was in the Mexican war as captain of Company B, in the First Louisiana Regiment, under Colonel De Russy (infantry). He has since acted as lieutenant-colonel in the Mexican army.

I gave him no encouragement that his application would be favorably received, but at his urgent request I promised to mention it in my next dispatches.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. M. KIMMEY,

Vice-Consul.

SPECIAL ORDERS, WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 399
Washington, December 17, 1862.

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5. Francis Lieber, L. L. D.; Major General E. A. Hitchcock, U. S. Volunteers; Major General G. Cadwalader, U. S. Volunteers; Major General George L. Hartsuff, U. S. Volunteers, and Brigadier General J. H. Martindale, U. S. Volunteers, will constitute a board to propose amendments or changes in the Rules and Articles of War, and a code of regulations for the government of armies in the field, as authorized by the laws and usages of war.

The Board will meet in the city of Washington at such times as the members may agree upon.

* * * * * * *

By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

OFFICE OF CONSTRUCTION AND TRANSPORTATION.

OF U. S. MILITARY RAILROADS,

Washington, D. C., December 19, 1862.

To Agents and other Employes of the

U. S. Military Railroad Department:

Complaints have been made that employes of the U. S. military railroads do not treat officers with respect; that they are uncivil, offensive in their language, and unaccommodating.

While I appreciate the difficult position in which officers of the military railroad department are placed during a period of active operations, their incessant labors night and day, the innumerable sources of difficulty and annoyance from which ordinary railroads are exempt, I wish it to be distinctly understood that no profanity, incivility, or indisposition to accommodate will be permitted; but if complaints are made by officers which, on investigation shall prove to be well founded, the offender will be removed as soon as a properly qualified substitute can be found to perform his duties.

While conscious of no disposition to shield the employes or agents of the military railroads from any censure or punishment that is really merited, justice to them requires me to state that so far examination has shown that complaints against them have been generally without proper foundation, and when demands were not promptly complied with the cause has been inability, arising from want of proper notice, and not indisposition. Officers at posts intrusted with the performance of certain local duties, and anxious, as they generally are, to discharge them efficiently, are not always