Duke University Libraries 
 
 General orders 
 Conf Pam #708 
 
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HkaH QdARTERS CoNFEDEUATt" AbMY. 
 
 9lh Februarij, ]<ili'j. 
 
 (IRN'EPwAL OrOEn 1 
 
 No 1. 
 
 In ohedieni.f- lo wcaT.ii >.'r'icr Jm'. .., A'ij:ji;ini .-c in.-jiecior 'icuirai s 
 •'ifl&ce. 6th February, 1865, I asEiime. command of the MiliUry forces of the 
 Confederate States. Deeply impressed with the difficiillies and responsi- 
 bility of the position and humbly invoking the guidance of Almighty God, 
 I rely for .success • upon the nournge au'l fortllude oC tlie Array, sustained 
 by the ptitriotisuj «nd lirniness of the peo])le, ftmfident that their united 
 • fforts, under the blessing of Heaven, will secure i)eafe .ind independence 
 Thf- Head Quiirters of the Army, tn wliich nil sjiecial reports and com- 
 niiiiiicatiuns will be addressed, will bi- for the preient with the Army of 
 Northern Virginia. The stated aud regalar returns aud reports ot each 
 Army and Department will be forwarded as heretofore to the Uffice of the 
 Adjutant <t Inspector General, 
 
 R. E. LEE, 
 
 Oerwal. 
 
Head Qcartkm Armiks of thb CoNr^DsnATE States 
 
 GENERAL ORDERS,! ^tk February, m5. 
 
 Ko. 2. f 
 
 In .niering upon tlic cninpnicn .bout lo optn, Iho Gencral-in-Chi^r 
 f«.«,„r...h.t ,he .oMiers ,bo „„. .0 ,o„, ,„a .„ „„„; „! e 
 
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 .ph;',o t;:';;;' """""•"" '"■ '"- "^"""" *•' '- -"»"" '^' 
 
 The choice between war an.l abject submission is before them 
 To .snch a proposal, brave men with arnv in their hand, can have b«t 
 one answer. '* 
 
 They cannot barter mnnhoo.l for peac, nor the ripht of self porernment 
 lor hfc or property. 
 
 But justice to them requires .a sterner ndmonition to those who have 
 ai'andoned their comrades in the hour of peril. 
 
 A Ia..t opportunity is afforded them to wipe out the disgrace and escap, 
 the punishment of their crimes. ^ 
 
 Ry authority of the President of the Confederate Slates a pardon is an- 
 nouuced to such deserters and men improperly absent as shall return to the 
 commands to which they belong within the shortest possible time nit v 
 
 7r^ZVr^'' 'r '"" *'" ^"''■^''^'■^° "^ ^'^'^ O^*^-- -^« ^^^ Head Q ,a - 
 ter« of the Department in which thev mar be 
 
 relTw^T'"' '^'■'''"'"^ '■' interruption of communications, may 
 report w.th.a the t.me specified to the nearest enrolling officer or other offi- 
 cer on duty, fo be forwarded as soon as practicable, and upon preienting a 
 < . rl.ficate from sneh officer showinp compliance with the requirement will 
 recei ve the pardon hereby offered . 
 
 Those who have deserted to the service of the enemy, or who hare desert- 
 
 ed after having been once pardoned for the same offence, and those who 
 
 hnl! desert or absent themselves without authority after the publication of 
 
 this Order, are excluded from its benefits. Nor does the offer of pardon 
 
 ex end to other offences than desertion and absence without permission 
 
 a.rinbr""!r"'';''r"'''-'" ^''''''''' *^'^*''« general amnesty will 
 nZl u\T' T^l^"'" ""° ''''''' *" "^'"^P* "- P-'1- °ow offered, 
 or who shall hereafter desert or absent themselves without leave, shall suffe^ 
 such punishment as the Court, nnv in,,o=c, and no application for .hn 
 enry will be entertiiiupd. 
 
,Tf)iiO(t^<WirM«>J'tt*»«»fro^ VlwX«Ve wWfllPV •P«»i<^ intend for us, let 
 eyery ipa: ' ■ • r.ii hit (tieryics to ih*' common dcfent-e. 
 
 Our r -dy anil vif^ronalj employed, are. mnpi^v and; ^ivilil't 
 
 bra '' ' ned And united people,-. 8U(5fii>8s with 
 
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HllD QCARTEUe ARUIE3 OF TH8 COVTEDKRATE STATES 
 
 nth February, 1865. 
 
