HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES IN THE FIELD,
Morganza, La., June 25, 1864-8 a.m.

Major-General CANBY,

New Orleans, La.:

General Emory has not received the organization nor your letter. He is very desirous to remain on duty with these troops and declines leave of absence. The only change required will be to relieve Brigadier-General McGinnis, whose health is bad, and whose division is now and still may be commanded by General Grover. On full consideration and conference with General Emory, I cordially recommend your approval of this arrangement. Please answer this morning.

J. J. REYNOLDS,

Major-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, No. 77. New Orleans, June 25, 1864.

General Orders, No. 52, of 1863,* headquarters Department of the Gulf, is hereby amended to read as follows:

A military court, to be known as the Provost Court of the Department of the Gulf, is hereby constituted, for the purpose of hearing, deciding, and passing judgment upon-

I. All cases of violations of general or special orders, violations of the recognized laws of war, or other offenses arising under the military jurisdiction where the offender is not in the military service of the United States.

II. All civil crimes against the persons or property of the inhabitants, committed by any person in the military service of the United States, and of which no legally established civil court has cognizance.

III. All other cases, arising under the military jurisdiction, which may be specially referred to the court by the commanding general.

The court will exercise original and exclusive jurisdiction in all the above cases, but when the penalty extends to loss of life or imprisonment for a term exceeding six months, a verbatim record shall be kept of the proceedings of the court, and the sentence shall be subject to the approval and action of the major-general commanding the department.

The court shall have power to bring before it and to examine into the cause of confinement of any person held imprisoned within the department, provided that, upon the application of the person so held imprisoned, it shall be made to appear that he is not undergoing the sentence of any court of competent civil or military jurisdiction, nor waiting trial in such court, nor confined by order of the major-general commanding the department or the commander of the Defenses of New Orleans in his absence. And the court, upon such examination, shall have power to discharge the prisoner from confinement, or to make such other order or decision as the justice of the case may require. The session of the court will be held at the city of New Orleans, or such point as may from time to time be designated in orders.

By command of Major-General Banks:

GEORGE B. DRAKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

---------------

*See Vol. XXVI, Part I, p.649.

---------------