14. Brigadier General J. C. Sullivan is appointed to the command of all the forces detailed for the protection of the line from here to New Carthage. His particular attention is called to General Orders, Number 69, Adjutant-General's Office, Washington, D. C., of date March 20, 1863.

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By order of Major General U. S. Grant:

JNO. A RAWLINS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. Fifteenth ARMY CORPS, Number 90.
Camp near Vicksburg, April 20, 1863.

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II. General Thomas, from the Headquarters of the Army, Washington City, D. C., proposes to address the troops at this camp at 10 a. m. to-morrow (Tuesday), on the "policy of the war. " The brigades of the SECOND DIVISION and regiments of the First DIVISION, not detached, and companies of artillery and cavalry, will be formed on their respective parade grounds without arms or accouterments, but dressed in their best uniforms and marched to a point facing the levee near General Blair's headquarters, at a point to be selected by him, and the troops, on arrival, will be arranged by General Blair according to the nature of the ground. A single gun, from Hart's battery, will be the signal for attention, and officers and men will listen to the remarks of General Thomas, and heed them as the voice of our Government. A SECOND gun from the same battery will be the signal for marching the troops back to their respective brigades. Officers and men will preserve their places in ranks during the speaking, and conduct themselves as they know good soldiers should. General Blair will make all arrangements necessary to carry this order into effect.

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By order of Major General W. T. Sherman:

R. M. SAWYER,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

MEMPHIS, Tenn., April 20, 1863.

Lieutenant Colonel John A. RAWLINS, Asst. Adjt. General, Milliken's Bend:

Owing to the prolonged delay of Rosecrans's expeditionary force in coming up and reporting, General Dodge has been compelled to have a brisk skirmish, beginning at Bear Creek and continuing to Caney Creek, to which the enemy fell back in a disordered retreat. Dodge reports our loss 100, the enemy's much heavier, as he found their dead and wounded abandoned on the line of retreat. Captain Fitch with his gunboats came up, and Colonel Streight, with 1,900 picked men, has joined Dodge before this time. I have ordered Dodge

re-enforced with 2,00 men from Corinth, and have moved up a garrison for Corinth from Jackson and Bolivar.

The enemy are no doubt strongly re-enforced with infantry.

Rosecrans telegraphed me to move Dodge on Wednesday, which I did. This expedition was delayed, and did not make its appearance at Hamburg until Sunday morning.

Ellet's Marine Brigade is at Hamburg, having willfully delayed at Cairo five days, as I am informed by General Sullivan. His boats are reported too deep to go up to Tuscumbia, or even Eastport.