4. The companies and batteries formed by consolidation will be of the maximum strength, and will be organized as now directed by law and regulation. The first letters of the alphabet will be used to designate the companies.

5. The company officers-commissioned and non-commissioned- rendered supernumerary, with those enumerated in the foregoing, will be mustered out of service at the date of consolidation. All other officers and non-commissioned officers will be retained.

6. The offices to be retained will be selected by the division and corps commanders, under the instructions of the commanding general of the army or department, form among the most efficient officers of the respective regiments.

II. After the consolidations, as herein directed, the reduced proportion of officers will be maintained, and no appointments to vacancies will be made, except upon notification form the Adjutant-General of the Army. to this end, commanders of armies and departments will report, weekly, to the Adjutant-General, the vacancies to be filled. The said reports will be separate for each State, and must embrace the name, rank, and regiment of the party creating the vacancy, with date and cause thereof. if an order has issued in the case, its number, date, and source must be given.

Commissaries and assistant commissaries of musters will closely observe this paragraph, and make no musters in excess of the proportion herein fixed.

III. the following are the sections of the act referred to, and under which the foregoing is ordered:

SEC. 19. And be it further enacted, That whenever a regiment of volunteers of the same arms, from the same State, is reduced to one-half the maximum number prescribed by law, the President may direct the consolidation of the companies of such regiment: Provided, That no company so formed shall exceed the maximum number prescribed by law. When such consolidation is made the regimental officers shall be reduced in proportion to the reduction in the number of companies.

SEC. 20. And be it further enacted, That whether a regiment is reduced below the minimum number allowed by law, no officers shall be appointed in such regiment beyond those necessary for the command of such reduced number.

By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, April 2 1863.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following recommendations, viz:

First. That a field officer, form those now in service, be detailed to act as assistant provost-marshal-general for each of the large States, and that he be stationed at the State capital and authorized to act in all ordinary affairs for and in the name of the Provost-Marshal-General. There are several reasons why this is necessary, but I will not take the Secretary's time in presenting them unless he desires it.

Each of these assistant provost-marshals-general should have two or three inspectors detailed from the list of officers disabled for active field service.

8 R R-SERIES III, VOL III