shall seize all military clothing, blankets, shoes, arms, equipments, and other such supplies, which have been issued by the Government to soldiers, and lost or disposed of by them. And it shall be incumbent on any person, not a soldier, who may have any such property in his possession, to prove that he has lawfully acquired possession thereof.

Such property when seized will be turned over to a United States quartermaster, and his receipt in duplicate taken therefor, one of such receipts to be transmitted to the Quartermaster-General. The seizure will also be reported to the Adjutant-General.

All provost-marshals appointed by the Department will assist in recovering to the United States this description of public property.

Commanding officers of companies are reminded that it is their duty not only to cause soldiers who are guilty of violating the law forbidding the sale, destruction, or negligent loss of clothing, arms, and public property to be charged on the muster- rolls with all the articles improperly lost or disposed of, but also to enforce such other punishment as the nature of their offense may demand.

By order of the Secretary of War:

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, D. C., October 23, 1862.

LELAND STANFORD,

Governor of California:

SIR: A large part of the arms and ordnance supplies for the troops mustered into the service of the United States since the 4th day of March, 1861, from your State having been issued by the State authorities, it is necessary, to secure proper accountability on the part of the regimental officers, that yo should furnish as soon as possible to this Department a return showing-

First. The number or other designation of each regiment and company of infantry, cavalry, and artillery from your State that has been mustered into service of the United States and the date of such muster.

Second. The number and description of arms and accouterments and other ordnance stores issued, and the names of the several officers to whom the same were issued, or who are accountable for any portion of them.

Third. The caliber of the small should be stated, and whether they are rifled or sooth, whether they are of American or European manufacture, and the name by which each kind of arm is commonly designated by ordnance officers.

The return should be addressed to Brigadier General James W. Ripley, Chief of Ordnance, Washington, D. C.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

P. H. WATSON,

Assistant Secretary of War.

(Same to Governors William a. buckingham, Connecticut; William Burton, Delaware; Richard Yates, Illinois; Oliver P. Morton, Indiana; S. J. Kirkwood, Iowa; C. Robinson, Kansas; J. F. Robinson, Kentucky; William Gilpin, Colorado Territory; William Jayne, Dakota Territory.)