grades will be duly considered as the organization of the corps progresses. BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR: Major George L. Stearns, Assistant Adjutant General, United States Volunteers, is hereby announced as Recruiting Commissioner for the United States Colored Troops, subject to such instructions as he may from time to time receive from the Secretary of War. BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR: GENERAL ORDERS No. 179. E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant General. WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, I..When soldiers absent from their regiments under any circumstances are furnished transportation back by Provost Marshals, or by other officers, the amount paid-except it be for travelling under orders and on the public service-will be reported to the Company Commanders, who will enter it as a stoppage against the soldier on the muster and pay rolls. In order that the transfers may be made in the Treasury Department to the credit of the proper appropriation, the report will specify from what fund the transportation was paid. II..From and after the 30th instant the envelopes of all official communications addressed to the heads of bureaus of the War Department having the franking privilege, must be marked "official," with the signature thereto of the officer writing the communication. Postage stamps are not required on such communications. BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR: E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant General. GENERAL ORDERS, No. 182. WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, I.. Under the requirements of section twenty of the act "for enrolling and calling out the National Forces, and for other purposes,' approved March 3, 1863, it is ordered that the following rules shall govern, whenever a regiment is "reduced below the minimum number allowed by law," but is of a strength above half the maximum : INFANTRY. 1. Each regiment will be deprived of the Colonel and one Assistant Surgeon. Each company-provided it is reduced below the minimumwill be deprived of the Second Lieutenant CAVALRY. 2. Each regiment will be deprived of the Colonel, one Major, and one Assistant Surgeon. Each company-provided it is reduced below the minimum-will be deprived of the Second Lieutenant. ARTILLERY. 3. Each regiment will be deprived of the Colonel, one Major, and one Assistant Surgeon. Each company (battery)—provided it is reduced below the minimum-will be deprived of the Additional Officers authorized to be added at the President's discretion.-(See G. O. 110, A. G. O., 1863.) There being no minimum for Artillery fixed by existing orders, the minimum for the object herein named will be 1,044 aggregate for a regiment, and 86 aggregate for a battery. II..In reaching the reduced standard herein fixed, all officers in the enumerated grades-now properly in service-will be retained until the said grades become vacant by the usual casualties of the service. After the reductions are thus made, the reduced proportion will be main. tained, and no appointments to vacancies-in the grades enumerated—will be made, except upon notification from the Commissary of Musters for the Department, or Corps, that the regiment is above the minimum. To this end the Commissary of Musters will report weekly to the Governor of the State, or appointing power, through the Commanding General of the Department or Corps. The said report will embrace the designation of the regiment, or other organization, the name and rank of the party creating the vacancy, with the date and cause thereof. If an order has been issued in the case, its number, date, and source must be given. Commissaries and Assistant Commissaries of Musters will be held accountable that no musters are made in violation of this paragraph. III..The following is the section of the act referred to, and under which the foregoing is ordered: SEC. 20. "And be it further enacted, That whenever a regiment is reduced below the minimum number allowed by law, no officers shall be appointed in such regiment beyond those necessary for the command of such reduced number." IV..No provision herein is intended to interfere with the requirements of General Orders 86, current series, from this office, when regiments have been, or may become, "reduced to one-half of the maximum number prescribed by law." BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR: FOR RECRUITING VETERAN VOLUNTEERS. In order to increase the armies now in the field, volunteer infantry, cavalry, and artillery may be enlisted, at any time within ninety days from this date, in the respective States, under the regulations hereinafter mentioned. The volunteers so enlisted, and such of the three years' troops now in the field as may re-enlist in accordance with the provisions of this order, will constitute a force to be designated "Veteran Volunteers." The regulations for enlisting this force are as follows: I..The period of service for the enlistments and re-enlistments above mentioned shall be for three years or during the war. II..All able-bodied men, between the ages of eighteen and fortyfive years, who have heretofore been enlisted, and have served for not less than nine months, and can pass the examination required by the mustering regulations of the United States, may be enlisted under this order as Veteran Volunteers, in accordance with the provisions herein. after set forth. III..Every volunteer enlisted and mustered into service as a Veteran under this order shall be enlisted to receive from the United States one month's pay in advance and a bounty and premium of four hundred and two ($402) dollars, to be paid as follows: 1. Upon being mustered into service, he shall be paid one 50 00 2. At the first regular pay day, or two months after musterin, an additional instalment of bounty will be paid $50 00 3. At the first regular pay day after six months' service he shall be paid an additional instalment of bounty ... 4. At the first regular pay day after the end of the first year's service an additional instalment of bounty will be paid... 5. At the first regular pay day after eighteen months' service an additional instalment of bounty will be paid............. 50 00 50 00 6. At the first regular pay day after two years' service an additional instalment of bounty will be paid.. 50 00 7. At the first regular pay day after two and a half years' service an additional instalment of bounty will be paid...... 50 00 8. At the expiration of three years' service the remainder of the bounty will be paid......... 75 00 IV..If the government shall not require these troops for the full period of three years, and they shall be mustered honorably out of service before the expiration of their term of enlistment, they shall receive, upon being mustered out, the whole amount of bounty remaining unpaid, the same as if the full term had been served. The legal heirs of volunteers who die in service shall be entitled to receive the whole bounty remaining unpaid at the time of the soldier's death. V..Veteran Volunteers enlisted under this order will be permitted at their option to enter old regiments now in the field; but their service will continue for the full term of their own enlistment, notwithstanding the expiration of the term for which the regiment was originally enlisted. New organizations will be officered only by persons who have been in service, and have shown themselves properly qualified for command. As a badge of honorable distinction, "service chevrons" will be furnished by the War Department, to be worn by the Veteran Volunteers. VI..Officers of regiments whose terms have expired will be authorized, on proper application, and approval of their respective Governors, to raise companies and regiments within the period of sixty days; and if the company or regiment authorized to be raised shall be filled up and mustered into service within the said period of sixty days, the officers may be recommissioned of the date of their original commissions, and for the time engaged in recruiting they will be entitled to receive the pay belonging to their rank. VII..Volunteers or militia now in service whose term of service will expire within ninety days, and who shall then have been in service at least nine months, shall be entitled to the aforesaid bounty and premium of $402, provided they re-enlist before the expiration of their present term for three years or the war; and said bounty and premium shall be paid in the manner herein provided for other troops re-entering the service. The new term will commence from date of reenlistment. VIII..After the expiration of ninety days from this date, volunteers serving in three years' organizations, who may re-enlist for three years or the war, shall be entitled to the aforesaid bounty and premium of $402, to be paid in the manner herein provided for other troops reentering the service. The new term will commence from date of reenlistment. |