exempted except on medical certificate of disability, to be approved after personal examination of a board of not less than three medical officers, who will be appointed by General Saxton from among the medical staff detailed by the Surgeon-General for attendance on the contraband, All persons contravening the provisions of this order will subject themselves to a confiscation of their goods and to be sent out of the department by the first vessel going North.

III. Various complaints having been brought to the notice of these headquarters to the effect that negroes employed otherwise than in the public service have been and are defrauded of their just earnings by the avarice of masters, who take advantage of their ignorance, all such complaints will hereafter be brought before the commander of the post in which the employers reside, and will be investigated and decided upon by an officer who will be detailed to this duty by such post commander will issue the necessary orders giving redress to the injured party.

By command of Mag. General D. Hunter:

CHAS. G. HALPOINE,

Asst. Adjt. General, Tenth Army Corps and Dept. of the South.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, Port Royal, S. C., March 20, 1863.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to call your attention to the fact that certain regiments and departments in the forces recently arrived from North Carolina were mustered in, some for two yours, their time expiring 23rd of April next; some nine months, their time expiring early next May, and have to ask instructions with regard to the same. In more than one instance numbers of recruits for three years have been assigned to two-years' regiments, and applications have been made to me by the colonels of three-years' regiments to have such recruits assigned to fill up their ranks when the term of the two-years' regiments expires. I should add, in justice to the men and officers whose term expires within the next two months, that most of them express not merely a willingness but a strong desire to remain in the service until after the termination of pending operations against Charleston, but as there are others who will undoubtedly apply for their discharges, and in sufficient numbers to be embarrassing, I most respectfully instructions with regard to them.

The health of the command is excellent. I have sent a regiment to occupy Cole's Island, at the mouth of Stono Inlet, which will be our immediate base of operations. There is nothing new. The admiral is daily expecting the arrival of the Keokuk and the return of the Ericsson with the plating necessary to complete the additional armor for the decks and magazines of the iron-clads.

I have the honor to be, general, with sincere esteem, your very obedient servant,

D. HUNTER,

Major-General, Commanding.