Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1864-04-19
ORDERS In REFERENCE TO ENROLL
MENT.

OF nature is change" 1t would seem
that "change" is also the sschangeless
law which governs our authorities in
reference to the enrolment of the re.
serve forces. They are first granted
thirty days from the time the Enrolling
office shall give notice in the Districts
or Counties-then they are restricted to
the 1st day of Mayhem still more
restricted, and required to enroll Oh the
10th day of April. It viii be interest
ing to follow these changes from the
passage of the law in February last to
the present time. The 5th section OF
the Military Bill reads as follows:
ssBE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That all white male
residents of the Confederate States, between the
ages of seventeen and eighteen and forty five
and fifty years, shall enroll themselves at such
times and places, and under such regulations,
as the President may prescribe, the time allow
ed not being less than THIRTY daysfor those east
and sixty days for those west of the Mississippi
river, and any person who shall fail to enroll
himself without reasonable excuse Their efor to
be judged of by the President, shall be placed in
service in the field for the war in the same man
ner as though they were between the ages OF
eighteen and forty-five PROVIDED that the per-
sons mentioned in this section shall constitute a
reserve for State defence and detail duty and
shall not be required to perform service out OF
the State in which they reside"
In accordance with the above quoted
5th section of the law, on the 18th Of
March the following order was issued
by S. Cooper, Adjutant and Inspector
General
GENERAL ORDERS, a.: N
NO. SO {:
/. The Bureau of Consumption will proceed
to enroll all persons between the ages of seven-
teen and eighteen years, and between the ages
OF forty-f and fifty years, under the 5th sec.
tlon OF the Act of Congress to organize forces
to serve dnrng the war.
2 Persons liable to enrolment will present
themselves to the enrolling officer in the States
east OF the Mississippi river within thirty days
from the day when the notice shall be given IN
the district or county by the enrolling officer for
persons of this class to appear for enrolment.
The failure to comply with this notice will SUBJECT
the defaulter to liability to be called into the
general service with the class of persons between
eighteen and forty-fve, unless he shall have a
valid excuse therefor, to be judged of by the
Bureau of Conscription.
3. Any person liable to enrolment under this
act may join any company for local defence
which has been formed under General Orders, N O
S6, issued 18th June, 1868, for the war. or any
other company for local defence which has been
accepted into the service, and which, by the
terms of its enlistment, is liable to serve any
where within the State; or persons of this class
may form new companies for local defence and
special service, under General Orders No. SO
1861, for the war, and select their own officers
By order. S. COOPER,
Adjt. and Inspr. Genl.
Three days after, March 18th, G. B.
Dufield, A. A. General, issued Circu-
lar No. s. The following is an extract
from that circular:
Commandments of conscripts will proceed to
enroll all persons between the ages of seventeen
and eighteen and fortv- FIVE and fifty years, in
execution of General Orders No. 49, A. and !
G. o., current SERIES which is herewith made
part of this Circular
Then follows the General order No.
80 given above.
In less than two weeks after circular
No. 8 was issued, circular No. l3 was
issued, dated March 31st, as follows:
CIRCULAR NO. ID.
Commandants of Conscripts win forthwith
proceed, In compliance with Geneal Orders
No. SO, A. and I. G. o., current series, rapidly
to enroll all persons between the ages of IL and
Is, and 40 and so years, allowing them until
the Ist day OF May next to join any company for
local defence which has been formed under
General Orders, No. Sc, A and 1. G.. O., last
series, tor the war, or any other company for
local defence which has been accepted into the
service, and which, by terms of its enlistment,
is liable to service anywhere within the State,
or to form themselves into voluntary organiza-
lions of companies, battalions or regiments.
and elect their own company officers, in conformi-
ty with existing law, as provided in the 9th Sec
ton of the act OF Congress to organize forces
to serve during the W.T., pubiis he'd in General
Orders, No. 26, a. and /. e. O. current series
Those who do not before the LIST day of May
next, volunteer or organize themselves into
companies, will be formed into companies, bat
taiions and regiments, under regulations to be
prescribed therefor.
BY command Of Col. JoHN S. PRESTON. Sup.
G. B. DUFFIELD,
A. A.General.
Five days after circular No. 13 was
issued, circular No. IL, dated April 5th,
reyoking circular No. Ii, was issued,
as follows
NO, IA.
I. Circular, No. ID, current series, is hereby
revoked.
IL. Commandments will retain out of the re-
their camp guards and supporting force, and
proceed as rapid ~ as possible to organize in
persons of the said reserve classes
already enrolled.
III. Commandments will instantly designate
proper rendezvous, and order all persons of the
reserve classes to report at such rendezvous
on the sixteenth (16th) day of April inst, for
the purpose OF electing company officers and be-
ing organized into companies
". The Instant organization of these class
es is deemed of the highest Importance, and all
such persons as do not appear at the rendez-
vous on the day appointed mnst be enrolled
and assigned at the discretion of Commandments.
Y Mess otherwise instructed, Commandments
will forward the muster rolls to this Bureau.
BY order Of Col. PRESTON, Supr.
G. B. DUFFIELD.
In accordance with circulation No.
IA, the Enrolling officer for this Dis
trict advertised in our issue of the 18th
notifying persons to report at Staun-
ton, Harrisonburg, Lexington MILFORD
springs, Covington and Mcdowell on the
10th. 1t will be seen that instead Of
getting the benefit of thirty days no.
tice, the most of them got no notice
at all till after the time had passed for
for it was physical impos-
sibility to have the notice communicated
TO them before April 10Th. No blame
can attach to the Enrolling Officer
for the District, for he advertised as
soon as he could, after circular No. IA
was issued. AS no blame can, under
the circumstances, attach to the citi-