GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DISTRICT OF WEST FLORIDA, Numbers 51.
Barrancas, May 25, 1865.

The following order is republished for the information and guidance of all concerned in this district.*

To execute properly the provisions of the above order in the Military District of West Florida the following instructions are added:

First. Relative to abandoned rebel property subject to seizure and confiscation according to the act of Congress approved March 2, 1864, the several provost-marshals within this military district will prepare inventories in triplicate of all such property in their respective precincts, exhibiting the character or description of property, where situated or abandoned (state, town or special location), under what circumstances and in what condition found, by whom, and from whom, and when seized or received, by whom owned or claimed, and if dwellings by whom occupied and by what authority. Property of perishable nature and of no use to the army will be disposed of at public auction; that of use to the army is to be transferred to the proper department for issue, and all such property sold or issued will be accounted for as any other public property.

Second. Real estate will only be taken possession of by the provost-marshal temporarily, pending the action of the assistant special Treasury agent assigned to this district, who has been officially requested to take formal charge of such abandoned property. In order, however, to prevent further destruction and unauthorized occupation of such property until properly taken charge of by the Treasury agent, the respective provost-marshals will keep control over all dwellings inventoried as above an give permission to returning families destitute of shelter to occupy them temporarily entering on the inventories when and to whom such possession was given with the understanding that the parties concerned pay to the Treasury agent the proper amount of rent as he may determine hereafter.

Third. The reports required in paragraph II of the above general order will be made to the provost-marshal-general through these headquarters.

By order of Brigadier-General Asboth:

FRANK ENO,

Assistant Adjutant-General

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
New Orleans, May 25, 1865. (Received 26th.)

Major General A. J. SMITH,

Montgomery, Ala.:

Grierson has been ordered+ to report in person here, and to send Lucas' brigade across the country to the Mississippi. The remaining brigade will be ordered to report to you.

By order of Major General E. R. S. Canby:

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

---------------

*See General Field Orders, Numbers 30, April 21, p. 430.

+See Canby to Grierson, May 25, Vol. XLVIII, Part II, p. 594.

---------------