[House Bill.] 
 
 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, January 5. IS fit —Read 
 first an I becond times, placed upon the calendar, and ordered to be 
 printed. 
 
 {By Mr. Miles, from the Military Committee] 
 
 To be entitled An Act to increase the effijien^y oF the army by the 
 employment of free negroes and slaves in certain capacities. 
 
 1 Whereap., the efficiency of the army is greatly diminished 
 
 t by the withdrawal from the ranks of able-bo lied soMiers to act 
 
 3 as teamsters, and in various other capacities in whim free ne- 
 
 4 groes and slaves might be advantageously employed ; therefore, 
 1 Sec. 1. Th- : Congress of the Confederate Sta'rs of America do 
 
 .2 enact, That all male free negroes resilient in the Confederate 
 
 3 States, between the ages of eighteen and fifty years, shall be 
 
 4 held liable to perform su^h d itie* with the army, or in connection 
 
 5 with the military defences of the country, in the way of work 
 C upon fortifications, or i rt Government work •< for the proluction 
 
 7 or preparation of material of war, or in military hospitals, as the 
 
 8 Secretary of War may from time to time prescribe ; and while 
 
 9 engaged in the performance of such duties shall receive rations 
 
s 
 
 10 an 1 clothing, an I compensation at tli3 rate of eleven dollars a 
 
 11 month, under such rules and regulations as the said Secretary 
 
 12 iniy establish: Providtd, That the Secretary of War, with the 
 
 13 appioal of the President, may exempt frcm the operations of 
 
 14 this act such free negroes as the interests of the country may 
 13 require should be exempted, or such as he may think proper to 
 16 exempt on grounds of justice, equity, or necessity. 
 
 1 Sec. 2. Bs it further enacted, That the Secretary of War is 
 
 2 hereby authorized to employ for duties similar to those indicated 
 
 3 in the preceding section of this act, as many male negro slaves, 
 
 4 not to exceed , as, in his judgment, the 
 
 5 wants of the service may require, furnishing them while so 
 
 6 employed with proper rations and clothing, under rules and 
 
 7 regulations to be established by him, and paying to the owners 
 
 8 of said slaves wages at the rate of eleven dollars per month for 
 
 9 their use and service, an 1 in the event of the I033 of any slaves, 
 
 10 while so employed, by the act of the enemy, or by escape to the 
 
 1 1 enemy, or by death inflicted by the enemy, or by disease 
 
 12 incurred, in consequence of the discharge of any service required 
 
 13 of said slaves, then the owners of the same shall be entitled to 
 1 t receive thi fall vi'.ui of s ich sl.ive*, to hi piil un ler such rules 
 13 and regulation < as the Secretary of War miy establish. 
 
 1 Sec. 3. B: t fmther enact. d, That when the Secretary of War 
 
 2 si aU be unable to pn cure the services of slaves in any military 
 
3 
 
 3 department in sufficient numbers for the necessities of the 
 
 4 department upon the terms and conditions set forth in tho 
 
 t 
 
 5 preceding section, then he is hereby authorized to impress the 
 
 6 services of as many male slaves as may be required from time 
 
 7 to time to discharge the duties indicated in the first section of 
 
 8 this act, under such rules and regulations as the said Secretary 
 
 9 may establish : Provided, That slaves so impressed shall, while 
 
 10 employed, receive the same rations and clothing in kind and 
 
 1 1 quantity as slaves regularly hired from their owners, and in the 
 
 12 event of their loss, shall be paid for in the same manner, and 
 
 13 under the same rules and regulations as those who may have 
 
 14 been hired.