' <*™> B D03209868- If* 6 *7ff CI^CTJXiA.TR,. Quartermaster General's Office, Richmond, April 1, 1864. The following Extracts from General Orders issued from the office of the Adjutant and [nspcctor General, during the first quarter of the cur- rent year (1864), relate to quartermasters' duties, and the same are pub lished for the information and guidance of the officers of this department. General Orders, No. I, January 4, 18GI I. If, immediately after the cfcath of an officer, there* be no family con uexion or legal representative present, to -whom the officer, charged by the 94th Article of War with securing his effects, may deliver them, he will turn them over, under the provisions of paragraph III, General Or- ders, No. 67 (1863), * to the quartermaster of the reg- >'Ost, tm the circumstances may indicate to be proper. II. Surgeons or assistant surgeons in charge of hospital,^ will, upon the death of a soldier in hospital, furnish the Second Auditor of the Treasury a statement from their rolls, showing the last payment preceding his death, made. to such soldier. General Orders, No. 10, January 30, 1864. The authority given in General Orders, No. 85, series of 1863, to im- press iron, is extended to the impressment of ore, timber, and all materials essential to the production and manufactuie of iron. *III. Surgeons will turn over money or other effects of deceased soldiers (except clothing, which will be disposed of as directed by General Orders, No. 49, 1863), to the quartermaster of the regiment to which the soldier belonged, if he died in the field, or to the quartermaster of the post, if he died in hospital, taking therefor receipts in duplicate — one of which will be forwarded by him to the commanding officer of the company of which the soldier was a member, te be sent by him to the family of the deceased; and the other to the Second Auditor of the Treasury. Quartermasters will take up, upon their quarterly returns, money thus paid, speci- fying the amount left by each deceased soldier, his name, company and regiment. General Orders, No. 13, February 3, 1864. I. In the event of the foss of company records, and the consequent inability of the commanding officers to certify, therefrom, the clothing accounts of soldiers, said account! may he stated from memory, provided such statements are supported by the affidavits of the soldiers interested. II. When, from the casualties of war, companies have been entirely deprived of their officers, in the adjustment of clothing accounts, the affidavit of the soldier, together with those of two of his comrades, will emed sufficient evidence to authorize a settlement with him, if the statement shall he approved by the regimental commander. III. Hereafter the articles of clothing issued during the year will be stated opposite the name of each soldier, upon the muster roll of his com- pany, at the annual settlement directed in General Orders, No. 100, A. & •I. G. O., Dec. 8, 1862. IV. The attention of company commanders is called to the require- ments of the above quoted General Orders. By failing to account for clothing received by them for issue to their men, they render themselves liable to be charged with its value, and a stoppage of their pay to the amount. V. Frpm and after the 1st of February 1864, instead of supplying company commanders with clothing for their men, officers of the Quar- termaster's Department will issue to the soldier, upon the requisition of ins immediate commanding officer. *Vf. In making payments to soldiers upon descriptive lists, officers of the Quartermaster's Department will be careful to endorse thereon the amounts paid, and the time for which they have been paid; returning the same to them for delivery to their company commanders, and filing with their accounts a certified copy therflaf. Oeneral Orders, No. 15, February 5, ]864. . II. Supplies of provisions, in transitu to arsenals, armories and ord- nance depots, for the use of operatives, under the order of commanding officers of the same, will not he interfered with by officers of the depart- ments. III. As the various rail roads of the Confederacy for the transportation of troops, supplies and munitions of war, are under the control of the * Amended. See General Orders, Nos. 28 and 35, post, Ik Quartermaster's Department, the orders of Commanding Generals and other officers relating to such transportation by rail road, will be imme- diately furnished Co the Quartermaster General, in order that arrange- ments may be made in time to harmonize the various routes, so as to prevent accident and delays. General Orders/No. 17, February 8. 1864. II. Paragraph II, General Orders, No. '.'7 (series 1862), is amended thus : Officers and agents of the Quartermaster's Department are hereby or- dered not r<> interfere with leather orhides purchased or contracted for by officers or'agents of the Ordnance Department. General < >rd< rs, No. 20, February 12, 1864. The first paragraph Gr. O. 138 (£863) is modified by the omission of the words "in states in which provisions have not been made on this subject" (impressment of slaves):* and clause 7 of the same order is sc far modified as to allow the rat" of compensation for slaves impressed under the act of 26th March )863, to be established by appraisers ap- pointed under that act: provided the price thus fixed does hot exceed the sum prescribed by the law of the state in which such Blaves are impressed. General Orders, tfo. 22, February 23, 1864. I. Clause 3, paragraph II, General Orders, No. 75 (1863),f is amende-! by adding after the words " as clerks" the words " or detailed men." III. Non-commissioned officers, musicians and privates detached from their commands, by furlough or detail, for a longer period than thirty days, will be furnished by company commanders with but one descrip- tive list, upon which the soldier's account with the government fpay, *To labor on fortifications and other public works till. The rate of allowance to men serving in the field as clerks at head .quarter.