affairs in this city, and to assure you of the measures adopted by you for the continuance of the educational work. It is very clear that it is the interest of both the teachers and the children themselves that these should, during these days of excitement, be kept under the strictest control and as much as possible out of all public streets and places, and it is therefore desirable that not even a temporary suspension of schools should take place. There will, for the present, be no interference with the school buildings on the part of the U. S. military authorities, and your arrangements appear satisfactory, as long as the teachers will restrict themselves to the education of their pupils and refrain from anything and everything which might tend to prejudice the youthful minds against the lawful authority of the United States Government, and as long as scholars in and out of school conduct themselves with the proper decorum; but any disturbance or misbe- havior on the part of either teachers or scholars will cause the immediate suspension of the respective school or schools and the taking of such other measures as may be deemed advisable under the circumstances.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

P. J. OSTERHAUS,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

GENERAL
HEADQUARTERS ARMY AND DIVISION FIELD ORDERS,
OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, Numbers 30.
Mobile, Ala., April 21, 1865.

I. Property belonging to the rebel Government, or used or employed by that Government in sustaining its credit abroad or maintaining its armies at home, when found in captured places or districts, will be regarded and treated as captured or abandoned property. No question of private interest in relation to such property can be determined by the military authorities, but in all cases accurate inventories, exhibiting in detail the quantities, classification or quality, condition, and the marks on the original packages will be taken. These inventories will be made in triplicate, one copy to be retained by the officer who receives the property, one to be delivered to the claimant, and the third to be forwarded through these headquarters, with the evidence submitted by the claimant, for the information of the Secretaries of War and of the Treasury.

II. No transfers or sales of such property will be recognized, and any attempt to cover by fraudulent transfer, direct or indirect interests of the rebel Government to such property, or to conceal or withhold it, will work the immediate forfeiture of any private interest that may be involved. All persons having possession or control of such property, within the limits of occupation by the forces of the United States, are required to report its locatio and quantity to the provost-marshal-general of the army.

III. Private property not coming under the foregoing rules will not be interfered with unless required for "public use," and, when this is necessary, the seizure will be made in an orderly and regular manner under the orders of the commanding officer, and the proper receipts will be given. The property so received will be disposed of and accounted for as any other public property.

IV. Until the blockade of this port is raised by the proclamation of the President and the proper custom-house and Treasury agents are appointed, no foreign or general commerce can be permitted, and the trade with the city will be limited to the wants of the army and navy and the necessities of the inhabitants within the limits of military