Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-11-01
eoIdIer.' DIochnrrc Papers.


The following official order from the War
Department defines the army regulations for
the discharge Of soldiers from the Govern
ment service:
HEAD-ouARrERs, AMY or. THE PoEoMAc,l
WARRINGTON, October 49, 1861.
GENERAL 0RDHRs No. 30.
The following memorandum from the Pay
master. Generals Office is published for the
government of all officers concerned in the
preparation of soldiers discharge papers:
PAYMAsTER. GENERALS OFFICE
October l6, 1861. !
The papers presented by discharged soldiers
at this Office, and to the various paymasters
being, in a great many instances, very de-
fectiVe and imperfect, so that the soldier is
often obliged TO return for new ones, or
loses portion of the amount properly due
him, which would be avoided by proper at
tention being paid to the correct making out
of the discharge papers, the following direc-
rections are published, by strict attention
to which much trouble and loss to the
soldier will be avoided.
A soldier, when discharged, should re-
ceive five papers, If on account of disability,
viz: one discharge, two surgeons certificates
of disability y-duplicates-and two "certi6-
Gates to be given volunteers at the time Of
their discharge to enable them to receive
their pay" also duplicates. These last papers
are usually called "hnsl statements" Blank
forms of all these papers can be obtained at
the Adjutant- Generals Office on application,
and commanding officers of the different
regiments should be careful always to keep q
sufficient supply of them.
The blanks in these papers should be care.
fully filed up and signed by the proper Off
GERS. Where there is nothing to be inserted
in any blank space line should be drawn
through it.
The discharge must be signed by the com.
manding officer Of the regiment and coun-
tersigned on the back by the direction of the
commanding General. of the army. The
certificates of disability must be signed by
the commanding officer of the company, and
by the surgeon who gives the certificates,
and should state particularly the cause of
disability. These certificates must also be
countsrsigned by the medical director at the
head quarters Of the army.
The fiual statements" must be signed by
the commanding officer of the company and
carefully filled up; they should state par
ticularly the date and place where the soldier
Joined for service, and date and place of his
discharge, and give the reason of said dis
charge. They should state the date of last
payment to the soldier, or if he has never re-
ceived any pay, and give the total amount of
money paid him as clothing allowance during
the whole period of his service, or that he
has not received any such allowance, should
that be the case. They should also give a
list of articles of clothing furnished the
soldier, either by the United States OF by his
own State; and if by the latter, the cost of
each article. They should also state all other
stoppsges for lost or damaged arms or ac-
couterments, or other causes, giving list of
articles SO stopped against him. These di-
rections as regards the final statements are to
be followed in the cases where the discharge
is for other cause than disability; in which
cases the soldier must have the above men,
toned papers, excepting the surgeons GER
tiicates.
When a soldier wishes his pay RENTED to
him on his discharge, be must forward all
the above papers to the Psymaster-G Generals
Office, together with two receipts, (dup pcates(
which be should sign in blank, and the
amount due him will be calculated and filled
in. These receipts can be obtained from the
Paymsster Generals Office and com mandiug
officers of regiments should provide supply,
to furnish discharged soldiers who may wish
to return home before obtaining their pay.
BENZ. F. LARNED,
Paymaster-G General.
By command of Major General Mcclellan:
S. WILLIAMS,
Assistant Adjutant General.