performance of the duty and may be more in detail than is necessary. If so, you are authorized to make such departures from them and to embrace any other points of inquiry as to you may seem best.

E. D. T.

WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, October 1, 1863.

Major-General COUCH,

Commanding Department, Chambersburg, Pa.:

Secretary of War directs that all six-months" troops within your department, except those at Scranton, be immediately mustered out and discharged the service. Harrisburg and Philadelphia are fixed as rendezvous for muster-out; but should the localities where troops are from make it more proper to muster-out the troops now near Chambersburg and Pottsville at these places, respectively, order it, and all others to Harrisburg and Philadelphia. Inform Captain Dodge, chief mustering officer at Harrisburg, and Captain Lane, at Philadelphia, of the arrangements made by you. If troops are mustered out at Chambersburg and Pottsville it will hasten matters for you to appoint mustering-out officers at these places.

Paymasters at Philadelphia and Harrisburg will be ready to act on information received through the chief mustering officers at those places. It is directed that the troops in question may be mustered out and paid off within forty-eight hours. Clothing issued to them will not be charged on muster-out rolls. Acknowledge this and report all you do.

THOMAS M. VINCENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WAR DEPT., PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, D. C., October 2, 1863.

His Excellency JOHN A. ANDREW,

Governor of the State of Massachusetts, Boston, Mass.:

SIR: I have received your letter of the 28th ultimo in reference to the orders issued for enlisting recruits for old regiments, and the effect of the same on regiments now in process of organization in your State.

The main object of the Government in making the draft, was to fill up the old regiments. With but few unimportant exceptions, the men raised by the draft have been assigned to carry out this view. In