Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, and to his assistant agents. In the want of any such assistant commissioner You will, as far as practicable, regulate and properly enforce voluntary contracts for labor for a limited period between planters or former owners and freedmen, protecting the latter from improper or cruel treatment, and, on the other hand, requiring them in good faith to fulfill their won voluntary contracts to labor, encouraging them to make such contracts, and discouraging them leaving their former owners when kindly treated until they can contract for employment elsewhere. The institution of slavery will in no case be regarded as existing.

You will procure in the country such needed supplies for Your command as can be more cheaply furnished there than from New Orleans, paying for them if funds are on hand for the purpose, otherwise giving proper vouchers. Proofs of loyalty to the United States will be required as a prerequisite to payment.

You will notify all persons concerned that until they comply with the terms of the surrender of E. K. Smith by coming forward to be paroled and to deliver up their arms and public property they are not entitled to the benefits of the President's amnesty proclamation. Blank forms for paroles can be furnished at these headquarters. Copies of the order announcing the terms of surrender are sent You herewith for distribution. You will put yourself in communication with the Provisional Governor of Texas as speedily as practicable, to concert measures to aid him efficiently.

You will as far as practicable repress all disorders, outrages, and depredations by guerrillas, jayhawkers, or other marauders, robbers, and disorderly persons, and arrest and bring to trial before a military commission the guilty parties. You will protect peaceable citizens from molestation and encourage them under the Executive order of April 29, 1865, to return to peaceful pursuits. You will maintain strict discipline in the troops under Your command, ands sternly repress all outrages, depredations, or other disorderly conduct on the part of troops. This, as You must be aware, can only be done by constant watchfulness, by giving attention to proper complaints of citizens, by impressing upon regimental commanders the absolute necessity of giving close attention to roll-calls; and it s suggested You take all ammunition from the men excepting when they go on guard, and compel each regiment daily to stack arms on the color line. We are sent to Texas to assist in restoring civil law and not to rob and maltreat citizens, and it is thus far to the interest of every officer and soldier of Your division to conduct himself in an orderly manner; that besides the dishonor incurred by not doing so, the major-general commanding will promptly relieve the division from its post at San Antonio and send it to take post on the coast, where there is little to destroy, if marauding be carried on at all. The officers have it in their power to arrest these outrages, and they must be compelled to do so. Safeguards must be furnished citizens if necessary, and good and reliable patrols must be established and kept up. The control of our own soldiers is deemed at this time a paramount duty, and as the general commanding is held strictly responsible, so he will hold subordinates.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, Your obedient servant,

ANDREW STEWART,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[AUGUST 7, 1865. -For Pope to Dodge and Dodge to Pope, relative to operations in the Northwest, see Part I, p. 352.]