ever the difficulties look particularly discouraging I think of a rebel prison, and the contrast is sufficient to put one immediately into a good humor.

I telegraphed you in regard to the discharge of a number of our mutineers, by order of the War Department, for no apparent reason whatever except that their friends at home, aided by Congressional influence, have applied for it. This has a very bad effect on the remaining men, and is decidedly unjust, as is also the commissioning of any mutineer in another regiment. I hope no discharge will be granted to men of this regiment until it is first submitted to me.*

Yours, truly,

WM. J. PALMER.

[Indorsement.]

Vincent. Please read this. Palmer is a reliable man.

J. B. F.

SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE CUMBERLAND,

Numbers 57.
Murfreesborough, Tenn., March 1, 1863.

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XII. All pay due mutineers of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry will be withheld until further orders from these headquarters.+

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By command of Major-General Rosecrans:

H. THRALL,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

MURFREESBOROUGH, March 6, 1863.

(Received March 7, 1863.)

Brigadier General LORENZO THOMAS:

Four mutineers of Anderson Cavalry, in addition to the two already advised of, have been discharged by Special Orders, War Department, viz, Charles De Ward, Company B; Samuel Hildeburn, Company C; Charles H. Warner, Company G, and Lewis G. Reed, Company G. It would have an excellent effect upon the discipline of the regiment if these discharges be revoked.

W. S. ROSECRANS,

Major-General.

SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE CUMBERLAND,

Numbers 65.
Murfreesborough, Tenn., March 9, 1863.

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XIV. Those mutineers of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry who came to the front, in obedience to orders, during the battle of Stone's River are exempt front eh provisions of Paragraph XII, Special Field Orders, Numbers 57, from these headquarters.

* * * * * * *

By command of Major-General Rosecrans:

H. THRALL,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

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*Some irrelevant and personal matter omitted in publication.

+See Special Field Orders of March 9 and April 19.

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