-, or on duty in the Quartermaster's, Ordnance, Engineer, Commissary, or Medical Mining and Nitre Departments, will be established at such sums per diem as may be recommended by the officer i-i charge of such men, and approved by the Com- manding General. These rates "Mil not exceed $1.25 per diem, except in special f service in the departments above mentioned, when a greater rate may b<> authorized by the Chiwi's of Bureaux, upon the approval of the Commanding Greueral, clothing and commutation for furlough, under the Act of Congress, Feb- ruary 7th, 1863), will be stated. Soldiers in hospitals, not furnished with descriptive lists by company commanders when furloughed, will have such lists provided by the surgeon in charge. Payments made will be endorsed on the descriptive lists,* which will be returned to the soldier, ami transportation furnished in kind under the act cited will be endorsed on the descriptive list and also on the furlough. When the soldier rejoins his command, the descriptive list will be re- turned to the. company commafidef, who will, after recording the pay- ments made, destroy it. Quartermasters are prohibited from paying soldiers absent, as set forth in this Order, from their commands, except in the mauner herein ordered. IV. Persons not liable to conscription who may wish to volunteer may be enrolled as volunteers, and receive transportation to the company fibey select The enrollment will be communicated by the enrolling offi- cer in each instance to the company commander. V. Soldiers who furnish an able-bodied recruit, who is mustered into service under the provisions' of the preceding paragraph, are entitled, when on furlough, to traiffcportation homeland back VI. The provisions of paragraph V, General Orders, No. 31 (1863),! arc held to. apply to non-commissioned officers and privates entitled to furlough under Act of Congress approved February 7th, 1863. Re- * See also Gteneral Orders, No. :3o, paragraph VI, and paragraphs XII, XIII, XIV and XV of General Orders, No. 42, dated April 14, 1864, as follows : XII. Officers to whom soldiers on detached or detailed dllty report, will take pos- r descriptive lists, and, in accordance with instructions thereon given, will prepare and certify to the muster rolls, upon winch they receive the pay due. then* PjyrmentH will be made such soldiers, when in the held, at the end of every two months; when at posts, at the end of each month. Upon these rolls annual settlements of clothing accounts may be made with soldiers on detailed duty at posts. XIII. To prevent their detention on their way home, soldiers leaving tbe army on furlough of indulgence will, instead of being furnished with descriptise lists, he paid at their commands up to the close of the month preceding Ihe dates of their fur- loughs, upon detached rolls, signed by their company commanders. XIV. Hick or wounded men Bent to hospitals will be paid as heretofore, upon hospital muster and pay rolls. Those who, on account of wounds or ill health, are permitted to go to their homes, may be paid upon descriptive lists, by the. nearest quartermaster or assistant quartermaster. XV. When soldiers are ordered to rejoin their commands, officers with whom they %ave been on duty, surgeons in charge of hospitals of which th< inmates, and quartermasters and assistant, quartermasters paying^hose sick and wounded at home, will (after carefully noting upon their descriptive list.: payments rffnde to them) return such Boldiers their descriptive Lists, to he delivered to their company commander, and will also transmit, throu ral commanding the army to which they belong, dupli same to the latter. tV. When non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates entitled under either of the preceding acts to a furlough, shall have been, or may hereafter be promoted to the rank o€ commissioned officers, prior to the receipt thereof, they shall be allowed the same commutation as is provided in the previous paragraph, or when they go on leave, the transportation in kind-, at their option. 5 elected officers are not allowed transportation, or commutation in Hon thereof, under any of the acts providing furloughs,, bounty and transpor- tation to persons re-enliste^ or mustered into the service. In each case, the commutation allowed in lieu of furlough will be paid by the quartermaster of the command to which the soldier belongs, and by no other quartermaster VII. Chaplains may receive the rations in kind allowed them b} law, or commute them at the govern n VIII. The following is published for the information of the army : An Jet to provide for Retiring Officers of the Army. The. Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, Thai the President be and he is hereby authorized, upon the recommendation 0/ any General commanding a department or any army, to diseharp service any officer of the Confederate States Army, or of the Provisional Army of the Confederate States, who has no command, and cannot be assigned to any appropriate duty, or who is incompetent or inefhei who may be absent from his command or duty without leave: pr< that ariy officer who may be discharged for incompetency. iueffiei- absence from his command or duty without leave, shall be entitled to a trial before an examining board, under existing laws, if he demands it of the Commandftg General within thirty days: provided further, that it shall not extend to any officer who is absent on account of his captivity. [ Approved February 37, 1 86 1 . ] IX. All officers, wh< nlar or Provisional Army, absent from their commands and not on duty, as well ; -~ those whd are without as- signment to doty by competent authority, will report their addn letter to this office, stating the circumstances of their absence from duty. and if unaseigned, when and wheie last on duty. at ral Orders, No. 26, March 1, \i Quartermaster General's Office, Richmond, March 5, 1864. The immediate attention of officers of this department is called to the following extracts from General Orders Recently published: The following Act of Congress and E published for 'he information and guidance of all concerned : * An Act to Organize Forces to serve during the War. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That from and after the passage of this act, all white men, residents of the Con- federate States, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, shall be in the military service of the Confederate States for the war. SEC. 4. That no person shall be relieved from the operation of this act by reason of having been heretofore discharged from the* army, where no disability new exists, nor shall those who have furnished substitutes be any longer exempted by reason thereof. . 8. That hereafter the duties of provost and hospital guards and clerks, of clerks, guards, agents, employees, or laborers in the commis- sary's and quartermaster's departments, in the ordnance department, and elerks and employees of navy agents, as also in the execution of the enrollment acts, and all similar* duties, shall be performed by persons who are within the ages of eighteen and forty-five years, and who,, by the report of a board of army surgeons, shall be reported as unable to perform active service in the field, but capable of performing some of the above mentioned duties, specifying which; and when those persons shall have been assigned to those duties as far as practicable, the President shall detail or assign to their performances such bodies of troops or indi- viduals, required to be enrolled under the fifth section of #iis act, as may be needed for the discharge of such duties : provided, that persons be- tween the ages of seventeen aud eighteen shall not be assigned to these duties : provided further, that nothing contained in this act shall be so construed as to prevent the President from detailing artisans, mechanics • >r persons of scientific skill to perform indispensable duties in the depart- ments or bureau:: herein mentioned. Sec. p. That any quartermaster or assistant quartermaster, commissary or assistant commissary (other tljan 'those serving with regiments or brigades in the field), or officer in the ordnance bureau, or navy agent, or provost marshal, or officer in the conscript service, who shall hereafter employ or retain in his employment any person in any of their said de- partments or bureaux, or in any of the duties mentioned in the eighth section of this act. in violation of the provisions hereof, shall, on' convic- tion thereof, by a court martial or military court, be cashiered: and it shall be the duty of any department or district commander, upon proof by the oath of any credible person, that any sueh officer has violated this provision, immediately to relieve such officer from duty ? and said commander shall take prompt measures to have him tried for such offence; and any commander as aforesaid failing to perform the duties enjoined by this section, shall, upon being duly convicted thereof, be dismissed from the service. *.******;, # Sec. 11. Provided, that the po>|er herein granted to the President to make details and exemptions shall not be construed to authorize the ex- emption or detail of any contractor for furnishing supplies of any kind to the, government, by reason of said contract, unless the head or secre- tary of the department making such contracts, shall certify that the per- sonal services of said contractor are indispensable to the execution of the contract: provided farther, that when any such contractor shall fail dili. gently and faithfully to proceed with the execution of such contract, his sxemption or detail shall cease. [Approved February 17th. 18ft.] VI. The attention of all officers of the government, and especially of those belonging to the military department mentioned therein, is di- rected to the language and purport of the 8th .-• Ction of the act of con- gress above recited. Congress has manifested . in various enactments, the policy to withdraw from the civil service all persons capable of per- forming duty in the field, and this section of the act is an emphatic de- claration of that intention, accompanied with a severe penalty to be imposed upon the officer who may frustrate it. The Bureau of Conscrip- tion will proceed to enroll for duty all persons who may be so employed. But, to prevent the'inconvenience , MI ,i disorder that would follow from the instantaneous execution of the law, details may foe granted until the 10th day of April next, for such of those persons as the head of any de- partment, or the chief of any bureau, or the principal officer of the same in any state, shall certify to be necessary for that' time to carry on the business in which they are employed. In the mean time, it is made the duty of the officers controlling this class of persons, to substitute., as far as practicable, persons who are designated in this act as proper to fill such emploflnents for those that are made liable to service by the act. VII. Conscripts unfit for duty in the field, but capable of performing other duties named in the 8th section of the act recited, will be received and recommended accordingly by the board of examiners for conscripts, who, in their reports, will state distinctly for what service, or for which department of the .army, such conscripts are best fitted ; and comman- dants of conscripts will assign them in accordance with such recommen- dation, or, failing to do this, will report for assignment through the Bureau of Conscription, to the chief or head of the department in whicb they have been recommended for service, the names of such conscripts. 