 GENBRAL ORDERS. \ 
 No. 3. . / 
 
 The discipline and efBciency of the armj have been greatly impaired 
 by men leaving their proper commands to join others, in which they find 
 service more agreeable. 
 
 This practice, almost as injnrioua in its consequences as the crime of 
 destrtion, by the Articles of War, exposes the offender to a similar punish- 
 ment, and subjects the officer receiving him to dismissal from the army. 
 
 It is therefore declared that the provisions of General Order No. 2, of 
 this date, from Army Head Quarters apply to such men as have left their 
 proper corcmands and joined others without being regularly transferred. 
 They will receive the pardon promised in that Order, upon complying with 
 its conditions, or suffer the consequences attached to neglecting it. 
 
 The names of such absentees will bo forthwith reported to these Head 
 Quarters by the officers with whom they are serving, and immediate meas- 
 ures taken to return them to their proper commands. 
 
 As soon as practicable, an inspection will be made, and charges will be 
 preferred against those who neglect to enforce this Order. 
 
 R. K. LEE, 
 
 CffiUrnl . 
 
Hkaj> Qdarterb Armies of thb CovriDSBATB Statm, 
 22nd Fthruary, 186.*i. 
 
 OBKBRAL ORDBUS, \ 
 No. 4. ; 
 
 I. The experience of our own and oilier armies liaring estabrished, 
 that the lafety no lesa th»n the efTicieniiv of troopa, rcquirr-s that order be 
 maintained, and every man kopi in his proper position in action, the fol- 
 lowing instrnctions will be immciliately carried into effect : 
 
 A thorough examination by compntent officers lelected by the Corps 
 Tommander, or officer commanding detached troops, will be made as to 
 the qualifications and character of the commissioned and non-commission- 
 id officers of each company. Such of the former as shall be reported de- 
 ficient in intelligence, coolness, and cajiacify, will be brought before Ex 
 aminingr Boards, and those of the latter so reported, will be reduced to the 
 ranks. Appointments to fill vacancies amonp the non-commi.'ssioned offi- 
 fprs will be made from those soldiers of the company most distinguished 
 for courftfre. discipline and attention to duty. The whole number of file 
 clo-tJcrs in each company shall be one for every ten men, and for this pur- 
 pose Lance appoinlments will be given if necc^ssnry, to men of the charac- 
 ter above described, who will Ik* required to wear a distinctive bad^e. 
 
 IT. The file closers, will be carefully instrncted in their duties by the 
 r«vriiDfnfal commanders, and vacancies will bo filled as they occur araonpf 
 ♦he non-commissioned and Lance officers from the best and most tried sol- 
 diers of the company. On the march they will bo required to prevent 
 strapplingr, and be held responsible for the iirescnce of their respectivo 
 squads of ten. In action, tbcy will keep two paces behind the rear rank 
 of their"*8everal squads, the non-commissioned and Lance officers with 
 loaded (runs and fixed bayonets. They will bo dilipently instructed to aid 
 in preserving order in the ranivs and rnforcinp o' edience to commands, 
 and to permit no man to leave his place, unle?8 wounded, excused in writ- 
 ing by the >fedical officer of the ropiment, or by order of the regimcntaJ 
 commander For this purpose, they will use Fuch degree of force as may 
 1)C necessary. If any refuse to advance, disobey orders, or leave the ranks 
 to plunder or to retreat, the file closers will promptly cut down or fire upon 
 the delinquents. They will treat in the same manner any roan who uses 
 words or actions calculated to produce alarm araono; the troops. Justice 
 to the bravo men who remain at their posts, ho less than the success to our 
 arras, dctnands ibat this order be rigorously executed, and it will be en- 
 joined upon file closers that they fihali make the eva.>=ion of duty more dan- 
 
 :-i«r<ilia tban il- '., . r.irni.d,, .i 
 
III. The ralne of tlie forwroing order will depend upon th* character of 
 
 tbc file closers, ftnd t' • with wM<h tliev :trc initmcted. None 
 
 should be scltcitd L-,:; .., vr^A^rftur] b-v^ .ippreciatc the impor- 
 
 tance of their duties, uiiU : ~ nn<i determination 
 
 to perform them faithfully. will |.roraptJy prefer 
 
 charges against the c(miini?=ioi]i irn to the ranks all oth- 
 
 ers who neglect or rcfuf:- ti. ■ ir ' inslructioM. 
 
 i: P.. LSI, 
 
 Otncral 
 
Hollinger Corp. 
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