REGULATIONS THE RECRUITING SERVICE ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES. WAR DEPARTMENT, Adjutant General's Office, Washington, July 26, 1858. The following regulations foi' the recruiting service of the Army of the United States, are published for the information and govern- ment of all concerned. By ORDEE OF THE SECRETARY OF WaR I E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant General. REGULATIONS THE RECRUITING SERVICE ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES. (^ :^^ WAR DEPARTMENT, Adjutant General's Office, Washington, July, 1858. < WASHINGTON: WILLIAM A. HARRIS, PUBLIC PRINTKK. t^ 1858. RECRUITING SERVICE. 1 The recruiting service will be conducted by the Adjutant General under the dkection of the Secretary of War. 2 Field officers will be detailed to superintend the recruiting districts, and lieutenants to take charge of the recruiting parties. The recruiting service will form a special roster. The Adjutant General will detail the field officers, and announce in orders the niunber of lieutenants to be detailed from each regiment by its colonel. When the detail is not according to the roster, the special reason of the case shall be reported and laid before the Secretary of War. 3 A recruiting party will consist generally of one lieutenant, one non-commissioned officer, two privates, and a drummer and fifer. The parties will be sent from the principal depots, and none but suitable men selected. 4 Officers on the general recruiting service are not to be ordered on any other duty, except from the Adjutant General's Office. DUTIES OF SUPERINTENDENTS. 5 As soon as a recruiting station is designated, the superintend- ent sends estimates for funds to the Adjutant General, and requisi- tions on the proper departments (through the Adjutant General) for clothing, camp equipage, arms, and accoutrements. 6 Subsequent supplies for the stations in his district are procured by the superint€ndent on consolidated estimates ; these are made 6 RECRUITING SERVICE. quarterly for funds, and every six or twelve months for clothing, equipage, arms, and accoutrements. Estimates for funds will be in the following form : - „/ ty„ , 1?...,^^ »^„,„-- -J Av, . yj,^ , ^%„ ^ ending , 18 — . Names. a y to the station of the ordnance sergeant for file. 29 A non-commissioned officer, musician, or private soldier, who may re-enlist into his company or regiment within two months before, or one month after the expiration of his term of service, shall receive a boimty of three months' extra pay — that is to say, the pay he was receiving as pay of his grade, and as additional pay for RECRUITING SERVICE. 11 length of service and for certificate of merit. This bounty shall be paid by the recruiting officer at the time of enlistment, and noted on tlie descriptive list, and timely notice of probable re-enlistments in a company must be given beforehand to the proper authority, that the necessary funds may be provided. Ordnance sergeants and hospital stewards arc non-commissioned officers entitled to the bounty in tbe case provided. 30 Enlistments must, in no case, be antedated so as to entitle a soldier to bounty who applies after the period allowed for ' ' re- enlisting" has expired. 31 A premium of two dollars will be paid to any citizen, non- commLssioned officer, or soldier, for each accepted recruit that he may bring to the rendezvous; but not for soldiers who receive bounty for " re-enlisting." 32 The recruiting officer will see that the men under hLs com- mand are neat in their personal appearance, and will require the permanent party to wear their military dress in a becoming manner, especially when permitted to go abroad. 33 Only such articles of clothing as are indispensable for im- mediate use, will be issued to recruits at the rendezvous. Their equipment will not be made complete till after they have passed the inspection subsequent to their arrival at the depot. 34 The instruction of the recruits will commence at the rendez- vous from the moment of enlistment. The general superintendent will see that all recruiting officers give particular attention to tliis subject. 35 Recruits ■will be sent from rendezvous to depots every ten days, or oftener if practicable, provided the number disposable ex- ceeds three. The detachments of recruits will be sent from rendez- vous to depots under charge of a non-commissioned officer. 36 Commiitation for fuel and quarters, when allowed, is paid from the recruiting funds on the usual vouchers receipted by the officer himself. 37 — Every officer commanding a recruiting party will procure the necessary transportation, forage, fuel, straw, and stationery, taking 12 RECRUITING SERVICE. the requisite vouchers ; but no non-commisKioned officer or soldier is to be allowed to become a contractor for the supplying of any article which may be required. 38 The transportation of recruits to depSts, and from one re- cruiting station to another, ■will be paid from the recruiting funds ; transportation of officers and enlisted men on the recruiting service will be paid in the same manner, except when first proceeding to join that service, or returning to their regiments after having been relieved. 