Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-08-08
Absent Officers and Privatts.
IMPORTANT ORDER OF THE WAR De
PARTMENT.

WASHINGTON, July 81. The follow.
ing is an order respecting absent officer.
and privates;
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON,
July 81.
The absence Of officers end priptes
from their duty under various pretexts,
while receiving pay at great expense aud
burden to the Government, makes it
necessary that efficient measures be Ia
ken 20 enforce them to return to duty, or
that their places be supplied by those
who will not take pay while rendering no
service.
The evil moreover tends greatly to
discourage the patriotic impulse Of those
who would contribute to support the fam
/ lies of faithful soldiers.
It is therefore ordered by the Presi-
dent
| First, that On the llth day Of August
all leaves Of absence and furloughs by
whomsOever given, unless by the War
Department, are revoked and absolutely
annulled, aud all officers capable Of SER
vice are required forthwith to join their
regiments under penalty Of dismissal
from the service, or such penalty as a
court martial may award, unless the ab-
sence be occasioned by lawful cause,
Second, the only excuse allowed for
the absence Of officers or privates from
duty after the eleventh day of August,
are: First, the order or leave of the
War Department; second, disabilities
from wounds received in service; third,
disability from disease that renders the
party unified fer military duty; but any
officer or private whose health permits
him to visit watering places Of amuso-
meut, or TO make social visits, or walk
about the town, city or neighborhood
in which he may be, will be considered
fit for military duty, and as evading bis
duty By absence from his command in
the ranks.
Fourth, on Monday, the 18Th dag Of
August, at 10 o'clock A. NJ, each regi-
ment and corps shall be mustered, the
deserters will be marched, three lists Of
the same made out,and within forty-eight
hours of the muster one copy shall be
sent to the Adj. General of the army,
and one to the commander of corps, the
third is to be retained, and all officers
and privates, fit for duty, absent at that
time, will be regarded as absent without
a cause. Their pay will be stopped, and
they will be dismissed from the service
or treated as deserters unless restored,
and no officer shall be restored to his
rank unless by the judgment of a Court
of Inquiry, to be approved by the Pres
ident.
Fifth, Commanders of corps, divisions,
brigades, regiments and detached posts
are strictly enjoined to force the muster
and return aforesaid. Any officer failing
in his duty herein will be guilty of gross
neglect of duty, and will be dismissed
from the service.
Sixth, a commissioner shall be appoin-
ted by the Secretary of War to superin-
tend the execution OF this order in the
respective States. The United States
Marshals in the respective districts, the
Mayor and Chief of the Police of any
town or city, the sheriff of the respective
counties in each State, and all Postmas-
tiers and Justices Of the Peace are author
lied to act as special Provost Marsbals
to arrest any officer or private soldier fit
for duty who may be found absent from
his command without just cause, and
convey him to the nearest military post
or depot, the transportation, reasonable
expenses of this duty and Eve dollars
will be paid for each officer or private so
arrested and delivered.
By order of the President.
EDWIN NJ. STANTON,