WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, November 30, 1863-9.50 a.m.

Brigadier-General KELLEY,

Cumberland, Md.:

It is not safe to rely upon any movements of General Meade's army. Your operations should be made without regard to him. I can only designate the object. You must determine upon the best way to reach it.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

GENERAL ORDERS,
WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 383.
Washington, November 30, 1863.

I. Commanders of geographical departments are authorized to grant leaves of absence in accordance with the General Regulations of the Army; but all officers, of whatsoever grade, are prohibited from visiting the city of Washington without the special permission of the War Department.

II. To serve as a check upon the abuse of the authority conferred by the foregoing paragraph, a report of all leaves granted will be made monthly to the Adjutant-General of the Army, stating their length and dates, and the reasons for granting them.

III. No application for extension of leaves of absence will be granted by the War Department unless such extension is recommended by the officer granting the leave.

By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Abstract from return of the Department of Washington, Major General Christopher C. Augur, U. S. Army, commanding, for the month of November, 1863.

Present for duty. Pieces of art.

Offic Men. Aggreg Aggreg Hea Field

ers ate ate vy. .

Command. presen presen

t t and

absent

General 26 22 49 50 - -

headquarters a

Artillery Camp of 50 1,249 1,477 1,636 - 68

Instruction

(Barry)

District of 149 2,703 4,259 5,016 - -

Washington

(Martindale) b

Defenses North of 227 5,777 7,336 7,974 - 432

the Potomac

(Haskin)

Provisional 6 --- 6 17 - -

brigades (Casey)

Defenses South of 220 4,798 6,257 7,282 - 444

the Potomac (De

Russy)

Corcoran's 134 2,209 2,748 3,441 - 6

division c

Cavalry forces 39 642 1,124 1,887 - -

(Lowell) d

District of 96 1,410 2,059 2,427 - 6

Alexandria

(Slough) e

Camp Convelescent, 85 1,618 6,688 7,034 - -

&c. (Abercrombie)

Glymont Landing 5 73 148 168 - -

(Captain A.

Sharra)

Government farms, 5 92 106 131 - -

Va. (Captain R. C.

Perry)

Mason's Island, 33 811 946 984 - -

D. C. (Tracy)

Fort Washington, 7 128 181 188 70 3

Md. (Brooks)

Total 1,082 21,532 33,384 38,235 70 959

aIncluding band of 17th U. S. Infantry and Brigadier General Max Weber and staff. Brigadier-General Abercrombie and staff transferred to Camp Convelescent, &c.

bAnd 1st District of Columbia Cavalry.

cFairfax Court-House.

dCentreville, Va.

eIncluding 4th Delaware.