39 No expenses of transportation of officers will be admitted that do not arise from orders emanating from the Adjutant General's Office, except they be required to visit branch or auxiliary rendez- vous under their charge, when they will be allowed the stage, steam- boat, or railroad fare, porterage included. 40 Whenever an officer is relieved or withdrawn from the recruiting service, he will pay over the balance of any unexpended recruiting funds in his possession to the officer appointed to succeed him, or to the paymaster, if no officer be so designated ; and if there be no paymaster or other proper officer convenient to receive such balance, the amount will be deposited to the credit of the Treasurer of the United States, with the most convenient Assistant Treasurer, or other depositary of public moneys. In either case the officer will forward to the Adjutant General the evidence of the disposition he may make of the funds, and report the fact to the superintendent, or to his colonel, if on regimental recruiting service. RENDEZVOUS, QUARTERING AND SUBSISTING RECRUITS. 41 Written contracts will be made by recruiting otficers for the rent of a rendezvous upon the most reasonable terms possible. The rent will be paid from the recruiting funds. The terms of the con- tract will be immediately reported to the Adjutant General. 42 When subsistence cannot be issued by the commissariat to recruiting parties, it will be pi'ocured by the officer in charge. Written contracts will be made for the subsistence of the recruits, (see form A,) due public notice being first given inviting proposals RECRUITING SERVICE. 13 for furnlsliing complete rations, (or board — sec par. 43.) The original advertisements, bids, contracts, and bond, will be for- warded to the Commissary General of Subsistence, and copies be kept for the use of the recruiting station. 43 "When convenience and economy require that the contract shall be for board and lodging, the officer in charge shall estimate the cost of the ration for which the contractor shall be paid from the subsistence funds, as before directed ; and shall pay the amount duo to lodging from the recruiting funds. 44 Issues will be made, or board furnished, (as the case may be,) on regular provision returns, specifying the number of men, and days and dates. A ration in kind may be allowed to one laundress at each principal rendezvous. The contractor will forward his ac- counts either monthly or quarterly to the Commissary General of Subsistence, {see form B.) This account will be supported by an abstract of issues, duly certified by the recruiting officer, {see form C.) 45 xit temporary rendezvous, advertising may be dispensed with, and a contract made conditioned to be terminated at the pleasure of the officer or the Commissary General. 46 The recruiting officer will be required, when convenient, to receive from the Commissary General and disburse the funds for the subsistence of his party, and to render his accounts quarterly to the Commissary General. 47 When a contract cannot be made, the recruiting officer may pay the necessary expenses of subsisting and boarding his party ; rendering distinct accounts for amounts paid from the subsistence and recruiting funds, as in paragraph 43. 48 The expenses of subsistence at branch rendezvous, and all expenses of advertising for proposals, will be paid by the contractor at the principal station and included in his accounts. 49.. -Officers on recruiting service will make timely requisitions for printed blanks, direct, as follows : 14 RECRUITING SERVICE. To the Adjutant General. — For enlistments ; re-enlistments ; forms for medical inspection of recruits ; muster rolls ; muster and descrip- tive rolls ; monthly returns ; tri-monthly reports ; recruiting accounts cuncut ; accounts of clothing issued ; posters or handbills. To the Quartermaster General. — -For estimates of clothing, camp and garrison equipage ; clothing receipt rolls ; quarterly returns of clothing, camp and garrison equipage. 50 No blanks of the above kinds will be used, except the printed forms furnished. Blanks of other kinds, when required, must be ruled. 51 Blanks for the regimental recruiting service are furnished to the company commanders. FURNITURE AND STATIONERY. 52 The articles of furniture and police utensils which may be absolutely necessary at a recruiting station may be procured by the officer in charge of the rendezvous, on the special authority of the superintendent. 53 Necessary stationery will be purchased monthly or quarterly, not to exceed, per quarter at each station, six quires of paper, twenty- four quills, or twenty -four steel pens and two holders, half an ounce of wafers, one paper of inkpowder, one bottle of red ink, four ounces of sealing wax, one quire of cartridge paper, or one hundred en- velopes, one-fourth quire of blotting paper, and one piece of tape. If necessary, an additional supply of one-fourth of these rates will be allowed to the recruiting officer having charge of one or more auxiliary rendezvous distant from his permanent station. At the principal depots the allowance must be fixed by the wants of the public service. 