coffee pots (tin,) plates (tin,) cups (tin,) knives and forks, spoons, twine, wrapping paper, uniform clothing for officers, socks, trimmings for uniforms, shoes, shirts, drawers.

BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR:

General Orders, No. 154, and paragraph I of General Orders No. 162, of 1862, authorizing the enlistment of Volunteers in the Regular Army, are hereby rescinded.

BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR:

The following Acts of Congress are published for the information and government of all concerned:

I..PUBLIC-No. 16.

AN ACT to increase the clerical and other force of the Quartermaster General's Office, and for other purposes.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That in settling the accounts of the commanding officer of a company for clothing and other military supplies, the affidavit of any such officer may be received to show the loss of vouchers, or company books, or any matter or circumstance tending to prove that any apparent deficiency was occasioned by unavoidable accident, or lost in actual service, without any fault on his part, or the whole or any part of such clothing and supplies had been properly and legally used and appropriated; and such affidavit may be considered as evidence to establish the facts set forth, with or without other evidence, as may seem to the Secretary of War just and proper under the circumstances of the case.

Approved February 7, 1863.

II..PUBLIC-No. 17.

AN ACT to authorize the raising of a Volunteer Force for the better defence of Kentucky.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Governor of the State of Kentucky, by the consent and under the direction of the President of the United States, shall have power to raise and organize into regiments a volunteer force not exceeding twenty thousand, rank and file, to be raised within the State of Kentucky, to serve for the term of twelve months, to be employed within the limits of Kentucky in repelling invasion, suppressing insurrection, and guarding and protecting the public property: Provided, That at any time it may be necessary, in the discretion of the President of the United States, these troops may be employed out of the limits of Kentucky against the enemies of the United States.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the regimental and company officers shall be appointed and commissioned by the State of Kentucky, according to the laws thereof: Provided, That the officers of said regiments shall be entitled to pay only when the regiments or companies are filled as now required by law, and while in actual service.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the regiments, when raised and officered as aforesaid, shall be mustered into the service of the United States, and be subject to the command of the President of the United States.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the officers and soldiers thus enrolled and mustered into service shall be subject to the rules and articles of war, and shall be placed on the same footing as other volunteers in the service of the United States as to pay, subsistence, clothing, and other emoluments, except bounty, for and during the time they may be in actual service.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That a portion of this volunteer corps, not exceeding two regiments, may, when necessary, in the opinion of the President of the United States, be mounted and armed as mounted riflemen.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That the President shall have power to make such other regulations in regard to the organization and service of this force as he shall deem expedient for the interest of the service.

SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That, by and with the consent of

the President of the United States, the volunteers authorized to be raised by this act, or any portion of them, may be attached to and become part of the body of the three years' volunteers, according to such rules and regulations as the President of the United States may prescribe. Approved February 7, 1863.

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IV..PUBLIC-No. 19.

AN ACT making appropriations for the support of the army for the year ending the thirtieth of June, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, and for a deficiency for the signal service for the year ending June thirty, eighteen hundred and sixty-three.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That no money shall be paid from the Treasury of the United States to any person acting or assuming to act as an officer, civil, military, or naval, as salary in any office, which office is not authorized by some previously existing law, unless where such office shall be subsequently sanctioned by law, nor shall any money be paid out of the Treasury, as salary, to any person appointed during the recess of the Senate, to fill a vacancy in any existing office, which vacancy existed while the Senate was in session and is by law required to be filled by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, until such appointee shall have been confirmed by the Senate. Approved February 9, 1863.

V..PUBLIC-No. 23.

AN ACT to promote the efficiency of the Commissary Departmen

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there be added to the Subsistence department of the army, one brigadier general, to be selected from the Subsistence department, who shall be Commissary General of Subsistence, and by regular promotion one colonel, one lieutenant colonel, and two majors, the colonels and lieutenant colonels to be assistant commissaries general of subsistence; and that vacancies in the above mentioned grades shall be filled by regular promotion in said

department. And the vacancies created by promotions herein authorized may be filled by selections from the officers of the regular or volunteer force.

REGULATIONS FOR THE CARE OF THE FIELD WORKS, AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THEIR GARRISONS.

1. It will be the duty of the commanding officer of each work to provide for the care of the armament, and the safety and serviceable condition of the magazines, ammunition, implements, and equipments: and, by frequent personal inspections, to secure the observance of the rules prescribed for this purpose.

2. The fixed armament, consisting of the heavy guns, and those whose positions are prescribed, will be numbered in a regular series, commencing with the first gun on the right, as you enter, of the main gate. The ammunition will be kept in the magazines, with the exception of a few stands of grape, canister, and the solid shot, which will be piled near the guns.

3. The gun-carriages will be kept clean; they will be traversed daily, and never be allowed to rest for two successive days on the same part of the traverse circle. If the gun-carriage does not move easily on the chassis, the tongue will be occasionally greased. The gun-carriage should not rest habitually on one part of the chassis.

4. The elevating screw and its box will be kept clean and well greased. When the guns are not in use, the screw will be run down as far as it will go, the breech of the piece being raised until the muzzle is sufficiently depressed to prevent water running into it, and kept in that position by a wooden quoin or block. The tompion to be kept in the muzzle, and the apron over the vent.

5. The piece is not to be kept loaded. It will be time to load when the enemy appears, or when special orders to load are given.

6. The commanding officer will see that a shed is constructed for the implements and equipments. For each drill these will be issued to the gunners by the ordnance sergeant or other non-commissioned officer acting as such, who will receive and put them away after the drill is over, and be at all times responsible to the commanding officer for their safety, and that the supply is adequate. Until sheds are provided, the implements will be kept near the pieces. The equipments (haversacks, tube pouch, &c.) may be kept at the entrance of the magazine, where they will be sheltered. Platforms for projectiles will be laid near the guns; for canisters a couple of pieces of scantling for skids will answer. A water shed, made by joining two boards together at the edges, should be placed over them. When the wooden sabots get wet, they swell and burst the canisters, so that they cannot be put into the gun. When this happens, dry the canister until the block shrinks sufficiently, and tack the canister edges together.

7. When not furnished by the Engineer Department, materials for constructing the sheds and for skidding will be furnished on requisitions made to the Chief of Artillery.

8. The magazines must in dry weather be frequently aired. For this purpose, the ventilators and doors will be opened after nine A. M., and must be closed, at latest, two hours before sunset. The ammunition for different classes of guns will be carefully assorted, and the shelves, boxes, or barrels containing each kind plainly marked. When there is more than one magazine, the ammunition will be so distributed as to be nearest to the particular guns from which it is to be used. Cartridges must be moved, and, if necessary, rolled once a week, to prevent caking of the powder. Friction primers will be carefully dried in the sun once a week, and always after a day's or night's rain. At least two lanyards for each gun will be kept in store. As soon as received, their hooks will be tested, to see if they are sufficiently small to enter the eye of the primer, and yet strong enough for use.

9. No person will be allowed to enter the magazines except on duty, and then every precaution against accidents will be taken. Lights must always be in glass lanterns, and carried only by the person in charge of the magazine. Swords, pistols, canes, &c., will not be admitted, no matter what may be the rank of the person carrying them. Socks or moccasins will be worn, if they can be procured. No fire nor smoking will be allowed in the vicinity when the doors or ventilators