The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-03-19
ADy'T AND IEsP'R 0gN'Ls OPFIsR,
Rtchmnnd. VA March H. IRR1

Apy'r AND Imsp'R GsN'Ls OPF,sR,
Richmond, Va, March IL. 1894.
~ ENERAL Orders, No Sc
Az !. The act OF Congress relative 10 the Elm
poymen: OF free negroes and slaves In certain ca
Paci,ies, and the Instructions OF the War Depart
meut relative to Its execution, published for the
Information Of those concerned:
Az Asr 70 increase the efficiency OF the army by
the emp!oymen, Of free negroes and slaves IN
certain capacities.
unfinished by the withdrawal from the ranks OF able
bodied soldiers u 6et teamsters, and In IOus
other capacities In which free negroes and slaves
might be advantageousy employed; therefore,
The Congress Of The Confederate States of America
do enact. That all male free negroes and other free
persons OF Color not including those who are free
under the treaty Of Paris Of l603 under the treaty
of Spain Of 1879, resident In the Confederate
states, between the ages Of Is and 50 years, shall
be held liable to perform such duties with the army,
or in connection with the military defences Of the
country, in the way Of work upon Notifications or
In Government works Tor the production or pIepa-
RI Ion Of materials Of war, or in military hospitals,
a. the Sec eiary # War or the commanding Gene
raj of :he Trans Mississippi Department; may, from
time time, prescriise and while engaged in the
performance of such duties shall receive rations
and clothing ana compensation at the rate OF eleven
dollars month, under such rules and regulations
as the said Secretary may establish: PForrted,
That the Secretary OF War or the commanding
General Of the Trans Mississippi Department, with
the approval Of the President, may exempt from
the OPP fatoEs Of this act such tree ncsr0es as the
OF the country may require should be ex-
empted, o such rs he may think proper to exempt
on grounds OF justice, equity, or necessity.
That the Secretary of War is hereby authorized
to employ tor duties similar 10 those Indicated IN
the preceding section of this act, a. many male
negro slaves net 10 exceed twenty thousand, as IN
his judgment, the ~ena Cf the service require,
furnishing them. WHILE so employed, with proper
raons aud ckihing under rules and regulations 10
be established BY him. and paving to the owners a!
said slaves such wages may 6e agreed upon with
said for t,ier uss and service, and in the
Of the loss of any slaves while SO employed.
by the act of the enemy by escape to the enemy,
or by death inflicted by the enemy or by disess,
| contracted Will. In any service required Ut said
slaves, then the owners of the same shall be entl-
tied receive the full value Of such siaves 20 be
| ascertaintd by agreement or by app.aiseuent, un
! der the law regulating impressmc",s, TO be paid
under such rules and regulations as the Secretary
, Of War may establish.
| That when the Secretary Of War shall b unable
| 10 prccr the services slaves In any military
department IN sufficient Numbers Tor the .eessitisa
OF the department, upon the terms and conditions
set forth In The preceding section then he 10 hereby
authorised to ipy. the services 0f as many mails
| slaves, moi To exceed twenty thousand, as may b
required from time to time. 10 discharge the du-
ties Indicated in tie first section OF this act, &C.
cording to the laws regulating the impressmept OF
| slaves In otser cases: Provided That slaves i'm
pressed shall, while employed, receive the same "a
iions und clo.hing, kind and quantity, as slaves
regularly hired from their owners; and, i'm the even
| ner, and under the same rules established BY
the ss;d impressment laws Proridsd, That II The
owner have hit one male slave between the age!
Of Is and 80 he shall not be impressed against the
| will OF said ownsT. Provided further, That free
negroes shall be first impressed, and II there shoule
be deficiency 1t shalt sc supplied by the lmpre
meRRt M yee II r. ete I've me savf
between the ages Of 10 and IS shall be taken from
any owner, care being taken to allow in each cast
crsdi, for all slaves who may have been a!read,
Impressed under this act and who are still in ser
vice, Or have died, or been lost while in service
And all impressmen.s under this act shall be ia
ken In equal ratio from al! owners In The same To-
ca!tty, city, county or district.
t5iyned) Thomas s. BococK.
/ Speaker House Of Representatives.
X. NJ. T. HCxTsR.
President pro tenn. Of the senate
Approved, February II, 1854
(signsd,) J5EFSksoN DAVIS.
II. The Bureau Of Conserip,ion will direct the
enrolment OF all the persons described In the firs
section of the act Aforesaid, of the
river, who are not unfit for the service reuuirct
pacity ar inbecllity, and shall assign them TO TN.
performance Of the duties mentioned in the act, Of
similar duties in any of the military bureaux, OF
with troops In the field, as there may be any cal
for such service.
Iii. Applications for an exemption on the
grounds that the interests of the country require it.
or because II is demanded by justice, equity OF
necessity ki'I be made 70 the ENROLLING officer in
writing, and will be disposed of by him according
to the general directions contained 10 the .egusa
lions published In orders No. IS, under the aact "a
organize forces to serve during the war
| w. For the execution of the sections In the
foregoing act, relative to the employment and I'm
pressmeRt OF slnvcs, the provisi ms of orders No
SS, Of the 81 October, 1863, will afford the re-
qulste ruies for the guidance Of the military bu-
reaux und the commanding Generals, win, modih-
cations hereafter mentioned. LIST That slaves
shall not be impressed when the services OF free
negroes can bs obtained. 2d. Slaves under the
age Of IL and above tho age Of so are exempt. ID.
The hire for slaves Impressed shall be according to
the rates fixed by the appraisers under the sct to
regulate impEessments. 4:h. The Limitation as TO
The term for which slaves shall be jmpressed for
service shal! be for twelve months Instead Of the
term fixed By said orders, If the exIseney shall
Quire 1t.
| v. All fmpressments for service In tbs various
military bureaux under this act shall be by special
! order upon application to the War Department, dis
closing the efforts that have hssn made 70 provide
o.he. labor specified In the act, the necessity for
the ic1pressment, the plan proposed to secure II.
The General commanding the Trans. MtssissIp
pi Department will superintsnd the execution OF
! Tic law for that department.. BY order.
/ (Sisued,) COOPE2,
I nh l6-lw Adj't and lnsp'r Gen.