54 To each office table is allowed one inkstand, one wafer stamp, one wafer box, one paper folder, one ruler, and as many lead pencils as may be required, not exceeding four per annum. RECRUITING SERVICE. 15 55 Such blank books as may be necessary are allowed to the general superintendent and at permanent recruiting depots ; also, one descriptive book for the register of recruits at each permanent station. Blank books will be purchased by recruiting officers, under instructions from the superintendent. 56 When a recruiting officer is relieved, the blanks, books, and unexpended stationery, with all the other public property at the station, will be transferred to his successor, who will receipt for the same. ACCOUNTS, KETCRNS, ETC. 57 The following are the accounts, returns, &c., to be rendered by officers on recruiting service. To the Adjutant General. 1. Recruiting accounts current, quarterly, with abstract, (form D,) vouchers, (form E,) and one set of enlistments. An account will be rendered by every officer who may receive funds, whether he makes expenditures or not during the quarter. 2. A quarterly Teturn of stationery, books, fuel, straw, and such other property as may have been purchased with the recruiting funds. .3. A monthly summary statement of money received, expended, and remaining on hand, (form F,) to be transmitted on the last day of each month. 4. A muster roll of all enlisted men at the rendezvous, including the names of all who may have joined, died, deserted, been transferred or discharged, during the period embraced in the muster roll. 5. Tri monthly reports of the state of the recruiting service, accord- ing to the prescribed form. To the Superintendent, 6. A monthly return of recruits and of the recruiting party, accom- panied with one copy of the enlistment of every recruit enlisted within the month. 16 RECRUITING SERVICE. 7. Duplicate muster rolls for pay of the permanent recruiting party, which may be sent direct to the nearest paymaster, when authorized by the superintendent. A triplicate of this roll will be retained at the station. S. Muster and descriptive rolls and an account of clotldng of every de- tachment of I'ecruits ordered to the principal depot. If the recruits be ordered to proceed from the rendezvous dired, to join any regiment or post, these rolls and accounts of clothing will be delivered to the officer in command of the detachment, a duplicate of each muster and descriptive roll only being then made and sent to the super- intendent. 9. Copy of the quarterly abstract of contingent expenses ; to bo forwarded within three days after the expiration of each quarter. 10. Quarterly estimates for funds. 11. Estimates for clothing, and camp and garrison equipage, and for arms and accoutrements, for six or twelve mouths, or for such times as may be directed by the superintendent. 12. Copy of the return No. 13. To the Quartermaster General. 13. A quarterly return of clothing and camp and ganison equipage, and of all quartermaster's property in his possession, not including such as is purchased with the recruiting funds. To the Ordnance Departmml. 14. A quarterly return of arms, accoutrements, ammunition, and of all ordnance stores. EULES FOa MAKING ACCOUNTS AND PAPERS. 58 The following rules must be observed in making out and forwarding accounts and papers : 1. Letters addressed to the Adjutant General ' ' on recruiting service," will be so endorsed on the envelopes, under the words ' ' official business." RECRUITING SERVICE. 1 7 2. Each voucher must he separately entered on the abstract of contingent expenses, (form F,) and only the gross amount of the abstract must be entered on the account current. 3. No expenditure must be charged without a proper voucher to support it. (See form E.) 4. The receipt to the voucher must be signed, when practicable, by a principal. When this is not practicable, the recruiting officer will add to his own certificate a statement that the agent is duly .authorized to sign the receipt. 5. When an individual makes "his mark" instead of signing his name to the receipt, it must be witnessed by a third person. 6. Expenditures must be confined to items stated in the Regula- tions. In an unforeseen emergency, requiring a deviation from thLs rule, a full explanation must be appended to the voucher for the expenditure ; and if this be not satisfactory, the account will be charged in the Treasury against the recruiting officer. 7. In all vouchers, the different items, with dates, and cost of each, must be given. To vouchers for transportation of officers, a copy of the order under which the journey was performed, must be appended. 8. In vouchers for medical attendance and medicines, the name of each patient, date of, and charge for, each visit, and for medicine furnished, must be given, and the certificate of the physician added, that the rates charged are the usual rates of the place. 