GENERAL ORDERS, WAR DEPT., ADJT., GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 61.
Washington, June 7, 1862.

The great number of officers absent from their regiments without sufficient cause is a serious evil, which calls for immediate correction. By paragraph 177, General Regulations, the power of commanding officers to grant leaves of absence is limited to a "time of peace." In time of war leaves of absence will only be granted by the Secretary of War, except when the certificate of a medical officer shall show, beyond doubt, that a change of location "is necessary to save life or prevent permanent disability." (Paragraph 186, General Regulations.) In such case the commander of an army, a department, or district may grant not exceeding twenty days. At the expiration of that time if the officer be not able to travel he must make application to the Adjutant-General of the Army for an extension, accompanies by the certificate of a medical officer of the army, in the usual form, and that he is not able to travel. If it be not practicable to procure such a certificate, in consequence of there being no army physician in the place where the officer resides, the certificate of a citizen physician, attested by a civil magistrate, may be substituted.

All officers of the regulars and volunteers, except those on parole, now absent from duty with leave will be considered "absent without leave" (paragraph 1326, General Regulations), unless they are found at their posts within fifteen days from the date of this order, or are authorized by orders from the Adjutant-General to be absent, which orders will in all cases be based on a certificate as above described, and must be exhibited to the paymaster before payment is made them.

All invalid and wounded officers who are able to travel,although their disability may not have been removed (paragraph 187, General Regulations), will repair, without delay-those from the East to Annapolis, to report to the general commanding the Camp of Instruction; those from the West, to report to the commanding officer of Camp Chase, Ohio. At those points they will remain until able to proceed to their regiments, or until an examining board may decide adversely on their ability to return to duty within a reasonable time, and orders may be given by the President for their discharge.

Their Excellencies the Governors of States are requested to make known this order and to contribute to its execution as may be in their power. Mustering and recruiting officers are directed to do the same. Extra copies of the order will be furnished them for distribution.

Failure to comply with the above regulations will be reported to the Adjutant-General by regimental commanders.

By order of the Secretary of War:

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

ORDNANCE OFFICE, June 7, 1862.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: I have been informed by Mr. Hartley, of the firm of Schuyler, Hartley & Graham, and I consider the information reliable, that there are considerable quantities of good Enfield rifle muskets as Nassau, New Providence, which have been shipped to that place for the purpose of running them into some Southern ports for sale there. In consequence of the difficulty and very great risk incurred in effecting this, it is probable that the owners of these arms would dispose of them where they are at a low price. It occurs to me that under the