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412 Series III Volume I- Serial 122 - Union Letters, Orders, Reports

Page 412 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.

GENERAL ORDERS, WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 58.
Washington, August 15, 1861.

I. The officers of the Regular Army now on mustering duty in the principal cities are appointed disbursing officers of the funds appropriated by act of Congress "for collecting, drilling, and organizing volunteers, under the act authorizing the President to accept the services of 500,000 men," & c. They will be charged with the payment of all proper claims presented to them under this act, duly authenticated and certified to by the various volunteer recruiting officers. These disbursements will be made in the manner prescribed for the recruiting service of the Regular Army. The premium for accepted recruits, as laid down in paragraph 1315, General Regulations, will not, however, be allowed in the volunteer service. The officers charged with these disbursements will immediately make requisitions on this office for the requisite funds.

II. Camps of rendezvous and instruction for volunteers will be established at or in the vicinity of New York, Elmira, N. Y., Harrisburg, Pa., Cincinnati, Ohio, and other convenient places, under charge of officers of the regular service.

To facilitate the raising of volunteer regiments, officers recruiting therefor are authorized to muster their men into service as enrolled. As soon as mustered, these men will be sent with descriptive lists to the camps of rendezvous, at which places the oath of allegiance will be duly administered by a civil magistrate or an officer of the Regular Army. The cost of transportation from place of muster to place of rendezvous will be paid by the quartermaster at the latter station.

III. When the organization of regiments accepted to be raised within a specified time is not completed at the expiration of that period, the companies and detachments thereof already mustered into service will be assigned to other regiments, at the pleasure of this Department.

By order:

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

August 15, 1861 - 11 a. m.

Governor ISRAEL WASHBURN, Jr., Augusta, Me.:

How many regiments have you organized that can be started at once? How soon can others be ready? Prompt organization is desired. Answer fully.

SIMON CAMERON,

Secretary of War.

(Same to Governors Ichabod Goodwin, Concord, N. H.; Erastus Fairbanks, Montpelier, Vt.; John A. Andrew, Boston, Mass.; William A. Buckingham, Hartford, Conn.; William Sprague, Providence, R. I.; Edwin D. Morgan, Albany, N. Y.; Charles S. Olden, Trenton, N. J.; Andrew G. Curtin, Harrisburg, Pa.)

HARTFORD, CONN., August 15, 1861.

Honorable S. CAMERON:

Your order of the 10th is only received to-day. I will organize as soon as possible, but it will take two weeks for the first and four weeks for the three regiments.

WM. A. BUCKINGHAM,

Governor.


Page 412 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.