The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-03-22
Ap.T AND lssP'R 0Rs'Ls OrSreE,
Richmond, Va, March-ll. LISA. I

n
Richmond, Va, March-li. LISA.
ENERAL Orders, No 81
M 1, Jhe act OF Congress relative to the en-.
p.oyment OF free negroes and slaves In certain GA
Paciues, and the inztfuc ctions of the War D,par,.
mcnt relative 70 fs execution, are published for the
Information OF those coRceraed
An snT TO increase the efficiency of the armv bv
the employment Of free negroes and slaves la
certain capacities
WAs'a1s the efficiency Of the army Is greatly dl,
n'nished by the withdrawal from the ranks OF able
ooaed soldiers TO act as teams,ers, and In varous
o'nef capacities In which free negroes and slaves
! might De advantageousiv employed; therefore,
1Ae Coagrs*s q the Lnafsderotc StdfAs Of seericn
40 eaas That all male ssss negroes and other free
persons on color, not including those who are free
under the treaty Of Paris of 1909 or under the trss,v
OF Spaia Of 1919, resident In the Confederate
STATES between the ages of le and 50 years, shall
be heid liable 20 perform such dulles with the army
or Ia connectsoh with the military defences Of the
country, In the way Of work upon Notifications or
In Government works for the production or prepa-
faieh OF materials OF war, in military hospitals
, as the Sec eiary Of War or the commanding Gene
RAJ OF the Trans Mississippi Department may, from
time to time, prssCribe; and while engaged in the
performance of such duties stall receive raaions
ana clothing and compensation the rate of eleven
dollars month, under such rules and regulations
as the said Secretary may establish, Provided
Ihaf ihe Secretary OF War or the comnandin.
General of the Traus- Mississippi Department, with
the approval OF the President, may exempt from
the operations nf this act such free negroes az the
interests of tha country may require should be
emp.ed, Or such as he may think proper to exempt
on grounds OF justice, equity, or necessity.
Thai the Secretary Of War is hereby authorized
20 employ 10, duties simii,: those indicated in
the preceding section of this act, as many male
negro slaves, not 10 exceed twenty thousand as In
MS judgment, the wants Of the service may require
furnishing them. whiis 80 employed, with proper
raions and clothing, under ruen and regulations to
be established by him. and paving the owners of
said slaves such wages as may be agreed upon with
said owners for their use and service, and in the
event OF th- loss Of any slaves while go employed
by the &C; of The enemy by escape tito enemy,
or by death inflicted by the enemy, or by disease
Contracted while In any service required of said
slaves, then ths owners Of thu same shall be enti-
lied 10 receive the full value of such slaves TO be
gIsceLaihed ny agreement or by appraisemsnt, un-
Ger Inc law regulating inpressnenis,t 20 be paid
under such rules and regulations as the y-tnvy
OF War may establish.
That when the Secretary of War shall be unable
10 procure tha services Of slaves in any military
department. In sufficient numbers for the eessI,es
OF the department, upon the terms and conditions
set forth in the preceding ecton then he il hereby
authorized TO impress tho services of many maie
slaves, not TO exceed twenty Thousand, as NAV be
required from tipe TO time, tn discharge the du-
ties Indicated In toe first section of this act, ac
cordiDg 10 the laws regulating. tho impressment of
slaves in other cases Prey iet, That slaves so i'm,
pressed shall, while employed, receive the same IA
u0hs and clothing, in kind and quantity as slaves
regularly hired from their owners; and in the event
OF their loss, shall be paid for IN the man
Hsr, and under the ssms rules established by
the said i,npre.snsnt laws Prosi1ei, Ths. Ii tho
owner have bnt cne male slave between the asse
of IS and 50 he shall not be Impressed against the
VIII ct said ownsf: prouideti tatheT, Tina. frea
negroes snail be FIRST impressed, and If there should
be deficiency II shall .G supplied by the impress
ilent OF slaves according 10 the foregoing proyfe
ions PTortIt further, That In making the impress
meht not more than one Of every fve male slaves
between the ages OF Is and IS shall be taken from
any owner, ears being taken to allow in each case
a credit for all slaves who may have been already
impressed s6der this act, and who are still In
vice "A while
And all inpressments under this act shall be Ia
kan in equal ratio from all owners In the same 10
caity, city, county or district
(sisned) THoaAs .. BococK.
Speaker House of Representatives.
Il. M. 4. HUNTER.
President pro tera. of the Senate.
Approved, February II, 1884.
(Sisned) JEFFERSON DAVIS.
II. The Bureau OF Conscriplion will direct the
enrolment of all the persons described in the ss;
SECTION OF the aforesaid, 0f s Mississippi
river, who are not unit for the service required
from them, by reason Of physical or mental inca
paeity or icbsclity, ana shall assign them to the
performance OF the duties mentioned in the act, or
similar duties in any of the military bu.saux, or
with troops In tie 1eid, Us there may be any call
for such service.
III. Applications FOR An exemption on the
grounds that the Interests of the country require II,
or because ii Is demanded by justice, equity OF
necessity will be made to the enrolling officer in
writing, and VIII be disposed OF by him according
tions published in orders No %, under the "act to
organize forces 10 serve during the wars
". For the execution of the sections In the
regong act, relative 10 the employment and i'm
of Slaves, the provisto Ms of orders No
i i3S, Of the 24,h October 1863, will afford the re-
auisite rules for the guidance Of the military bu-
reaux and the commanding Generals, with modia-
cations hereafter mentioned. LIST That slaves
shail no, bs impressed when the services OF free
nesroe. can be obtained. ed. Slaves under the
age CT la aud above the age Of 30 are exempt. 3D.
The hire for slaves impressed shall be according TO
the rates fixed by The appraisers under the act 70
regulate impressments. 4.h. The liMitation as to
the term for which slaves shall be impressed for
service shall be for twelve months instead Ct the
term 1ed by said ORDERS II the sxissney shall re-
quire 1t.
" All impressMents for services In ehs various
military bureaux under this act shall be by special
order upon application TO the War Department, dis
closing the efforts that have been mads to provide
other labor specified in the act. the necessity for
lhe tmpressnient, the plan proposed 70 secure II.
8 The General commanding the Trans sissiP.
nj Denartment will sHpsrintsRd ths execution Of
the law for that department BY order
Is,y,eJ \ 8 COOPER,
NH I5-lW sd3't ana insPf 1eh.
Amy AEp lkspEcroR GENERALS Oyriss,
Richmond, Va, Maren ID, 1904.