[Second indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS ARMY, August 28, 1861.

The General-in-Chief assents to the detail of Captain Starr, Second Cavalry, and Lieutenant J. K. Smith, topographical Engineers, to command regiments of volunteers from New Jersey.

By command:

E. D. TOWNSEND,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Albany, N. Y., August 24, 1861.

Honorable SIMON CAMERON,

Secretary of War, Washington:

SIR: I am requested by His Excellency Governor Morgan to say that, in order to stimulate the enlistment of the twenty-five regiments now being organized, in this State in accordance with the requisition of the President of the United States, he has found, it necessary to offer a bounty, to persons who may engage in the work of raising companies of $ 2 for each recruit, making the aggregate amount to be paid for a full company of the minimum standard of sixty-four $128, or $1,280 for a regiment of ten such companies. As, however, this provision will not apply to militia who may be merged into the volunteer organization by regiments, the aggregate amount for the twenty-five regiments will not it is thought, exceed $25,000; a sum so small, in comparison with the importance of a prompt enrollment of this force, that the Government will not, he trusts, hesitate to give the necessary instructions to the disbursing officer at the different depots in this State to pay it to such persons as the commandant shall certify to be entitled to it. i inclose a copy of General Orders, Numbers 90, containing this and other modifications of General Orders, Numbers 78.

It may be proper add, in explanation, that the slow progress hitherto made in the organization of the twenty-five regiments is not the result of any indifference on the part of our citizens to enter the service, but rather from other causes, which may be either partially or wholly removed. Undoubtedly the most potent of these is the inability of a large class of persons who are desirous of organizing companies to incur the expense and loss of time incident to collecting men, and which cannot be avoided. The labor has, therefore, to be left, to a much smaller class, whose circumstances are such as to warrant them in making the attempt. The effect of the bounty will be to largely increase the number of active an zealous citizens who will engage in the work, and in connection with other slight changes in the original plan of organizing the regiments, so stimulate the movement that it is believed they will be promptly filled up. The bounty of $2 for each recruit will be much less than the average cost per man in the enlistment for the regular service, where the recruiting is invariably done by officers under full pay, and generally accompanied by assistants.

These considerations have induced the Governor to decide upon offering the bounty, and to avoid delay, to publish an order to that effect in advance of a decision by the War Department. He hopes for an early an favorable reply by telegraph; but should it be otherwise, the order will be revoked, and the Government must take the risk of delay in the organization.

I have the honor to remain, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,

THO. HILLHOUSE,

Adjutant-General.