the applicant is within the provisions of the amnesty proclamation, and orders relating thereto, shall indorse his order to the provost-marshal-general, or to his own provost-marshal to administer the amnesty oath.

Third. Upon such order the provost-marshal shall admit such applicant to take the oath prescribed, and shall give him a certificate stating that such person is admitted to amnesty for the specific acts set forth in such a petition bearing such a date, and filed and numbered in his office, and for no other acts whatsoever.

Fourth. All such petitions, orders, and oaths, taken by any other person than the provost-marshal-general of the department, will be forwarded to the provost-marshal-general's office, at the end of each month, to be carefully filed, numbered, and registered, and proper memoranda for reference will be kept by the officer so forwarding.

Fifth. No other officers than as above stated will be permitted to grant the privileges of the amnesty oath.

Sixth. Any material false statement in such petitions will invalidate the protection of the amnesty at any time, when discovered, and subject the party making such false statement to trial for his former treasonable acts.

Seventh. The form of certificate will be as follows:

PROVOST-MARSHAL'S OFFICE,

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DISTRICT,

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,186.

Upon the order of

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General

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, commanding, duly indorsed upon petition of

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, on file in my office, and numbered

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, I hereby certify that the said petitioner has this day taken the oath prescribed by the President's proclamation, and the orders in relation thereto,, and that he is entitled to amnesty for the treasonable acts set forth by him in the petition above referred to, and for none other.

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Provost-Marshal.

Filed and numbered in my office,
"Indorsed."

No.---
Approved.

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General, Commanding.

Signature of the applicant in my presence.

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Provost-Marshal.

Eighth. The oath and certificate attached will be executed in duplicate, one copy delivered to the applicant, and one kept in the provost-marshal-general's office.

Ninth. The provost-marshal-general is charged with preparation, issue, and distribution of the necessary blanks, which will be sent to general officers in this department, and personally receipted for by them.

By command of Major-General Hurlbut:

JOSEPH HIBBERT, JR.,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DIST. OF WEST FLORIDA AND SOUTH ALABAMA,
Fort Gaines, December 10, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Mil. Div. of West Mississippi:

COLONEL: I have the honor to call the attention of the commanding general to the insecurity of Ship Island, with its present garrison and insufficient means of defense, as a rendezvous for prisoners. From a statement made to me a few days since by Commodore Palmer, commanding West Gulf Blockading Squadron, who had to stop there on