8 Alt certificates of exemption for disability will be signed by the examining board, and be approved by the enrolling officer of the congressional dis- trict: and when (he certificate s< ta forth that the disability is decided and permanent, it wilFtexempt the parly from molestation by enrolling officers, unless otherwise" ordered from the BurSau of Conscription, From these extracts it will be seen that details for clerks, guards, agents, employees or laborers in this department are restricted to two d persons who are within the ages of eighteen and forty-five year-, and who, by the report of a hoard of army surgeons shall be reported as unable to perform active service in the field, but capable of performing some of the abdve mentioned services, specifying which. •2d. From persons between the ages of forty-five and fifty years, which must be shown by certificate. Details of artisans, mechanics or persona of scientific skill may be made as heretofore. These orders will be strictly enforced by the War Department, and it will be useless for officers to make application for details save as recited abovo. General Orders, No. 28, March 4, 1864. I. Paragraph V, General Orders, No. J3 (1864), is thus amended: Officers of the Quartermaster's Department will, upon the requisition of company commanders, issue clothing directly to soldiers and tak# their individual receipts therefor. ********* III. The following Act of Congress is published for the information of the army : An Act to allow Commissioned Officers of the Army Rations and the privilege of purchasing Clothing from the quartermaster's department. ♦ *****#*** SEC. 2. All commissioned officers of the armies of the Confederate States shall be allowed to purchase clothing and cloth for clothing from any quartermaster at the price which it cost the government, all expenses included: provided, that no quartermaster shall be allowed to sell to any officer any clothing which would be proper to issue to privates, until all privates entitled to receive the same shall have been first supplied : pro- vided, that the officer offering to purchase shall give his certificate, on honor, that the articles are necessary for his own personal comfort and use, and in no case shall more than one suit per annum be allowed to be eo purchased by an officer: provided, that no law or army regulation shall hereafter be construed to allow an officer to purchase or draw from subsistence stores more than one ration a day, or for less price than the cost thereof, including transportation. Sec. 3. No officer under the rank of brigadier general shall hereafter be entitled to forage or commutation for forage for more than one horse, except when on service in the Geld. Under section 2, cloth unsuited for use for enlisted men may be sold to officers on the certificate ot the officer that he has not purchased any from this department within twelve mouths, and that it is for his own use — not more than four yards (double width) to any on! officer. Under section 3, forage can be issued to no officer below the rank of bri- gadier general for more than one horse, except when on service in the field. Forage issued in excess of the above allowance will he charged in this office to the officer issuing, at the market prices at his ; A. R, Law ton, Q. M. Gem. General Orders. No. 89, March 5, 1864. I. The following Acts of Congress are published for the information of the army : An Act to confer additional Poicers upon Courts Martial and Military Courts. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That any military court or court martial convened within the army of the Con- federate States, shall have power to summon as a witness before it any citizen of the state in which said court may at the time hold its session; find any citizen disobeying such summons — upon information given thereof by the judge advocate of said military court or court martial to the judge of the district court of the Confederate States for the district in which said citizen may reside — shall be subject to the same pen;.' for disobedience of an order of said district court ; or, on application of the judge advocate, such citizen witness may by military force be ar- rested and brought before said military court or court martial, by order of the commander of the army, and may be held in close confinement until be or she shall consent to testify. 2 10 Sec. 2 Wh pearing upon being summoned, m provided iii this a< paid Bneb ront for his or hm attendance as tne commander of the army shall d cable, winch payment shall be made by any paymaster, upon tho certificate of said commander, specifying the ambnnt. [Approved February 17. 1864.] An Art authorizing Chaplain* in certain cases t<> draw Forage for om Horse. The Congress pf th I States of America do enact. That ias in the army in a< I • M shall be entitled to draw forage for one tjorw : provided the chaplain has a horse jn his use [Approved Januan 22. 