always respected, excepting in such measures as were necessary for the levying of troops and arrest of deserters, in execution of acts of Congress, and in these only invaded to the extent required to provide for the public safety, so far as it depended on this branch of the service.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES B. FRY,

Provost-Marshal-General.

The subjects embraced in the accompanying report are subdivided as follows:

Part I.- Strength and position of the U. S. Army at the commencement of the rebellion, with an account of the measures adopted for its increase during the year 1861; the recruitment of the Army during the year 1862, with a reference to the laws under which it was conducted.

Part II.-The necessity for a change in the method of raising troops; passage of the act for enrolling and drafting the national forces, its objects, and the organization and operations of the Bureau of the Provost-Marshal-General under it during the year 1863.

Part III.-Operations of the Bureau of the Provost-Marshal-General during the year 1864, with an explanation of the method of assigning quotas, and an account of the re-enlistment and reorganization as veteran volunteers of the armies in the field during the winter of 1863-"64.

Part IV.-Recruitment of men of African descent, and the enlistment of men in rebel States for the credit of loyal States.

Part V.-Naval enlistments and credits, with an explanation of the discrepancies which arose between the number of men called for and the number actually obtained.

Part VI.-Statement of the casualties in the entire military force of the United States from the beginning of the war to the close of hostilities in April, 1865.

Part VII.-The subject of bounty discussed, with tabular statements showing the bounties paid during the rebellion by the United States and by the different States and districts.

Part VIII.-Desertion.

Part IX.-Medical examination of recruits, &c., with statistical tables deducted therefrom.

Part X.-The Veteran Reserve Corps.

Part XI.-Disbursements, accounts, &c., including an account of the commutation found arising from the payment of money by drafted men to secure exemption, as authorized by law.

Part XII.-Appendix, containing subordinate reports, various laws, regulations, statistical tables, &c.

REPORT.

PART I.

CONDITION OF THE ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES AT THE OUTBREAK OF AN DURING THE REBELLION PREVIOUS TO THE ORGANIZATION OF THE PROVOST- MARSHAL-GENERAL'S BUREAU.

No fact was more patent in the early stages of the rebellion than the inadequacy of the force at the command of the Government for the suppression of the insurrection and vindication of the Federal