Today in History:

1117 Series III Volume III- Serial 124 - Union Letters, Orders, Reports

Page 1117 UNION AUTHORITIES.

Diven, New York, omitting clause as to communicating to Governor; Lieutenant-Colonel Buchanan, New Jersey; Major Gilbert and Lieutenant-Colonel Bomford, Pennsylvania; Major Jeffries, Maryland; Lieutenant-Colonel Darr, West Virginia; Colonel Baker, Indiana: Lieutenant-Colonel Hill, Michigan; Lieutenant-Colonel Lovell, Wisconsin; Major Duncan, Iowa; Colonel Alexander, Missouri; Captain Clarke, Kansas; Major Perkins, Connecticut.)

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

Washington, D. C., December 3, 1863.

Major F. TOWNSEND,

Acting Assistant Provost-Marshal-General, Albany, N. Y.;

You have already received the assignment of quotas under the call for 300,000 volunteers for the different Congressional districts under your control. Subdivide these among the different towns and wards. Make this subdivision in conjunction with the State authorities, taking the enrollment of the first class as the basis, and consider the volunteers mustered into service from each town and ward since the commencement of the present draft.

J. B. FRY,

Provost-Marshal-General.

(Same to Major A. S. Diven, Elmira, N. Y., and Brigadier General W. Hays, New York City.)

WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, D. C., December 3, 1863

GEORGE BLISS, JR., Esq.,

Union League Rooms, New York:

SIR: I am instructed by the Secretary of War to inform you that you are hereby authorized, as the representative of your associates of the Union League, to raise in the State of New York one regiment of infantry to be composed of colored men, to be mustered into the service of the United States 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 regiment will be known and designated as the Twentieth Regiment U. S. Colored Troops.

The organization of the regiment must conform strictly to the requirements of General Orders, Numbers 110, current series, War Department, a copy of which is herewith.*

The prescribed number of commissioned officers will be appointed by the President after they shall have passed examination, as provided in General Orders, Nos. 143 and 144, War Department, 1863,

copies of which are herewith inclosed and your attention invited thereto.+ The officers so appointed will be mustered into service on the presentation to the mustering officer of their appointments signed by the Secretary of War.

The enlisted men may be mustered into service by squads if found more convenient.

The troops raised under the foregoing authority will rendezvous at Riker's Island, New York Harbor, to which point they will be sent as fast as they are mustered into service.

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*See p. 175.

+See pp. 215, 216.

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Page 1117 UNION AUTHORITIES.