brevet: Colonel E. G. Marshall, Fourteenth New York Heavy Artillery, and Colonel J. N. G. Whistler, Second New York Heavy Artillery. The claims of these officers have not been before presented, and I hope they will receive the recognition and reward they justly merit.

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General, Commanding.

RICHMOND, VA., June 16, 1865-4.30 p.m.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

In obedience to your verbal instructions to report directly to you what, in my judgment, is most necessary to be done in this department, and what I propose to do, I respectfully report that, in my opinion, the first and most necessary step to remedy existing evils is to establish definitely and authoritatively the status of the freedmen. For this purpose I purpose to issue the following order. I respectfully solicit your approval or disapproval of it:

People of color will henceforth enjoy the same personal liberty which other citizens and inhabitants enjoy; they will be subjected to the same restraint and same punishments for crime that are imposed on whites, and no others. Vagrancy, however will not be permitted. Neither whites nor blacks can be allowed to abandon their proper employment, to desert their families, or roam in idleness about this department; but neither wishes nor blacks will be restrained from seeking employment elsewhere when it cannot be obtained with just compensation at their homes, nor from traveling from place to place on proper and legitimate business. Until the civil courts are re-established the administration of criminal justice must necessarily be by military courts. Before such courts the evidence of colored persons will be received in all cases.

ALFRED H. TERRY,

Major-General, Commanding.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA, Numbers 74.
Richmond, Va., June 16, 1865.

General Orders, Numbers 72, from these headquarters, dated June 14, 1865, is amended to read as follows:

By direction of the President of the United States Major General A. H. Terry hereby assumes command of the Department of Virginia.

By command of Major-General Terry:

ED. W. SMITH.

Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA, Numbers 75.
Richmond, Va., June 16, 1865.

The following order from the War Department is promulgated for the information and guidance of all concerned:

General Orders, Numbers 60, current series, from these headquarters, is revoked so far as it is inconsistent therewith.

Brigadier-General Mackenzie, and Bvt. Brigadier General H. L. Abbot, commanding separate brigades, will be considered as independent commanders in the meaning of the order from the War Department, and will appoint boards as therein required, for their respective commands.