WAR DEPT., PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, January 7, 1864.

Major General A. E. BURNSIDE, U. S. Volunteers:

GENERAL: You are hereby assigned to duty by the Secretary of War to recruit and fill up the old regiments of the Ninth Army Corps, and to increase said corps to a strength of 50,000 men, for such service as the War Department may specially designate. The following instructions will be observed, viz:

First. The recruitment will be conducted in the New England States and New York; also in Michigan and Pennsylvania, so far as the regiments from those States in the Ninth Corps are concerned. The term of enlistment will be for three years or the war.

Second. The old regiments of the corps must first be recruited at least to the minimum strength.

Third. When all the old regiments from any of the States designated are filled to the minimum and the fact reported to the Department, new organizations may be undertaken in that State. This, however, will not be done without the special authority of the War Department being first obtained.

Fourth. The regiments that have gone home, or those that shall go after re-enlistment as veterans, are not to be included in this force unless they belong now to the Ninth Corps.

Fifth. The recruitment of the force will be conducted under and in compliance with the established regulations of the Department, copies of which will be furnished you. In filling the old regiments the regimental recruiting details from the old regiments of the corps now in the respective States, and such regimental details as may be made hereafter, will act under your authority. In connection with the regimental details the system of recruitment through district provost-marshals may be employed. When the proper time shall have arrived to begin recruiting for new regiments or organizations the recruitment thereof will be conducted under the provisions of General Orders, No. 75, series of 1862, and No. 366, series of 1863. All appointments of officers of the said organizations will be made by the Governors of the respective States in which the organizations may be recruited.

Sixth. All musters into service of the forces herein authorized will be made by the authorized mustering officers in the respective States and in accordance with the requirements of the mustering regulations.

Seventh. All payments of bounties will be made in accordance with the regulations governing said payments. Veterans, or recruits for veteran regiments, will in all cases receive the highest bounties which may be authorized.

Eighth. Supplies and transportation for the forces in question will be furnished in accordance with existing regulations.

Under this authority you will immediately confer with the Governors of the respective States concerned, and also the superintendent of the volunteer recruiting service therefor, with the view of speedily commencing and progressing in the recruitment herein authorized. Your correspondence on this subject with the War Department will be conducted through the Provost-Marshal-General.

I am, general, &c.,

JAS. B. FRY,

Provost-Marshal-General.