meeting to-morrow. In the meantime the Secretary sees no objection to your liberating on parole such of the prisoners as you deem proper, and turning over to General Pope's custody such as require to be held in restraint. The general will be instructed to take them in charge.

C. P. BUCKINGHAM,

Brigadier-General and Assistant Adjutant-General.

Strength of the Army (by armies and army corps) as obtained from the returns furnished by the commanders thereof.

Present for duty:

Commissioned officers............................. 23,420

Enlisted men......................................504,259

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Total for duty...........................................527,679

Present sick:

Commissioned officers............................. 1,864

Enlisted men...................................... 61,362

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Total present sick....................................... 63,226

Present in arrest and confinement:

Commissioned officers............................. 350

Enlisted men...................................... 3,941

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Total.................................................... 4,291

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Total present............................................595,196

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-

Absent by authority:

Commissioned officers.............................. 7,845

Enlisted men.......................................162,143

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Total.....................................................169,988

Absent without authority:

Commissioned officers.............................. 411

Enlisted men....................................... 9,741

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Total..................................................... 10,152

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Total absent..............................................180,140

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--

Grand total...............................................750,336

Aggregate of Regular Army................................. 26,255

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Strength of Volunteer Army................................749,081

Strength of the Volunteer Army as obtained from the latest muster and pay rolls and regimental returns, as follows, viz:

Grand aggregate officers and men.........................790,197

Grand aggregate sick, wounded, absent....................124,012

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Present for duty.........................................666, 185

REMARKS.- The foregoing gives the strength of the Army from two distinct sources. The difference in number results from the difference in dates at which the respective returns were made up before being sent to this office. The strength (790,197) obtained from the muster and pay rolls is considered the proper one, as it embraces many rolls of the muster for October 31, 1862. The difference (41,116) may well exist when it is considered that the troops now daily going into the field are of necessity not borne on the returns received from the various armies and army corps.

THOMAS M. VINCENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

November 24, 1862.