HEADQUARTERS,
Springfield, November 11, 1861.

Adjt. General WILLIAM SCHOULER,

State House, Boston:

GENERAL: It having been represented to the Governor a few days since by Colonel Thomas G. Stevenson, commanding Twenty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers, that Major-General Butler had sent him an order to deliver up some five men, mustered into the U. S. service in the Twenty-fourth Regiment, the Governor directed Colonel Stevenson not to deliver up the men. His Excellency now learned that General Butler sent an order to Colonel Dimick, commanding at Fort Warren, this morning, to have these same men delivered up to him, and this order cold not be executed, as the names of the men were not given. At the same time Colonel Dimick intimated to Colonel Stevenson that if the names of any of the men were given by General Butler he would feel bound to deliver them on the order. The Governor directs me to state that General Butler has no authority to enlist men in Massachusetts unless for the Regular Army, excepting such as he shall enlist in those regiments which he is authorized to raise by the Governor, to wit, the Twenty-sixth and Twenty-eighth Regiments. If, therefore, the men claimed by General Butler were not enlisted either in the Twenty-sixth or Twenty-eighth, His Excellency orders that Colonel Stevenson shall not give them up, General Butler having no claim upon them; and if Colonel Stevenson cannot protect these men at Fort Warren, he is ordered to remove them to his camp at Readville. You will issue orders to this effect to Colonel Stevenson without delay and with the utmost dispatch.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

HARRISON RITCHIE,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Aide-de-Camp.

SPECIAL ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS, Numbers 570.
Boston, November 12, 1861.

It having been represented at these headquarters that Major- General Butler, in command of the Department of New England, sent to Colonel Stevenson, Twenty-fourth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, an order to deliver up to him certain soldiers in said Twenty-fourth Regiment mustered into the U. S. service, which order Colonel Stevenson did not obey, the commander-in- chief approves Colonel Stevenson's conduct. Major-General Butler has no authority to enlist men in Massachusetts (unless for the Regular Army) excepting for those regiments which he was authorized to raise by His Excellency the commander-in-chief, viz, the Twenty-sixth and Twenty-eighth. If, therefore, the men claimed by General Butler were not enlisted in either the Twenty- sixth or Twenty-eighth Regiment, Colonel Stevenson shall not give them up. If Colonel Stevenson cannot protect and hold his men at Fort Warren he shall immediately remove them to Camp Massasoit, Readville, and hold them until otherwise ordered.

Colonel Stevenson is charged with the execution of this order.

By order of His Excellency John A. Andrew, Governor and commander-in-chief:

WILLIAM SCHOULER,
Adjutant-General.