GENERAL ORDERS,
WAR DEPT. ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 36.
Washington, June 24, 1861.

I. The organization of volunteer regiments mustered into the service of the United States for a longer period than three months must conform strictly to that prescribed in General Orders, Numbers 15, from this office, dated May 4, 1861.

All persons in excess of that organization will be immediately discharged, but will receive pay and allowances to the time of their discharge. The rate of such pay and allowances will be that authorized by section 1 of the act of Congress approved March 19, 1836.

II. The duty of buying horses for the light artillery service is retransferred from the Ordnance Department to the Quartermaster's Department.

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By order:

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

ORDNANCE OFFICE,

Washington, June 24, 1861.

Honorable SIMON CAMERON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: The present organization of the Ordnance Department was intended, and is only suitable, for an army on a peace establishment. its strength is now entirely inadequate to the proper discharge of the many duties pertaining to it-duties which cannot be omitted or neglected without serious injury to the public interests, and without serious injury to the public interests, and without jeopardizing the national honor and safety. The fortifications defending the approaches to all the principal cities and harbors must have their armaments placed as soon as possible in a state to resist the ingress of hostile vessels of war. Each of the districts, say of the Chesapeake and its tributaries, of the Delaware, New York and Boston Harbors, and other points on our entire sea-coast, should have an ordnance officer assigned to the special care of attending to the armament of the fortifications of that district. There should be an ordnance officer also with each column in the field. The duties at the arsenals have been so much increased as to tax to the utmost the energies of the limited number of officers now available for duty at them, and it may be truly and confidently asserted that not one of the larger and more important arsenals is adequately provided with officers; nor will the present strength of the Ordnance Corps admit of it. The least admissible increase to meet the necessities of the public service is an organization like that of the Quartermaster's Department as regards the senior officers and an addition of six second lieutenants. This will add to the Ordnance Corps only nine officers, an increase very moderate under the present military organization, and absolutely necessary for the proper discharge of the duties pertaining to the armament and equipment of the armies and fortifications of the nation.

Respectfully, &c.,

JAS. W. RIPLEY,

Lieutenant-Colonel of Ordnance.