9. On all vouchers for premiums for bringing recruits, and fees for oaths of enlistment, the names of the recruits for whom the expenditure is made must be given in alphabetical order, according to the numbering of the enlistments. The vouchers may be made in form of consolidated receipt rolls, authenticated by the officer's certificate that tliey are correct. 10. The fee usually allowed for administering the oath of enlist- ment being twenty-five cents for each recruit, when a greater amount is paid, the officer must certify on the voucher that it is the rate allowed by law of the State or Territory. 3 18 RECRUITING SERVICE. 11. To each voucher for notices inserted in newspapers a copy of the notice will be appended. 12. Quarterly accounts current must exhibit the numbers of Treas- ury drafts and dates of their receipt ; and when funds are transferred, the names of officers from whom they are received, or to whom they are turned over, with the dates of transfer. 13. Fractions of cents are not to be taken up on accounts current. 14. Enlistments must be filled up in a fair and legible hand. The real name of the recruit must be ascertained, correctly spelled, and written in the same way wherever it occurs ; the Christian name must not be abbreviated Numbers in the body of the enlistment must be written and not expressed by figures. Each enlistment must be endorsed as follows : No. — . A B enlisted at January — , 185-, By Lt. C D , — Regiment of . The number in each month to correspond with the names alphabetically arranged. 15. Whenever a soldier re-enters the service, the officer who en- listed him will endorse on the enlistment, next below his own name and regiment, " second (or third) enlistment," as the case may be, together with the name of the regiment and the letter of the com- pany in Avhich the soldier last served, and date of discharge from former enlistment. This information the recruiting officer must obtain, if possible, from the soldier's discharge, which he should in all cases be required to exhibit (See 22d Art. of War.) 16. Re -enlistments must be forwarded with recruiting accounts, although the bounty due on them may not be paid. When the bounty is subsequently paid, the soldier's receipt is to be taken on a voucher showing date and place of re-enlistment, company and regiment, and by whom re-enlisted. RECRUITING SERVICE. 19 17. The filling up of, and endorsement on, the enlistment, will be in the handwriting of the recruiting officer, or done under his immediate inspection. 18. To facilitate the final settlement of accounts of discharged soldiers, the name of the Slate, as well as the town, whei-e each recruit is enlisted, will be recordetl on all muster, pay, and descriji- tive rolls. DEPOTS FOR COLLECTING AND INSTRUCTING RECRUITS. 59 The depots for recruits are established by orders from the Adjutant General's Office. 60 To each depot there will be assigned a suitable number of officers to command and instruct the recruits ; and, when necessary, such number of enlisted men as may be designated at the Adjutant General's Office, will be selected for the permanent party, to do garrison duty and for drill masters. 61 The number of recruits at depots to be assigned to each arm and regiment is directed from the Adjutant General's Office. 62 The recruits ai'e to be dressed in uniform according to their respective arms, and will be regularly mustered and inspected. They are to be well drilled in the infantry tactics, through the school of the soldier to that of the battalion, and in the exercise of field and garrison pieces. Duty is to be done according to the strict rules of service. 63 Tlie general superintendent will cause such of the recruits as are found to possess a natural talent for music, to be instructed (besides the drill of the soldier) on the fife, bugle, and drum, and other military instruments ; and boys of twelve years of age, and upward, may, under his direction, be enlisted for this purpose. But as recruits under eighteen years of age and under size must be discharged, if they are not capable of learning music, care should be taken to enlist those only who have a natural talent for music, and, if practicable, they should be taken on trial for some time before being enlisted. 20 RECRUITING SERVICE. C-i Regiments will be furnished with field music on the requisi- tions of their commanders, made, from time to time, direct on the general superintendent ; and, when requested by regimental com- manders, the superintendents will endeavor to have suitable men selected from the recruits, or enlisted, for the regimental bands. 65 To give encouragement to the recruits, and hold out induce- ments to good conduct, the commanding officer of the depot may promote such of them to be lance-corporals and lance sergeants as ex- hibit the requisite qualifications, not exceeding the proper propor- tion to the number of recruits at the depot. These appointments will be announced in orders in the usual way, and will be continued in force until they join their regiments, unless sooner revoked. No allowance of pay or emoluments is to be assigned to these appoint- ments : they are only to be considered as recommendations to the captains of companies and colonels of regiments for the places in which the recruits may have acted ; but such non-commissioned officers are to be treated with all the respect and to have all the au- thority which may belong to the stations of sergeant and corporal. 