GENERAL ORDERS,
WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE. Numbers 9.
Washington, April 9, 1861.

I. A military department, to be taken from the Department of the East and called the Department of Washington, is hereby constituted, to consist of the State of Maryland and the District of Columbia, according to its original boundary.

Bvt. Colonel C. F. Smith, Tenth Infantry, is assigned to the command of this department according to his brevet rank. Headquarters at Washington City.

* * * *

By order:

L. THOMAS.

Adjutant-General.

[2.]

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF WASHINGTON. Numbers 1.
Washington, D. C. April 10, 1861.

I. Pursuant to General Orders, Numbers 9, War Department, dated on the 9th instant, the undersigned hereby assumes command of the Department of Washington.

II. Until the arrival of Captain T. Talbot, assistant adjutant-general at these headquarters, First Lieutenant L. A. Williams, Tenth Infantry, will be recognized as the assistant adjutant-general of the department.

C. F. SMITH.

Lieutenant-Colonel Tenth Infantry and Brevet Colonel.

[2.]

WASHINGTON, April 11, 1861.

Colonel LORENZO THOMAS.

Adjutant-General:

COLONEL: I have the honor to make the following report of progress in mustering the ten companies of militia into the service under orders from the Secretary of War, dated April 9, 1861; First. The first company which was presented was Captain John R. Smead's (first liuetenant, Second Regiment, U. S. Artillery, on coast survey duty in this city, and having the President's commission as captain of militia). Only twenty-four privates having offered themselves, I declined to accept the company, requiring a minimum of forty-two. A large number of the men of this company resigned at the last moment rather than come into service on account, I was told, of the uncertainly they felt of the position they would occupy after being mustered in and a large number I was also told, were abset, not havingin the short time given been notified. I dismissed the company till to-day, the captain thinking he could obtain enough more to equal the minimum of forty-two privates (the lowest minimum in a company known to our laws). Second. The second company was Captain E. C. Carrington's which I accepted. It consisted of 1 captain, 1 first lieutenant, 1 second lieutenant, 1 third lieutenant, 4 sergeants, 3 corporals, 2 musicians, 83 privates. On administering the oath (by a civil magistrate) several of this company delcined being sorn, and fell out of the ranks. They had the impression, I was told that the oath being that taken by the officers and enlisted men of the Army would make regular soldiers of them. I disabused their minds on this point, telling them they were of the militia of the District taken into the U. S. service for the protection of the District, and would not be ordered off. The squad then who had not taken the oath