clared and payable, which are the property of the persons above described and are within this department, shall be withheld by the persons authorized, and whose duty it is to pay the same, from such persons, their representatives, agents, and attorneys, howsoever constituted, and that the same shall be paid over to Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Bliss, quartermaster of this department, or such other agent as the general commanding may authorize and appoint from time to time. All persons having authority over such property will be held responsible for such sums as may be paid in violation of this order, and be otherwise punished by military commission.

The hire and the proceeds of the labor of such slaves as are in the counties of Maryland in this department and belong to the persons above described will in due proportion be set apart and reserved for the use of such slaves, when they shall have been freed by the constitutional law of Maryland, as it is hoped they soon will be.

By command of Major-General Wallace:

SAMUEL B. LAWRENCE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
April 26, 1864-10.30 a.m.

Major General A. E. BURNSIDE:

I have now a pontoon bridge over the Rappahannock at the railroad crossing, in addition to the railroad bridge, which is planked over and can be passed by wagons. I shall take up the pontoon bridge when my troops are relieved. If you require another one, Brigadier-General Benham, at Washington, has been directed to furnish it, with the necessary working party, to lay and take care of it.

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General.

WASHINGTON, April 26, 1864-12.20 p.m.

Major-General BUTLER,

Fort Monroe, Va.:

Lieutenant-General Grant telegraphs that he wishes New Berne held at all hazards, and that he would prefer to have everything removed from Washington, N. C., to having our forces in North Carolina picked off in detail, or to having our offensive operations abandoned to defend them.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General, Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA,
New Berne, N. C., April 26, 1864.

Brigadier General E. HARLAND,

Commanding, Washington, N. C.:

GENERAL: A very delicate duty is assigned to you; it is no less than the evacuation of Washington. This must be done speedily,