1864.] •- So. 30, March 1, 1864. I. The following Act of Congress coueerning impressments, and the in- structions of the War Department respecting it. are published for the in- formation and direction of all concerned: An Ad to amend an Art to regulate Impressments (approved March twenty i sixth, eighteen hundred and sixty-three), and to repeal an Act amendatory thereof (approved April twenty-seventh, eighteen hundred and sixty-three). # The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That in all cases where property is impressed* for the, use. of the army and navy, or for other public use, under Raid act, the same, shall be paid for at the time of said impressment, unless an appeal shall he taken* from said valu- ation, as herein after provided, according to the valuation agreed upon ; en the parties, or ascertained by loyal and disinterested citizens of the city, county or parish in which the impressment may be made, in the manner and according to ihe regulations provided in the first, second ami third sections of the above recited act, or in the eighth section thereof, ..where it is applicable SEC. 2. Whenever the officer making the impressment of property, under the act hereby amended, shall believe that the appraisement is fair and just, he shall endorse Ids approval upon the appraisement, and make payment accordingly; hut if lie shall believe that it is not fair and just, then he shall refuse to approve, and endorse the reasons of his refusal on the certificate, and shall have the right to appeal from the, decision of the appraisers, by reporting the case to the commissioners appointed under 6aid act to which this is an amendment, for their decision, whoso judg- ment shall be final ; and in the mean time the property shall be held and 11 appropriated by the officer irr.pi ssing fcl who shall give a receipt thm-for to the owner, who shall also hav< tin right of appeal as herein provided. Sec. 3. The said commissioners shall have power to summon and examine witnesses <<> enable them to hx the value of property impressed, which shall be a just compensation for the property so impressed, at the time and place of impressment; and when the commissioners shall have fixed the value of property in cases of appeal, they shall furnish the owner and impressing officer with a statement of such value, which valuation by the commissioners shall be within three months from the time of impressment. • Sec. 4. That said commissioners shall he sworn faithfully to discharge all their duties under this act, and the act to which this is an amendment. Sec. 5. That the tenth section of the act of which this is an amend- ment be stricken out, and the following inserted instead thereof: No slave laboring on a farm or plantation exclusively devoted to the production of grain or provisions, shall be taken for public use, without the consent of the owner, except in case of urgent necessity, and upon the order of the I . mandiug the department in which said farm or plantation is situated. Sec. (5. That th »ry of the al • (approved April twenty-seventh, eighteen hundred and sixty-three), and so much of the rirst section of said act as requin avil to be made by the owner, or his agent, that such property was grown, raised or produced by said owner, or held, or has been purchased by him, not for sale or spe- culation, but for his own use or consumption, be and the same is b< n by repealed. Sfec. 7. That no impressment shall be made under this act, or the act to which this is amendatory, for the use or benefit, of contractors with the government. Sec. 8. Nothing in this act shall be construed to authorize the impres- sing officer to enter an appeal from any decision of the local appraisers, under the seventh section of the act to which this is amendatory. [Ap- proved February 16, 1864.] • II. Impressments according to this act, and the act to which this is an amendment, may be mad< foi necessary supplies for the confederate armies in the field, and for their accumulation in magazines and at posts and depots,, and to earn on the various operations of the Military Bu> reaux connected with the War Department, whenever the same cannot be obtained by contract. 12 III. They may be mad' 1 under orders from the Generals commanding armies, departments, corps, divisions, and by commanders of detached parties, when a necessity arises. therefor. Thes<> orders may he executed by appropriate officers of the staff belonging to the army. The chiefs of the various bureaux will designate the officers and persons who shall be competent to make impressments under the authority conferred upon them. IV. Before any impressment shall he made, the impressing officer or his agent will make an offer to the owner, his bailee or agent, in writing, for the purchase of the property, describing the property he wishes to purchase, the price he is willing to pay, and the mode of payment, and stating that, upon a refusal to accept the, same, compensation will be made according to the acts of congress for the regulation of impress- ments. This notice will be considered as binding the property until the completion of the negotiation for the sale and transfer of the same to the impressing officer. The property will remain in the custody of the owner and at his risk during the pending of these proceedings, unless a delivery same be thereupon made to the. impressing officer, with his consent, of a change of possession under these circumstances, the Confe- derate Starrs will be regarded as the owner, and the'property held for it* use and at its risk. V. in