66 Permanen', parties at depots, and recruiting parties, will be mustered, inspected, and paid in the same manner as other soldiers. Recruits will be mustered for pay only at depots, and when paid there, one-half of their monthly pay will be retained until they join their regiments. 67 When recruits are received at a garrisoned post, the com- manding officer will place them under the charge of a commissioned officer. 68 Recruits are not to be put to any labor or work which would interfere with their instruction, nor are they to be employed other- wise than as soldiers, in the regular duties of garrison and camp. 69... Every enlisted man discharged as a minor, or for other cause involving fraud on his part in the enlistment, or discharged by the civil authority, shall forfeit all pay and allowances due at the time of the discharge. RECRUITING SERVICE. 21 70 Tlio Piuk's and Articles of War are to be read to the recruits eveiy month, after the inspection ; and so mucli thereof as relates to the duties of non-commissioned officers and soldiers will be read to them every week. INSPECTION OF EECRUITS AT DEPOTS AND POSTS. 71 The superintendent or commanding officer will cause a minute and critical inspection to be made of every recruit received at a depot, two days after his arrival ; and should any recruit be found unfit for service, or to have been enlisted contrary to law or regulations, he shall assemble a Board of Inspectors, to examine into the case. A board may also be assembled in a special case, when a concealed defect may become manifest in a recruit, at any time during his detention at the depot. 72 Every detachment ordered from a depot to any regiment or post, shall, immediately preceding its departure, be critically in- spected by the superintendent or commanding officer, and surgeon ; and, when necessary, a Board of Inspectors will be convened. 73 Recruits received at a military post or station shall be care- fully inspected by the commanding officer and surgeon, on the third day after their arrival ; and if, on such inspection, any recruit, in their opinion, be unsound or otherwise defective in such degree as to disqualify him for the duties of a soldier, then a Board of Inspec- tors will be assembled to examine into and report on the case. (See paragraphs 74, 75, 76.) 74 Boards for the inspection of recniits will be composed of the three senior regimental officers present on duty with the troops, including the commanding officer, and the senior medical officer of the army i^resent. REJECTED RECRUITS. 75 In all cases of rejection, the reasons therefor will be stated at large in a special report, to be made by the board ; which, together with the surgeon's certificate <5f disability for service, will be for- 22 RECRUITING SERVICE. warded by the superintendent or commandant of the post direct to the Adjutant General. In all such cases the commanding officer will cause the articles of clothing, which may have been issued to the recruit, with the price of each article, to be endorsed on the certifi- cates of disability. If the recommendation of the board for the discharge of the recruit be approved, the authority therefor will be endorsed on the certificate, which will be sent back to be filled up and signed by the commanding officer, who will return the same to the Adjutant General's Office. 76 The board will state in the report whether the disability, or other cause of rejection, existed before his enlistment ; and whether withproper care and examination it might not have been discovered. KECRUITS SENT TO REGIMENTS. 77 An officer entrusted with the command of recruits ordered to regiments, will, on arriving at the place of destination, forward the following papers : 1. To the Adjutant General and the Superintendent, each, a descrip- tive roll and an account of clothing of such men as may have de- serted, died, or been left on the route from any cause whatever, with date and place ; also, a special report of the date of his arrival at the post, the strength and condition of the detachment when turned over to the commanding officer, and all cii'cumstances worthy of remark which may have occurred on the march. 2. To the Commanding Officer of the regiment, or post, the muster and descriptive roll furnished him at the time of setting out, properly signed and completed by recording the names of the xecmiis present, and by noting in the column for remarks, opposite the appropriate spaces, the time and place of death, desertion, apprehension, or other casualty that may have occurred on the route. 