GENERAL REPORTS,
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE OHIO,

No. 26. In Camp near Florence, Ala., June 24, 1862.

There are 14,000 officers and soldiers absent from their duty with the various divisions of this army, i.e., the five divisions south of the Tennessee River. Some of them have gone off without any authority; others with the permission of officers not authorized to grant it. In general sickness is given as the cause of absence, but in very many cases that cause has notoriously ceased to exist, and men remain away, drawing the same pay as their comrades who are faithfully performing their duty. To correct this abuse it is ordered-

1st. All officers and soldiers who are absent without direct authority from these headquarters, the period for which has not expired, will on or before the 10th of July proximo join their companies or regiments wherever they may be. If ignorant of their locality they will report to the commanding officer at Louisville or Nashville, by whom they will be directed to their regiments or put on such light duly as they may be able to perform if they are not entirely fit for active service; and these will be promptly reported to their regimental commanders by the officer so assigning them. The cases of those who fail to join as above required will be disposed of as follows:

2d. If any absent officer or soldier in consequence of sickness or wounds is absolutely unable to report for duty as above required he will forward by mail to "the Assistant Adjutant-General, District of the Ohio, Nashville, Tenn.," a certificate of disability according to the following form:

Certificate of disability.

I declare on oath that I have carefully examined --- ---, of Captain --- --- company, Colonel --- --- regiment of --- Volunteers, now at this place and under treatment by me, and find him incapable of performing the duties of a soldier for the following reasons: [Here state all the facts known concerning the disease or wound or cause of disability; the time, place, manner, and all the circumstances under which the injury occurred or disease originated; the duty or situation of the officer or soldier at the time the injury was received or disease, contracted, and whatever facts may aid a judgment as to the cause, immediate or remote, of the disability and the circumstances attending it.]

Place: ---.

Date: ---.

(Signed)

--- ---,

Surgeon (or Physician).

Sworn to and subscribed before

--- ---.

This certificate must be subscribed and sworn to by a surgeon or private physician in good standing and known as such by the magistrate or other officer by whom the oath is administered, and on it a discharge will be ordered from these headquarters or the case otherwise disposed of according to the circumstances.

3d. The death of any officer or soldier which has occurred since the 1st of January last, while he was absent from his regiment or company and which has not been reported by the surgeon of the hospital in which the death occurred or by the friends of the deceased if not in