all cases in which the offer of an impressing officer is refused, he will' proceed to adjust the price according to the first section of the act above recited; that is, by the judgment of two loyal and disinterested persons of (lie city, county or parish in which tin- impressment may TJP made — one to be selected by the owner, his bailee or agent, and oue by the impressing officer. In the event of their disagreement, these two will select an umpire of like qualification. The persons thus selected will proceed to assess just compensation for the property so impressed, whe- ther the absolute ownership or the temporary use thereof he. required. If the impressing officer believes that the appraisement is fair and just, be will endorse his approval, and pay for the property; and the right in the object impressed will become the property of the Confederate States. But if he does not. approve of the appraisement, he will decline to ap- prove it, and endorse the reasons for his refusal on i lie certificate] and forthwith report the ease to the commissioners appointed under the fifth section of the act, to which the act above recited is an amendment: and in the mean time the property will be taken, and a receipt. de#eribing the property and the proceedings for the adjustment of the price and the ap- peal, given to the owner. The impressing officer will immediately report. 13 the case to the appraisers, with a statement of the quality and condition of the property, and his opinion npon the subject. a , . VI. Jfo officer or agent will impress the necessary supplies which any person may have for the consumption of himself, his family, employee! or slaves, or to carry on his ordinary mechanical, manufacturing or agri- cultural employments. If any question arise as to the fact whether the supplies are necessary, or whether there he a surplus, it will be determined by appraisers mutu- ally selected according to the preceding section ; and in this case the de- cision of the appraisers will be binding 1 on the officer, who will not he allowed an appeal therefrom. VII. These regulations are published as a substitute for the regulations contained in General Orders, Nos. '•'>' and 161, series of 1863. I ral Orders. No. 32, March It, 1964 1. The Act of Congress relative to the employment <>t free uegroesand slaves in certain capacities, and the instructions ■ >» the War Department relativ' ecution, an published foi the information of those con- cerned : An Act to increase the Efficiency of the Army, by the cmithnimcnt of Free ■ Negroes and Slaves in certain capacities Whereas the efficiency of the army is greatly diminished by the with- drawal from the ranks of able-bodied soldiers to acl a-; teamsters, and in various other capacities m which free negroes and slaves might be advan- tageously employed : Therefore, 'The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact. That all male free negroes and other free persons of cojor, not including those who ate free under the treaty of Paris of 1* ;| '.>, or under the treaty of Spain of 1*19. resident in the Confederate States, between the ages of 18 and 50 years, shall be held liable to perform such duties with the army, or in connection with the military defences of the country, in the way of Avork upon fortifications or in government works for the production or preparation of materials of war, or in military hospitals, as the Secretary of War or the Commanding General of the Trans-Mississippi Department may from time to time prescribe; and while engaged in the performance of such duties, shall reeeiv. ratfons and clothing, and compensation at the rate of eleven dollars a month, under such rules and regulations a* 14 the said Secretary may establish : provided, that the Secretary of War or the Commanding •'< • ' issippi Department, wj;h ;hv> approval of the President, may exempt from the operations of this act such free negroes as the interests of the country may require should b© exempted, or such as he may think proper to exempt, on grounds of\jUB- fcice, equity or necessity. That the Secretary of War is hereby authorized to employ for duties similar to those indicated in the preceding section of this act, as many aiftle negro .slaves, not to exceed twenty thousand, as in hi the. wants of the service may require, furnishing them, while so em- ployed, with proper rations and clothing, under rules and regulations to be established by him, and paying to the owners of said slaves such wages as may.be agreed upon with said owners for their use and ser- vice; and in the event of the loss of any slaves while so employed, by the act of the enemy, or by escape to the enemy, or by death inflicted by the enemy, or by disease contracted while in any service required of said slaves, then the owners of the same shall be entitled to receive the full of such slaves, to be ascertained by agreement or by appraisement, under the law regulating impressments, to be paid under such rules and regulations as the Secretary of War may establish. That when the Secretary of War shall be unable to procure the ser- vices of slaves in any military department in sufficient numbers for tbo necessities of the department, upon the terms and conditions set forth in the preceding section, then he- is hereby authorized to impress the ser- vices of as many male slaves, not to exceed twenty thousand, as may be required, from time to time, to discharge the duties indicated in the first section of this act, according to the laws regulating the impressment of slaves in other cases: provided, thai slaves so impressed shall, while em- ployed, receive the same rations