78 Should an officer be relieved in chai-ge of a detachment en route, before it reaches its destination, the date and place, and name of the officer by whom he is relieved, must be recorded on the de- tachment roll. Without the evidence of such record, no charge for RECRUITING SERVICE, 23 extra pay for clothing accountability of a detachment equal to a company will be allowed. 79 The "original muster and descriptive roll" of every detach- ment, with remarks showing the final disposition of each recruit, and the regiment and letter of the company to which he may be assigned, will be signed and forwarded to the Adjutant General by the commanding officer who makes the assignment. If the recruits embraced in one roll happen to be assigned to different posts, the original roll is to continue with the last detachment to its destina- tion, each commander completing it so far as concerns the recruits left at his post. When this is not practicable, extracts from the original roll are to he made by the authority which distributes the recruits, to accompany the several detachments and to be forwarded to the Adjutant General as in case of the original roll. EEGIMEXTAI. EECRUITIXG SERVICE. 80 The regimental recruiting will be conducted in the manner prescrilied for the general service. 81 Every commander of a regiment is the superintendent of the recruiting service for his regiment, and will endeavor to keep it up to its estaljlishment ; for which purpose he will obtain the necessary funds, clothing, &c. , by requisition to the Adjutant General. 82 At every station occupied by his regiment, or any part of it, the colonel will designate a suitable officer to attend to the recruiting duties ; which selection will not relieve such officer from his company or other ordinary duties. The officer thus designated will be kept constantly furnished with funds, and, when necessary, -svith clothing and camp equipage. (See paragraph 29.) 83 The regimental recruiting officer will, with the approbation of the commanding officer of the station, enlist all suitable men. He will be governed, in rendering his accounts and returns, by the rules prescribed for the general service ; and when leaving a post, will turn over the funds in his hands to the senior company officer of his regiment present, iTuless some other be appointed to receive them. 24 RECRUITING SERVICE. Articles or agreement made and entered into this day cf , anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and , between , an officer in the United States Army, on the one part, and , of the county of , and State of , of tlie otlier part. This agreement witnesseth, That the said , for and on belialf of the United States of America, and the said , heirs, executors, and administrators, liave covenanted and agreed, and by these presents do mutually covenant and agree, to and with each other, as follows, viz : First. That the said , heirs, executors, and administrators, shall supply, or cause to be supplied and issued, at , all the rations, to consist of the articles hereinafter specified, that shall be required for the use of the United States recruits stationed at the place aforesaid, commencing on the day of , one thousand eight hundred and , and ending on the day of , one thousand eight hundred and , or such earlier day as the Com- missary General may direct, at the price of cents mills for each complete ration. Second. That the ration to be furnished by virtue of this contract shall consist of the following articles, viz : One and a quarter pound of fresh beef or three-quarters of a pound of salted pork, eighteen ounces of bread or flour, and at the rate of eight quarts of beans or ten poimds of rice, six pounds of coffee, twelve pounds of sugar, four quarts of vinegar, one and a half pound of tallow or one pound of sperm candles, four pounds of soap, and two quarts of salt, to every hundred rations, or the contractor shall furnish the men with good and Avholesome board and lodgings, at the option of the recruit- ing officer ; and the recruiting party shall have the privilege of hang- ing out a flag from the place of rendezvous. Third. That fresh beef shall be issued at least twice in each week, if required by the commanding officer. RECRUITING SERVICE. 25 Fourth. It Is clearly understood that the provisions stipulated to be furnished and delivered under this contract shall be of the first quality. Fifth. Should any difficulty arise respecting the quality of the provisions stipulated to be delivered under this contract, then the commanding officer is to appoint a disinterested person to meet one of the same description to be appointed by the contractor. These two thus appointed will have power to decide on the quality of the provisions ; but should they disagree, then a third person is to be chosen by the two already appointed, the whole to act under oath, and the opinion of the majority to be final in tlie case. WUness : RECRUITING SERVICE. Sq ti Si _g '3 .2 a ^ c3 M S-3 ^f : '"S £ B^- ' o'S ', § •i : i^ji . s l> 1 i -a m a> *j 3~ o a S ° 'ii^iSUHvif 9 ^ c4 tM .55 ■g ^ fcO hi Hi 1 ■^ .a o 43 13 „, 1 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 1 1 !!• n.