sight of his camp is in such a condition as to delay and break down passing trains, and yet this is no uncommon sight.

VIII. Upon the energy, ability, fidelity, and foresight of the chief quartermaster of any body of troops the success of every march and of every military operation undertaken by their commander largely depends.

The chief quartermaster is upon the staff of the commanding officer, and should be in the closest relations with him. He will generally have the right to give orders within his own department in the name and by the authority of the commander; and his authority over the trains, the property, and the supplies is subordinate only to that of the commander, and to that of his superior in his own department.

If he is active and vigilant he can be of the greatest service to his commander, and to the troops, and to his country. If he is careless his example will corrupt the whole department under his direction; the officers and drivers will become careless, inefficient, and wasteful; the equipage will become unserviceable, and the Government will be called upon to replace the animals ruined by neglect and inattention.

It is not too much to say that the Government has already been obliged to replace many thousands of horses and mules which, with proper understanding of and attention to their duties on the part of chief quartermasters, would have been at this moment in serviceable condition. Many thousands of animals purchased at the very beginning of the war are now in service, fat and in good condition. Proper service does not necessarily destroy these animals.

Neglect and inattention and imbecility on the part of those in charge ruin them and tax the Treasury.

IX. This order will be printed and distributed to every officer serving in the Quartermaster's Department.

M. C. MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General U. S. Army.

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

Washington, D. C., October 8, 1863.

His Excellency FREDERICK HOLBROOK,

Governor of the State of Vermont:

SIR: I had the honor to communicate to you on the 21st ultimo the plan adopted for raising volunteer recruits for old regiments, and the pecuniary inducements offered for such enlistments in premiums to recruiting agents, and an increase of the soldier's bounty, as now established by law, by a specified amount to be obtained from the commutation money derived from the draft.

The success or failure of this scheme will probably settle the question as to whether recourse must be had to another draft. Should such resort become necessary, the men raised under the volunteer recruiting plan proposed will be duly credited to the districts and sub-districts reported as entitled thereto by the mustering officers. The difficulties which were found to arise in the endeavor to give to particular localities credit for the volunteers heretofore furnished will not attend the system as now proposed. The recruits will be permitted to select their regiments, and will be mustered into them before leaving the general rendezvous. It is important that the people of your State should be acquainted with these facts, and I would be pleased if the same could be made known to them by yourself and your officers.