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 Duke University Libraries 
 
 Message of the 
 Conf Pam #752 
 
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 3^ 
 
 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, November 21, 1864— Laid 
 on the table and ordered to be printed. 
 
 [By the Chair.] 
 
 MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 Richmond, Va., Nov. 21, 1864. 
 To the House of Representatives : 
 
 In response to your resolution of the 8th instant, I herewith trans- 
 mit a communication from the Secretary of War which conveys the 
 information requested, relative to the act of June 14, 1864, " to pro- 
 vide and organize a general staff." 
 
 The seventh section of the act invests the Executive with the dis- 
 cretion which has been exercised. The eighth section, by restricting 
 appointments, indicates the course which has been pursued, in the at- 
 tempt to ascertain, with accuracy, the number of officers in the several 
 staff* corps, so as to distribute them in accordance with the order from 
 the Adjutant General's office, a copy of which is annexed, as well as 
 to ascertain whether there are not supernumerary staff" officers liow in 
 commission who should be discharged. 
 
 JEFFERSON DAVIS. 
 
 
•COMMUNICATION FROM SECRETARY OF WAR. 
 
 War Department, C. S. A., ) 
 
 Richmond, l^ov. 17, 1864. \ 
 
 To the President of the Confederate States : 
 
 Sir : I have received a copy of the followiag reaolutioa. a.lopted 
 l)j the House of Ilep^esen^1tives on the 8th instant, and referred bjr 
 }our Excellency to this Department. 
 
 " licsnlved, That the President be respectfully requested to inform 
 the House, ■whether any appointments have been mads under the act 
 entitled ' An act to provide and organize a general staff for the 
 armies in the field to serve during the vrar,' approved June 14, 1864, 
 and if not, why have not such appointments been made in pursuance 
 of said act." • 
 
 In response, I have the honor to enclose herewith a letter from the 
 Adjutant General, reporting that no appointments have been made 
 under the act referred to. In addition to the explanition afforded by 
 that report, showing the discretion vested in you by the act, and the 
 adequacy of previous regulations to meet the aecossity of a staff or- 
 ganization, it may not be improper to advert to the fact that, soon 
 after the adjournment of Congress, your attention was called, by the 
 chairman of the Military Committee of the Senate, to the serious in- 
 conveniences which might result from theYjromotion of certain officers 
 of the staff, contemplated by that act, and the suggestion made that, 
 in regard to them at least, it might be better not to enforce the lavr, 
 as additional legislation would probably be attemptel at the next ses- 
 sion. This circumstance, it is believed, contributed to guide the dis- 
 creticn exercised under the act, in not enforcing the same, as incon- 
 veniences would naturally have resulted from giving the rank contem- 
 plated to some portion of the staff, and withholding it from others. 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 JAMES A. SEDDON, 
 
 Secretary of War, 
 
LETTER FROM THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 
 
 Adjutant and Inspector General's Office. > 
 Ricdmond^ Fa., Nov. 15, 1864. > 
 
 Hon. James A. Seddcn, Secretary of War : 
 
 Sir : I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of communicatioiv 
 from his Excellency, the President, referred to me for report, contain- 
 ing copy of a resolution of the House of Representatives, dated the 
 8th instant, and in these words : 
 
 " Resolved, That the President be respectfully requested to inform 
 this House whether .any appointments have been made under the act 
 entitled, ' An act to provide and organize a general staff for the armies 
 in the field to serve during the war,' approved, llth Juno, 18G4, and 
 if not, why have not such appointments been made in pursuance of 
 said act." 
 
 In accordance with your instructions, I have the honor to reposl: 
 that no appointments have been made under the act above recited. 
 
 The seventh section of the act is in these words: 
 
 " The President is hereby authorized to reduce the number of offi- 
 cers authorised by this act, to the staff of any general ofSccr, or to 
 increase the same when, in his opinion, the service will be benefitted 
 thereby." 
 
 On the 29th April, 186 4, prior to the passage of the act, the Presi- 
 dent caused to bo issued from this office, " General Orders No. 44,'" 
 (a copy of which is enclosed,) prescribing the number of stall ofncers, 
 not to exceed certain grades, which he deemed necessary to the several 
 commands in the field. These orders have not been revoked, the 
 President having, I presume, availed himself of the authority con- 
 ferred in the seventh section of the act, not to increase the number 
 and rank of staff offxers beyond the provisions of the orders. To 
 carry out these orders, the legislation prior to the act of the 14th 
 June, is sufScient. 
 
 Permit me to add, that I have heard no complaint from any quarter 
 that the number and rank- of the staff officers, provided for by general 
 orders, are not sufficient for all the purposes of commands iu the field. 
 I have the honor to be, sir. 
 
 Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
 
 S. COOPER, 
 Adjutant and Inspector General. 
 
MR. SPARROW TO THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 Richmond, June 15, 1864. 
 His Excellency, The President : 
 
 Dear Sir : In considering the recent acts of Congress, in regard to 
 the Quartermaster and Comniissary Departments and the General 
 Staff Bill, I think it is to be regretted that it was not provided in 
 both these measures that the President might, if he thought proper, 
 make all appointments above the rank of major with temporary rank 
 only. 
 
 The appointment of quartermasters with the rank of colonel, will, 
 as the Department is now organized, cause them to rank every officer 
 in the Department, except one or two. In the Commissary's Depart- 
 ment they will rank all but one. This should be avoided, if possible, 
 as it would be a great injustice to many valuably and meritorious 
 oficers. 
 
 I think we can remedy it at the next session of Congress, and I 
 take the liberty of recommending that these appointments may be 
 delayed until this fault in these measures can be corrected. 
 
