FALMOUTH, July 23, 1862.

Colonel GEORGE D. RUGGLES, Chief of Staff:

I sent to Washington to-day in charge of my aide, Captain Benkard, four citizens of Fredericksburg whom I arrested last night pursuant to orders from General Pope as hostages for an equal number of Union men seized and sent to Richmond.

RUFUS KING,

Brigadier-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS, Numbers 19.
Suffolk, July 23, 1862.

I. A military commission to consist of Major Samuel Wetherill, of the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, and Major B. F. Onderdonk, of the Seventh New York Mounted Rifles, will assemble this afternoon at 5 o'clock to examine sundry prisoners captured by the scouting parties of the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry and the Seventh New York Mounted Rifles on the 21st and 22nd instant, and report the disposition that should be made of them and of the horses and arms captured to these headquarters.

II. Lieutenant-Colonel Dodge will appoint a secretary to the commission and mounted orderly. The commission will assemble at the provost-marshal's office or such place as they will find most convenient, with full power to send for witnesses, and will adjourn over and sit till they shall have completed their duties. The quartermaster of the post will furnish the necessary stationery.

By command of Brigadier-General Mansfield:

C. H. DYER,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE SOUTHWEST,

Helena, Ark., July 23, 1862.

Major General T. C. HINDMAN, C. S. Army.

GENERAL: I am in receipt of yours of the 15th instant under flag of truce relating to prisoners and surrendering Surg. A. Krumsick, who has been some time in your lines.

All the prisoners for whom you desire exchange have been sent to district headquarters, where I will refer your letter. The same is true in regard to prisoners referred to by General McBridge. I shall hereafter be glad to exchange instead of sending off prisoners as I have formerly done in consequence of the constant shift of my headquarters.

Surgeons will be sent home as soon as possible. I have released scores of them without exchanger or parole.

If my arrangements with General Van Dorn have not secured the release of Captains, Hallowell and Galloway, it may be because they were not found and, according to agreement, others were substituted; there [were] such terms in our agreement.

In regard to Assistant Surgeon Evans I objected to his recognition as entitled to the amelioration extended to civilized warfare, as by his own showing he was acting as the surgeon of a regiment of Indians. I am now told we have Indians mustered into our service to meet those we met at Pea Ridge. It will be proper for each party hereafter to allow exchange or a release and I shall recommend this rule to apply to Surgeon Evans.