BIG BLACK, July 24, 1863.

Major-General GRANT:

General Sherman, with his command, is encamped to-night at Champion's Hill. He directs me to say to you that he will cross the Big Black at Messinger's tomorrow morning early with his command, and establish his headquarters at Parson Fox's. All well.

JOHN McARTHUR.

SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE, Numbers 200. Vicksburg, MISS., July 24, 1863.

V. Major General John G. Parke, commanding NINTH Army Corps, will proceed with his command to Cincinnati, Ohio, and report to Major General A. E. Burnside, commanding Department of the Ohio. The quartermaster's department will furnish the necessary transportation.

By order of Major General U. S. Grant:

T. S. BOWERS,
Major and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. Fifteenth ARMY CORPS,

Camp near Baker's Creek Numbers 147. (Champion's Hill), MISS., July 24, 1863.

I. 1. Lieutenant Colonel J. Condit Smith will proceed to Messinger's Brigade, on Big Black and prepare for the crossing of this corps to the WEST bank during tomorrow. He will see that the bridge is kept clear, and that all wagons are moved on the WEST bank so as to leave the road open.

2. He will call upon the commanding officer there for a sufficient detail to guard the bridge and to carry out this order. He will construct in the cornfield on the east bank a large corral, in which to collect horses, mules, &c., now in the possession of soldiers and officers belonging to this army, which have been plundered and taken from the inhabitants of the country.

3. He will appoint suitable officers or agents of the quartermaster' department to take, by force if necessary, all horses ridden by any officer or soldier of this army not entitled by law to be mounted, and collect out of the wagons all articles of furniture, chairs, tables, books, papers,&c. -anything not belonging to the usual equipment of an officer or soldier. He will take steps to do this effectually and expeditiously, so as not to delay the passage of the bridge by the troops. Officers having escorts, mounted orderlies, or servants, will keep them near their persons, or, if required to detach them, will give them a written paper designating their office. Such horses will not be disturbed, but all else will be taken, and the horses, mules &c., turned into the corral for safe-keeping.

4. A board of survey, to consist of Colonel Walcutt, Forty-sixth Ohio; Major Giesy, Forty-sixth Ohio; and Captain Harland, Sixth Iowa, will assemble at the corral thus provided near the bridge at 8 a. m., July 26 to hear and determine all rights to horses, mules, or other property claimed as private, and their decision shall be final, and property thus pronounced by said board of survey as private shall be restored to the