examine each house and premises, make a minute of the owner, tenant, and general character of building, such as dwelling shop, shanty, &c., and affix a value to the house, fences, and immovable improvements. The board will give each owner or tenant a certificate of the value of such improvements, and the fact that he or she has been forcibly dispossessed. The chief quartermaster in Memphis on the presentation of such certificate will cause the party to be put in possession of some vacant house in Memphis of about equal value. The board will make a full report of their action to remain as evidence for the final settlement when made.

The chief quartermaster at Memphis will forthwith, by himself or agent, a commissioned officer, if possible, otherwise by some competent person appointed from civil life to be paid out of rents to be collected, take possession of all vacant storehouse, warehouse, and buildings, and will rent them out if possible to reliable and loyal tenants at fair moderate rents, payable monthly in advance, keeping an accurate account with each piece of property so taken. When the buildings are used by any department of the army the rent will be estimated and charged but not collected; but no building must be occupied by any military person or department without the approval of the commanding general. The buildings inside of the intrenchments will be excepted from the above rule, and be subject to the use and control of the brigadier on whose camping ground they happen to be.

Great care must be taken from the beginning in keeping accounts of rents, &c., and special instructions will be given on this point.

By order of Major General W. T. Sherman:

J. H. HAMMOND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS,

Numbers 60.
Memphis, Tenn., July 22, 1862.

While negroes are employed on public works, fortifications, driving teams, and such public work, they will be subsisted by the officer in charge by a provision return, specifying number and how employed, which return must be approved at headquarters. As the negro receives no specific wages the commissary may issue to the negroes at the rate of one pound of chewing-tobacco per month, the bills of purchase for which are to be sent to the chief engineer of the district for payment.

The engineer in charge of the fort will purchase necessary clothing, such as shoes and pants, for the negroes, and issue to them, keeping an accurate account of the issues that the value of the clothing may be charged to the proper party on the final settlement of accounts. The bills of purchase will be sent to the chief engineer of the district for payment.

A register and time-able of the negroes employed on the fort will be kept by the engineer in charge or by some one under his orders, giving the name and description of the negro, whether a slave or refugee, and the name of master, that a fair and equitable settlement may be made at the "end of the war."

By order of Major General W. T. Sherman:

J. H. HAMMOND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

8 R R-VOL XVII, PT II