GENERAL ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 105.
Washington, December 3, 1861.

The following orders have been received from the Secretary of War:

I. No more regiments, batteries, or independent companies will be raised by the Governors of the States except upon the special requisition of the War Department.

Those now forming in the various States will be completed under direction of the respective Governors thereof, unless it be deemed more advantageous to the service to assign the men already raised to regiments, batteries, or independent companies now in the field in order to fill up their organizations to the maximum standard prescribed by law.

By command of Major-General McClellan:

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NEW ENGLAND,
Boston, December 17, 1861.

His Excellency JOHN A. ANDREW,

Governor and Commander-in-Chief:

GOVERNOR: On the 27th day of November there was forwarded to the adjutant-general of the Commonwealth a letter of which the inclosed is a copy. No answer has been returned to that letter and no action taken on its request. May General Butler request His Excellency to favor him with a reply whether he will or will not commission the officers therein named? If any are objectionable, General Butler would be pleased to be informed of the objections and will recommend others. As this battery was raised under the authority of the State and with His Excellency's approval, it did not seem to come within either the spirit or the letter of His Excellency's refusal to commission any officers for troops raised under the authority of the War Department for General Butler. A reply to this communication, either in refusal or acquiescence, would be but justice to the acting officers of this battery, but a matter of entire indifference to

His Excellency's obedient servant,

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NEW ENGLAND,
Boston, November 27, 1861.

General WILLIAM SCHOULER,

Adjutant-General State of Massachusetts:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose a list of the officers of the company known as the Salem Light Artillery, with a request that they may be commissioned by His Excellency the Governor should they be deemed competent. Captain Manning is understood to have been recommended by the adjutant-general of the State: Captain, Charles H. Manning; lieutenants, Fred. W. Reinhardt, Joseph R. Salla, Henry Davidson, George W. Taylor. These officers have been duly elected by the said company.

By order of Major General B. F. Butler:

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

GEO. C. STRONG,

Assistant Adjutant-General.