missions in regiments of African descent to appear before the Board of Examination in session in this city, section XV of General Orders, Numbers 135, series of 1863, from these headquarters, is hereby amended in accordance therewith.

II. The commanding general calls the attention of all officers in the department whose duty it may become to forward applications from officers and enlisted men under their command to appear before the Board, to the fact that in many cases heretofore, it would appear, applicants have been recommended for no other ap[parent purpose that to get rid of worthless or obnoxious men, or to obtain in this way a furlough to visit Saint Louis. Officers are informed that in future they will be held to a strict accountability for their recommendations; and, in any case, should it appear that a recommendation has been unworthily bestowed, or given without due consideration, the officer so giving it will be liable to be himself ordered before a board to examine into his qualifications and fitness for the position he holds, or even to summary dismissal from the service.

III. Applications from citizens must be accompanied by testimonials as to moral character and physical ability, and a statement from some on known at these headquarters that it is more than probable the applicant will pass an examination in the hereinafter-mentioned studies.

IV. All applicants are examined first as to physical ability and afterward upon tactics, army regulations, general military knowledge, arithmetic, geography, and history. The standard established by the Board is not beyond the capacity of any one of fair education and abilities, but the examination is thorough and entirely indiscriminating as to persons. Any one who passes the examination is at once recommended to the War Department for appointment.

V. All applications should be made in the handwriting of the applicant.

VI. District commanders will take the necessary steps to cause to be forwarded to these headquarters a full report of all officers and enlisted men now absent from their commands for the purpose of appearing before the Board, and the dates at which they left their commands. They will also cause individual reports to be made of the date at which each person returns to duty, together with the cause of delay in returning, should it appear such delay has occurred.

VII. In future commanding officers will immediately forward reports through the proper channel of all officers and men leaving their commands on permission to appear before the Board, giving the date at which they left, and similar reports of the date of return.

VIII. All applicants for permission to appear before the Board who are in the military service will report immediately after arrival in the city at the rooms of the Board, southeast corner of Fifth and Olive streets, exhibit their letters of authorization, and register their names, where they will received instructions as to the time when they can be examined. When they appear before the Board they will be required to present themselves in the proper uniform of their respective grades and arms of the service.

By command of Major-General Rosecrans:

O. D. GREENE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.