and clothing, in kind and quantity, as slaves regularly hired from their owners, and in the event of their loss, shajl be paid for in the same manner, and under the same rules estab- lished by the said impressment laws: provided, that if the owner have hut one male slave between the ages of 18 and 50, he shall not be im- pressed against the will ner: provided further, that free negroes shall be, first impressed, and if there should be a deficiency, if shall ho supplied by the in according to the foregoing provi- sions: provided further, (hat in making the impressment, not more thafl one of every five male slaves between the ages of 18 and 4f> shall bo taken from any owner, care being taken to allow, in each case a credit for all slaves who may have been already impressed under this act, and who are still in service, or have died, or been lost while in service. And all 15 impressments under this act shall be taken in equal ratio from all owners in the same locality, city, county or district. Thomas S. BocOck, Speaker House R3 (post). This provision, how- ever, is not intended to dispense with the requirements of General Orders, No. 28, paragraphs II aDd III, current seiies. 17 the end of every t\vo months, to prepare muster rolls, upon which these soldiers will receive pay from the post quartermaster oj i [uarter- master. They will append to eaeli roll a certificate that it has been made out in accordance with statements presented ii# descriptive lists of the- Soldiers on file in his office. XII. Officers of the Quartermaster's Department will issue necessary clothing to retired soldiers upon requisitions made by the commandants of the posts at which they are stationed, taking their receipts upon re- ceipt rolls, Form No. 53, Regulations for the Quartermaster's Depai XIII. Retired soldiers will have their rations commuted at»$i 25 per day, to be paid by the "commissary at the post, designated, under the orders of the commanding officer. XIV. When the soldier shall be returned to his command, his disabi- lity for field service having been removed, the post commander will note upon his descriptive list the dates to which payment 'may have been made him, on account of pay and rations commuted, and the articles of clothing issued, and return it to him to be delivered to his company conn maiidei ■; or, if he belongs to the non-commissioned sfaff, to the adjutant of his regiment or battalion. General Orders, No 35, March 19, 1864 . I. Officers on inspection duty," while traveling under the immediate orders of the War Department, will be allowed their personal expenses (less the commutation value of oue ration per day), in lieu of all allow- ances for fuel, quarters and forage. Each account must be certified bv the officer receiving the payment, and will be paid by auy quartermaster. III. Paragraph 170, General Regulations, .is hereby revoked. Nor will the commander of a post grant leave to an officer without permission first obtained from the General commanding the army or department In which the post may be established. ♦Paragraph XL.VI, of Special Orders, No. 88, dated Adjutant and Inspector Gene ral's Office, April 15. 1864, reads as follows : XLVf. Officers and^tonded ;:gent.s of the Quartermaster's Department, traveling under orders from the Quartermaster General, the Commanding General of an army or military department, or the principal purchasing quartermaster, or the chief quartermaster there< f for the collection oi the tax in kind, may receive, in lieu of mileage, and %f all allowances for qua* ters ami fuel, the actual and necessary cost of the journey, lens the commutation value of one ration per day. Every account must be certified by the party receiving payment, and be approved by the officer under whoso Order the journey was performed. 3 18 IV. Commanding Generals^ and other commanding officers, art prohi- bited from detaching officers and ordering them to duty, <>r for assignment in other commands, or beyond the limits of their departments or com- mands, without previous- authority from tins office. The transportation allowance of an officer so detached and ordered without previous authority will be charged to the officer giving the order. VI. Paragraph VI. General Orders, No. 13 (current series), is thus ' amended: In marking payments to soldiers upon descriptive lists, officers of the Quartermaster's Department will be careful to endorse thereon ihc amounts id, and the time tor which they have been paid,- returning the same to them for delivery to their company commanders. Disbursing officers will file with receipts given by soldiers thus paid, a certificate in each case that the descriptive list was according to prescribed form, dated and subscribed by the officer commanding the company; that the station of the company was given, and that no money was paid the soldier except that certified by the officer as due from the records of the company. VII. Under General Orders, No. 142 (18G3), the Inspector General of field transportation is charged with impressing and purchasing field transportation for the army. His officers and agents will not be interfered with by either officers or soldiers when engaged in discharging that duty. In. addition to the foregoing, it is deemed expedient to publish also tho following extracts from General Orders issued in the year 1863, and to request the especial attention of all officers connected with this depart- ment to the requirements embraced therein. General Orders, No. 8, January 20, 1863. II. No transfer of bonded officers from positions to which they have been originally assigned shall be recognized until affirmed by this de- partment.