WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, D. C., April 5, 1862.

Ordered:

1. That all sick and wounded soldiers in the service of the United States, who in the opinion of the medical officer in charge will be unfit for duty within thirty days, shall, at their own request, be discharged the service.

2. That the Paymaster-General assign at each post a paymaster to pay off the sick and disabled soldiers, and that the Adjutant- General make such further orders as may be necessary to carry the above mentioned objects into full and immediate effect.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

[APRIL 5, 1862.-For Stanton's order regarding General Dix's jurisdiction at Baltimore, see Series II, Vol. III, p. 426.]

CINCINNATI, April 5, 1862.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

I have selected the Lancaster Numbers 3 in place of the Champion Numbers 3. The Lancaster is larger and stauncher, though two years older. I have had her inspected. She is reported sound. The price is $8,000. A boat builder is engaged to make the alterations, and she will be on the ways and in hand this afternoon.

Respectfully,

CHAS. ELLET, JR.

GENERAL ORDERS,
WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 36.*
Washington, April 7, 1862.

1. The general hospitals are under the direction of the Surgeon- General. Orders not involving expense of transportation may be given by him to transfer medical officers or hospital stewards from one general hospital to another, as he may deem best for the service.

2. The chief medical officer, to whom the charge of all the general hospitals in a city may be intrusted, will cause certificates of disability to be made out for such men as, in his judgment, should be discharged. He will be responsible that the certificates are given for good cause, and that they are made in proper from, giving such medical description of the cases, with the degree of disability, as may enable the Pension Office to decide on any claim to pension which may be based upon them. The certificates of disability will be signed by the chief medical officer and forwarded by him to the military commander in the city, who shall have authority to order the discharge and dispose of the case according to existing regulations.

3. The final statements and all the discharge papers will be made out under the supervision of the military commander and signed by him. Where the men are provided with their descriptive rolls there will be no delay in discharging them after their certificates of disability are acted on. But if they have no descriptive rolls, application will be made to the company commander for the proper discharge

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*Originally issued without the "notes" hereto attached.

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