentucky, Numbers 26.
Lexington, Ky., March 25, 1863.

I. The counties of Fayette, Bourbon, Clark, Jessemine, Woodford, and that portion of Franklin east of the Kentucky River, are hereby placed under martial law. All citizens and non-combatants are fobidden to pass the Kentucky River, bounding said district on the south, or to go beyond the limits of the military said district on the south, or to go beyond the limits of the military posts at which they reside without permission from the nearest military authority.

II. Colonel S. D. Bruce, Twentieth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, is hereby placed on temporary duty at these headquarters and is appointed provost-marshal-general for the district above named. He will be obeyed and respected accordingly. In addition to the usual duties of provost-marshals-general, Colonel Bruce will collect together, for temporary duty as laborers, as many able-bodied male contrabands as may be required for such purposes. Any citizen or other person failing to respond promptly to calls made by Colonel Bruce under the authority conferred in this order, or detected in interposing, will be arrested and imprisoned.

By order of Brigadier General Q. A. Gillmore:

W. L. M. BURGER,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

[23.]