to recognize you as acting consul of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, and that Commander Hewitt does recognize in you that official character. This seems sufficient for the re- establishment of official relations.

I beg leave to correct a seeming misunderstanding that the expression of that note had anything to do with my doubts of your official character. You will remember that those doubts has been expressed before that time, and no evidence of that character had been furnished except the superscription upon two letters, directed to yourself, with the address "Acting Consul," that did not seem to me sufficient.

To your inquiry whether all neutrals (British subjects) wishing to go to New York or abroad, furnished with proper passports from their Government, will be required to take the oaths prescribed for aliens in General Orders, Nos 41 and 42, it is answered that a pass differs from a passport, as I had the honor to explain in my letter to the consuls upon this subject, and that as a rule the oath would not be required. Such persons will be allowed to pass on board ships to go abroad or to New York, whom, in my judgment, it is not necessary to retain here from some act either done or contemplated to be done in favor of the Confederate States; for example, buying arms, forwarding money or intelligence.

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

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General, Commanding.

GENERAL ORDERS,
WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 75.
Washington, July 8, 1862.

I. In organizing new regiments of volunteers the Governors of States are hereby authorized to appoint, in addition to the staff officers heretofore authorized, one second lieutenant for each company, who shall be mustered into the service at the commencement of the organization, who shall have authority to muster in recruits as they are enlisted. If any recruit shall be enlisted by such officer, who shall afterward, on medical inspection, prove to have been obviously unfit for the service at the time of his enlistment, all expenses caused thereby shall be paid by such officer, to be stopped against him from any payment that may be coming to him from the Government thereafter.

Any officer thus appointed and mustered shall only be entitled to be paid on the muster and pay roll of his company, and should be fail to secure an organized company within such reasonable time as the Governor may designate, his men may be transferred to some other company, his appointment be revoked, and be discharged without pay, unless the Governor shall think proper to give him a position in the consolidated company to which his men have been transferred.

Articles of enlistment, as in the Regular Army, will be made out in triplicate by such recruiting officers, one copy of which will be sent to the adjutant-general of the State, one to the adjutant of the regiment, and one will be kept by the recruiting officer.

Recruits will be sent to the regimental rendezvous at least as often as once a week, where they will be immediately examined by the sur-