in their respective positions (General Orders, 69, Headquarters Army of the Potomac, February 25, 1862), and exercise the utmost vigilance to guard against surprise.

IV. All commanding officers are held responsible that no straggling takes place in their respective commands. No one will be allowed to leave the ranks, except during a halt, unless in case of sickness. Should a soldier be taken sick, he will be sent to the rear in charge of a non-commissioned officer and reported to the medical officer with the ambulance train, who will act as the case requires.

V. The ambulance and baggage train of each brigade will ordinarily follow immediately in rear of its brigade, under the direction of the brigade quartermaster, assisted by the quartermasters of the respective regiments; all of whom will remain constantly with the trains and preserve the strictest order and discipline. Supply trains will, as a general rule, follow the baggage trains of the troops for whom the supplies are intended. Should a team be delayed by accident on the march, it will be drawn to one side of the road, while those in its rear will close up the interval. Whenever trains or any number of wagons half from any cause, they will, as far as possible, be drawn to one side of the road, so as to admit of the free passage of troops, artillery,and other trains that may be ordered to the front.

VI. The passage of the defiles or obstacles will be made in close order, the "route step" being resumed by each regiment after its last company has passed. Regiments in rear will close in mass on head of column while those in front are passing the defile or obstacle.

VII. The pioneers of each brigade, with their tools and implements, will march in front of their respective brigades, under direction of an engineer officer. The roads will be repaired, and, whenever practicable, all obstacles to the easy passage of troops and trains will be removed.

VIII. "To the color," sounded on the march, will be the signal to prepare for action. At this call the trains will draw, as far as possible, to one side of the road and halt; the ambulances will be prepared for service; the men will close their ranks without further orders, and preserve perfect silence.

IX. All commands and signals must be passed from front to rear of the column with the utmost promptness and celerity.

By command of Major-General McClellan:

S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

No. 114. Camp near Yorktown, Va., April 8, 1862.

The unsoldierlike practice, which for a few days past has prevailed in some of the regiments of this army,of firing away cartridges while upon the march and in camp, without any object save the wanton destruction of Government property which has at great expense and care been furnished for the purpose of combating the enemies of our country, has been brought to the notice of the general commanding, who learns with deep regret that one or more soldiers have been killed and several wounded by this culpable violation of orders.

The order is now reiterated that hereafter all commanders of army corps, divisions, brigades, regiments, and companies give their especial and unremitting attention to the immediate suppression of this practice