Carolina volunteers for the defense of the Union composed of black men (fugitive slaves) and appointed the colonel and other officers to command them.

2. Was he authorized by the Department to organize and muster into the Army of the United States as soldiers the fugitive or captive slaves?

3. Has he been furnished with clothing, uniforms, &c., for such force?

4. Has he been furnished, by order of the Department of War, with arms to be placed in the hands of those slaves?

5. To report any orders given Hunter and correspondence between him and the Department.

In answer to the foregoing resolution I have the honor to inform the House-

First. That this Department has no official information whether General Hunter, of the Department of South Carolina, has or has not organized a regiment of South Carolina volunteers for the defense of the Union composed of black men (fugitive slaves) and appointed the colonel and other officers to command them. In order to ascertain whether he has done so or not a copy of the House resolution has been transmitted to General Hunter, with instructions to make immediate report thereon.

Second. General Hunter was not authorized by the Department to organize and muster into the Army of the United States the fugitive or captive slaves.

Third. General Hunter, upon his requisition as commander of the South, has been furnished with clothing and arms for the force under this command without instructions as to how they should be used.

Fourth. He has not been furnished, by order of the Department of War, with arms to be placed in the hands of "those slaves."

Fifth. In respect to so much of said resolution as directs the Secretary "to report to the House any orders given said Hunter and correspondence between him and the Department," the President instructs me to answer that the report at this time of the orders given to and correspondence between General Hunter and this Department would, in his opinion, be improper and incompatible with the public welfare.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Albany, N. Y., June 14, 1862.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.:

SIR: From estimates based on applications already received under General Orders, Numbers 49, for recruits for regiments from this State, and under which none have thus far been recruited, it is manifest that not less than 25,000 men will be required for this branch of the service in addition to the new regiments to be organized. To enable me to meet the requirements of the War Department in this important subject I respectfully submit the following suggehat existing vacancies in regiments now in service, or at least a portion of them, be retained as an incentive and reward to persons who are appointed to recruit for them, or that incomplete companies shall be consolidated and the officers sent home to recruit new companies for the numbers thus rendered vacant. The first proposition would have the advantage of affording a stimulus for exertion, as the position of persons recruiting would depend on their success; but it would to some extent prevent the promotion of meritorious officers now in service. The second plan would avoid this difficulty, but