The Opelousas courier., 1864-12-10
Head Quarters TRANSLATES. Dept, !


Head Quarters Trans Miss. Dept, I ,
Shreveport, La, Oct. 2s, 1864 5
GENERAL ORDERS No. s6.
rENHE following order from the War Depart
IL. ment is published for information:
ADJUTANT AND INsP'R. GENL's. OFFICE, !
Richmond, Va. Aug. 81, 1864. !
GENERAL ORDERS No. 50.
I. The Bureau of Conscriptinn will cause to
he delivered from the proper officers of the Bu-
reau to the Chief Commissary in every State, a
report containing the names of all persons in the
State, with the places of their residence. who
have obtained exemptions or details as agricul-
turists, owners, overseers, managers, farmers.
planters or otherwise, as producers of grain and
provisions under the fourth paragraph of the
enth section OF the military Act of the 18th of
February 1864, published in General Orders
No 26. (current series,) togethe: with state
ment of the terms of the contract the sureties to
the same, and with all other pertinent facts rela-
ting to the said exemption or detail. The officers
of the Subsistence Department, under the direc-
ton of the Commissary General and Chief Com
mssary of each State, are charged with the col
lection of the meat which any exempt or detailed
men may have contracted to pay, and to give an
acauittance therefor; also to make whatever COM
mutations or reductions that may be authorized
lished that Justify the same: and to make all the
purchases of the marketable surplus at the prices
specified in the act, which the same authorizes to
be made on behalf OF the Government. The
said Subsistence Department being hereby
clothed with authority to represent the Govern
ment in the enforcement of its claims under the
contracts and obligations that the act imposes
upon the exempts and detailed men described
therein.
III. In order that the regulation on the subject
of the sale of the marketable surplus of provi-
sions and grain to the Government. and the fami-
lies of soldiers in the said act. may have execu-
ton, the Commissaries in the different States
may be instructed to limit their purchases of
grain and provisions of the marketable surplus
in any District to some definite proportion, MOO
to exceed one-haIf, and to leave the remainder
fnr the persons who purchase on behalf of the
families uf soldiers.
Ill. All agents appointed By the public an
thorites of any State. county or town, to supply
food for the families of soldiers, are authorizrd
to purchase the portion unappropriated by the
Government. for the object Of their trust. The
Commanders of Conscripts, or tile Chief Com
missary Of each State or District may authen'i-
cate the authority of such agents, and persons
selling to agents thus authenticated shall be fully
warranted to do SO.
Nv. The families of soldiers as described in
the said act, are the families composed of the
wife or wife and children of any person who be.
longs to the army; the widow or widow and chill
dren of any person who died while in the ser
vice; the mother and sisters OF any soldier or sol
diers in the army and who reside with them as
members in the same family or were dependent
upon their labor or support the parents or sisters
OF any person belonging to the army, who
sided in the same family with them and who de-
rived from them support.
v. Officers are authorized to purchase reces-
sary subsistence for their families under this act
VI Every exempt aud detailed man under
tn act shall render to the Enrolling officer in his
District, detailed statement of the marketable
surplus and sold by him, with testimony that the
sales were to Government or soldiers families.
which statement shall be sent to the Commander
of Conscripts for the State, and thereupon salts
| faction upon his bond shall be entered.
VII. The act of Congress aforesaid provides:
That exemptions in favor of the classes aforesaid
shall cease whenever the farmer, planter or over
seer shall fail diligently to employ in good faith
his own skill. capital and labor exclusively in
the production of grain and provisions, to be
sold to the Government and the families Of SOL
diers at prices not exceeding those fixed at the
time for like articles by the Commissioners Of the
represented 10 the Department that there are in
act, who pay but little respect to the obligations
they have contracted That they have become
spectators in food and provisions; that they are
negligent and careless as to the extent of their
productions, and openly affirm that they do not
mean to have any surplus. The Department is
required, in all such or similar cases, to revoke
the detail and the performance of this duty is de-
yolved upon the Bureau of Conscription. upon
proper testimony being afforded to them or to
their officers, 70 be designated by them, to per-
form this duty. y.
By order Of 8. COOPER,
Adju.ant and Inspector Gen.
II. Paragraph w of the above order is amen
ded to include in the families entitled to purchase
the widowed mother of any soldier who may
have died in the service, and who was dependent
upon him for support. @
III. Any person puchasing under this order
must make an affidavit if soldier or citizen, or
certify if an officer, that the supplies are for
heir7farnily use. and no more will be sold at one
time than supplies for three months. The affi-
davit or certificate must set forth clearly the fact
the person purchasing comes within the require
ments of this order and that no more is asked
for than supplies for three months.