* the Act of Congress of May 1, 1803 (General Orders, No. 70, section 5), it is provided, "that quartermasters and commissaries, assistant quartermasters and as- sistant commissaries, who become permanently detached from divisions, brigades or regiments to which they are originally appointed and assigned respectively, whether by resignation or otherwise, shall cease to be officers of the army, and their names shall be dropped from the rolls of the army, unless reassigned by a special order Of the Secretary of War." 19 General Orders, No. 114, August 22. 1863. I. Permanent posts and depots established by the Quartermaster's Department, are placed under (he special control of the Quartermaster General,. though subject to the inspection of the commanding officer of the department in which they arc located. II. Changes in the assignment of officers stationed at such posts and depots, Avill be made only through orders from this office ; and no change in the location of posts and depots Will be ordered by the department commander, except under circumstances of strong emergency: in which cases a report of such 'changes, with the reason therefor', will be trans- mitted to the Adjutant and. Inspector General's office. Getter lo. 118, September I I. All officers of the Quartermaster's Department serving at posts or depots, will report immediately to the Quart* leneral their loca- tion, the character of the duties discharged by them, and by Wh'ose onlci- they were so assigned. II. The principal quartermaster at each post or depot will liken port the names of all quartermasters serving thereat, lie will also exa- mine carefully into the occupation of each officer, and will designate finch as can be spared for service elsewhere. III. The chief quartermaster ofeach separate army will forward to the Quartermaster General, at the earliest practicable day, a complete list of all his subordinates, stating specifically the regiment, brigade, division or corps to which each 'may be attached, or when engaged on special duty, the character thereof. [In future, reports similar to those required In tfiis order will be made close of each half-year, 30th June and 31st December.] General Orders, No. 121, September 9, L863 I. Paragraph 1064 of the Army Regulations (107 of the Regulations of the Quartermaster's Department) is amended to read as follows: Officers are entitled to pay from the date of tie- acceptance of their appointments, and from the date of promotion: provided, that disbursing officers, who are required to give official bonds, shall forward the same, always duly executed, with their letters of acceptance, and that their a<-- 20 cepfances shall take i fY« ct dnly from the date of tin of;the bonds w ill an officer be assigned to duty, .and receive nay, 'until he 1ms received bis appointment. Notitica- f the receipt and approval of said bonds will be forwarded to offi- through the Chief of the Bureau to which they belong". II. All officers of the Quartermaster General's arid Commissary Gene- ral's Departments (except such as hold commissions in the regular army of the Confederate States), appointed prior to the commencement of the ion of Con unary 12th, 1868), and whose bonds, prior to the date of this order, have not been filed in. and apprifved by the War Department, are Irereby dropped: provided 1 , that on satisfactory evidence that such failure has not been the result of gross neglect, tho Commanding General may grant the officers concerned a short leave of absence to make and forward their bonds, aud shall report this fact to'tbo Quartermaster General. III. No application for the revocation of the above order, in any indi- vidual case, will be entertained by the. War Department. If a vacancy be occasioned in any brigade or regiment, or at a post, application will be made for a new appointment, in conformity to General Orders, No. 8, J8(>:>; and the appointee, in accepting his position, will be held strictly to the requirements of preceding paragraph I. IV. Officers of the Quartermaster General's Department, whose ap- pointments bear date subsequent to the I2th day of January 1863, and who have not filed bonds, duly executed, will be allowed a furlough for such time, not exceeding sixty days, as may be necessary to enable them to execute their bonds. V. Commanding officers will be careful to recommend for appoint- ment as disbursing officers, only such persons as furnish reasonable assu- rance of their ability to execute the bonds required by law. VI. All letters of appointment hereafter issued will be accompanied by a notification to the appointee, that his official bond must be returned with his acceptance, and that the latter will take effect only from the dale at which said bond is approved. Particular attention is directed to the rule heretofore adopted in regard to the use of the telegraph; and published in the Circular of January 1852*. as follows: 21 n«J iii'qtuwic ^kuplojmont of the telegraph by omcers and agents of ■she. Quartermaster*!* Department, foi f b<^ transmission of messages, &C., which could be communicated by letter, has become a serious abuse, re- quiring fl charged against the officer by whom they may be Bent \ Circular similar to the present will be issued at the end of each quar- ter, for distribution to the officers of this department* and'all such officers *re requested to advise this office promptly of any changes that may be made in their locations or assignments, in order that copies of such Cir- cular sent to theoA, may receive the proper direction. A. R LAWTOtf, Quartermaster Gvnr.ral Hollinger Corp. pH8.5