WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, D. C., July 25, 1863.

His Excellency AUSTIN BLAIR,

Governor of Michigan, Jackson, Mich.:

SIR: I am instructed by the Secretary of War to inform you that you are hereby authorized to raise one regiment of infantry to be composed of colored men, to be mustered into the U. S. service for three years or during the war. To these troops no bounties will be paid. They will receive $10 per month and one ration per day, $3 of which monthly pay may be in clothing. The organization of the regiment must conform in all respects with the requirement of General Orders, Numbers 110, War Department, 1863, a copy of which is herewith.* The prescribed number of commissioned officers will be appointed in accordance with the provisions of General Orders, Nos. 143 and 144, War Department, current series, copies of which please find inclosed.+ The officers thus appointed will be mustered into service on the presentation to the mustering officer of their appointments signed by the Secretary of War.

The appointments will be made to keep pace with the muster into service of the several companies. Thus, on information being received from you that the first company has been mustered into service, the necessary appointments for that company will be made. When four companies are mustered in the lieutenant-colonel of the regiment will be appointed, and so on in accordance with the Revised Mustering Regulations. To facilitate the appointment of the officers, it is respectfully suggested that it would be well to forward to the Adjutant-General of the Army, as early as practicable, the names of such persons as you wish to have examined for appointment, and permission will be immediately given them to appear before the examination board now in session in Cincinnati, or the board in session in Washington if more convenient for the parties.

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

C. W. FOSTER,

Assistant Adjutant-General of Volunteers.

BUFFALO, July 25, 1863.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

Serious apprehensions are entertained of a riot here on account of the draft. Captain Sturgeon, U. S. mustering and disbursing officer here, has been ordered to muster out the Buffalo regiments immediately.

It is the earnest desire of our citizens, in which we join, that the Seventh-fourth Regiment, Colonel W. A. Fox, be not mustered out for at least thirty days and kept on duty here.

NELSON RANDALL,

Major-General, New York Militia.

E. G. SPAULDING.

N. K. HALL.

A. M. CLARK.

P. McMEITZ, JR.

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*See p. 175.

+See pp. 215, 216.

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