 As you are authorized to assign officers to these positions, I cannot 
 see that the public interest can suffer by adopting this course. 
 Very respectfully, your friend, 
 
 EDWARD SPARROW. 
 
 Adjutant and Inspector General's Office, 
 Appointment Bureau, Nov. 12, 18G3. 
 Official copy : 
 
 Ed. a. Palfrey, 
 Lieutenant Colonel and A. A, General. 
 
 On the above were the following endorsements : 
 Secretary of War for attention and remarks. 
 
 J. D. 
 
 Respectfully returned to the President. The suggestion of Mr. 
 Sparrow, especially in view of his position as chairman of the Mili- 
 tary Committee of the Senate, are entitled to weight. Some grave 
 inconveniences will certainly result from the increase in rank, required 
 by the Staff Bill, and if assurance can be felt that the amendment 
 proposed will meet the approval of the Congress at its next session, 
 
it would be expedient to fill the positions for the present by assign- 
 ment, and abstain from increasing rank permanently as proposed by 
 the act. 
 
 June 23, 1864. J. A. SEDDON, Secretary. 
 
 Adjutant General for future reference, etc., etc. 
 
 June 25, 1864. J. O. 
 
 File for future reference, and keeping the subject in mind, with the 
 understanding that no action will be taken on the General Staff Bill 
 of June 14, 1864, without special instructions. 
 
 June 28, 1864. S. C. 
 
 This copy of original paper, on file in this ofiice, is respectfully 
 submitted to the Secretary of War, in connection with communication 
 of this date, in relation to the General Staff Act of June 14, 1SG4. 
 
 S. COOPER, 
 
 November 15, 1864. Adjutant and Inffpcctor General. 
 
Adjutant and Inspector General's Office, > 
 llic/mwnd, April 29, 1864. \ 
 
 General Orders, ) 
 Ko. 44. 5 
 
 I. The number of general staff officers, and the grade of eacli, al- 
 lowed to the several commands in the field, are established as follows : 
 
 1. To an army composed of two or more corps — A senior assistant 
 adjutant and inspector general, and an assistant adjutant and inspector 
 general, not to exceed the grade of colonel, each of whom may have 
 two assistant adjutant and inspector generals — one not to exceed the 
 grade of lieutenant .colonel, and the other of major. One of the assis- 
 tants CO the senior assistant adjutant and inspector general, selected 
 with a view to his special qualifications for the duty, will be charged 
 with the examination of court martial records. A surgeon as medical 
 director, who may be assisted by one other surgeon. A surgeon as 
 medical inspector. 
 
 2. To an army corps — A senior assistant adjutant and inspector 
 general, and an assistant adjutant and inspector general, not to exceed 
 the grade of lieutenant colonel, each of whom may have one assistant 
 adjutant and inspector general, not to exceed the grade of major. A 
 surgeon as medical director and inspector. 
 
 3. To a division — A senior assistant adjutant and inspector gen- 
 eral, and an assistant adjutant and inspector general, not to exceed 
 the grade of major. A surgeon as chief surgeon and inspector, who 
 will also have charge of the field infirmary. 
 
 4. To a brigade — An assistant adjutant and inspector general, of 
 the grade of captain. A brigade quartermaster and a brigade com- 
 missary, each of the grade of major, as now authorized bj law. The 
 s-enior surgeon will act as brigade surgeon and inspector, lie will 
 also have charge of the field infirmary, and perl'orm, at the same time, 
 his duties as regimental surgeon. 
 
 5. Each general officer will have the aids-de-camp allowed by law — 
 one for a brigadier general and two for all other general officers. 
 
 6. Cavalry divisions and brigades may each have an assistant adju- 
 tant and inspector general, not to exceed the grade of major, in addi- 
 tion to the number allowed infantry divisions and brigades. 
 
 II. Senior assistant adjutant and inspector generals and assistant 
 adjutant and inspector generals may be required to alternate their 
 duties. 
 
 III. The number and grade of the preceding general staff officers 
 attached to the headquarters of a military department, will be assimi- 
 lated, according to the above scale, to the number of troops constitut- 
 ing the military force in the department. Special assignments, in 
 addition, may be m-ide by the War Department, when the extent of 
 country and nature and scope of duties may require it. 
 
 IV. The assistant adjutant and inspector generals will not be of 
 higher grado than is herein designated. Should the General prefer an 
 
officer having a lower 'grade, he may bo assigned to duty with the 
 command. 
 
 V. General officers will report to the Adjutant and Inspector Gen- 
 eral all officers of the several staff departments, now serving in their 
 respective commands, and will, at the same time, recommend for reas- 
 signment such as may be required under the provisions of this order. 
 
 VI. All assigments of general staff officers will be made by order 
 from this office, and they will not be changed except by like authority. 
 
 VII. Commands will not be allowed a greater number of staff offi- 
 cers than is herein established ; nor will officers of the line be assigned 
 to staff duty without special authority. Should it be deemed insuffi- 
 cient for the transmission of orders on the battle-field, couriers and 
 guides (authorized in General Orders, No. 17, last scries) will be em- 
 ployed by general officers, who will announce them in orders as per- 
 sons accredited to convey their instructions and other communications. 
 
 VIII. Vacancies will be filled by selection from the officers of the 
 department in which they occur. 
 
 IX. These orders being confined to the general staff proper, the 
 organization of the other departments will not be effected by them. 
 
 X. Promotions in the general staff of the army will be by selection 
 and not by seniority, except in cases of known conipetency for higher 
 grade. 
 
 By order. 
 
 S. COOPER, 
 Aifjutani and Insprdor General. 
 
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