place from the army investing Jackson, will be arrested and put to work in policing the streets and camps, and performing such duties as may be required of them in the day, and kept under strong guard at night. These directions will be carried out without delay.

By order of Major General U. S. Grant:

JNO. A. RAWLINS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Vicksburg, MISS., July 17, 1863.

Colonel L. F. HUBBARD, Comdg. Big Black River Bridge:

COLONEL: General [T. H.] Taylor cannot be permitted to come within our lines. Any communication he may have or desire to send General [M. L.] Smith you will forward under cover to these headquarters, either by telegraph or courier, as he may indicate, and the answer will be determined in same manner.

By order of Major General U. S. Grant:

JNO. A. RAWLINS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Vicksburg, MISS., July 17, 1863.

Commanding Officer, Big Black River Bridge:

Permit General Taylor to come into the city by the cars.

U. S. GRANT.

Vicksburg, MISS., July 17, 1863.

Brigadier General T. E. G. RANSOM, Comdg. U. S. Forces, Natchez:

GENERAL: I have just ordered the Eleventh Illinois to join you. The regiment will go down on the Luminary, taking with them ten days' rations for your entire command. Two more steamboats will go down with the Luminary if they can be gotten ready in time; if not, they will follow shortly after, with instructions to report to you.

You will remain at Natchez, and collect all the cattle, arms, ammunition, lumber, &c. ; in fact, stores of every kind which will be of advantage to us and damage the enemy. The stores thus collected will be loaded on the steamboats as rapidly as possible, and the boats sent back to this place, convoyed by one of the gunboats, as it is considered unsafe to send them up without protection. Gunboats will be passing up and down the river, and by having your steamboats loaded and ready, they can be sent up when the gunboats are coming this way. With regard to the contrabands, you can say to them that they are free, and that it will be better for them, especially the women and children, old and infirm, to remain quietly where they are, as we have no means of providing for them at present.

With regard to the men (black) who are strong, able-bodied, and will make good soldiers, you can bring them along with you if they are willing to come and will leave their families behind them.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

[JAS. B. McPHERSON.]

P. S. -When you have collected all the cattle, stores, ammunition, lumber, &c., which you can get, you will report to this post with your command.