SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. STEWART'S DIV., HILL'S CORPS,

Numbers 42.
August 6, 1863.

The brigadier-general commanding has heard with painful surprise that daily and nightly depredations are being committed by Confederate soldiers upon the fields and gardens of citizens of this vicinity, some of whom are aged and helpless widows, and all of them poor and unable to sustain without future suffering the serious losses now being wantonly inflicted upon them. Such conduct is only worthy of the Abolition barbarians who are now so remorselessly plundering from our wives and our children and from our aged and helpless parents. Shall soldiers of the Confederate Stats imitate these inhuman monsters, and, instead of being the proud defenders, become the base plunderers of the widows and orphans, the aged and helpless? Shall not the recollection of our exposed mothers, wives, sisters, and aged fathers restrain these excesses hereafter? The brigadier-general commanding [believes] that many of these acts have been the result of thoughtlessness, and hopes these suggestions may cause a cessation of them. But to insure this, all officers of this command are strictly enjoined to exert themselves to prevent the destruction and plundering of gardens and corn-fields, now being practiced in this vicinity. If necessary, guards should be strengthened and incited to vigilance int he discharge of their duties. Company officers especially should be active int heir efforts to prevent those disgraceful offenses, and when offenders are discovered they should be promptly and severely punished.

Patrol and provost guards should be sent out frequently by day and night, to hunt up offenders and stragglers without passes and bring them into camp for punishment.

By order of Brigadier-General Brown, commanding division:

R. A. HATCHER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT Numbers 2,

Numbers 24.
Chattanooga, Tenn., August 6, 1863.

The limits of this department having been extended by Special Orders, Numbers 176, Adjutant and Inspector General's Office, so as to include the Department of East Tennessee, the general commanding hereby assumes the command.

The department will be hereafter designated as the Department of Tennessee.

The troops within the limits of the late Department of East Tennessee will constitute the Third Army Corps, and be known as Buckner's corps.

The administration of that district will remain with Major-General Buckner.

BRAXTON BRAGG.

General.

GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF TENNESSEE,

Numbers 1.
Chattanooga, Tenn., August 7, 1863.

I. In pursuance of the proclamation of the President of the Confederate States, the general commanding hereby announces that a general pardon and amnesty has been granted to all officers and men now absent