The Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board

11/61 Army Circular

I thought this might be of interest to the Arkansas board. Of course, in the Trans-Mississippi Department, rules were rules only when convenient.

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[CIRCULAR.]

CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA, WAR DEPARTMENT,
Richmond, November —, 1861.

1. No unarmed troops can be accepted for a less period than during the war.

2. Unarmed troops (infantry) offered for the war are accepted by companies, battalions, or regiments, and when mustered into service are ordered into camp of instruction until equipped for the field.

3. Arms will be furnished to all unarmed troops accepted for the war when ordered into the field.

4. Arms furnished by troops for the war will be paid for, if required, upon valuation by a proper officer when the troops are mustered into service, and when it is deemed practicable will be improved at Government expense. Rifles, muskets, or good shotguns will be accepted, but no arms can be furnished or paid for to troops enlisted for twelve months only.

5. No cavalry can be accepted unless armed with at least one kind of serviceable arms. No cavalry can be received for twelve months unless already fully armed and equipped. No horses are furnished to cavalry. Only such as are killed in battle are paid for; but 40 cents per day are allowed for the use and risk of horses.

6. When artillery companies furnish their own guns for the war the guns will be paid for and the batteries equipped, including horses, when ordered to the field.

7. No troops can be accepted for local service unless required by the officer commanding the department in question and fully armed, and then only as prescribed by the act of Congress entitled “An act to provide for local defense and special service,” receiving subsistence, pay, &c., only while in actual service or under orders. Except under this act no troops can be accepted with any condition as to where they will serve.

8. Companies elect their own officers, and until they receive commissions the muster-rolls furnish full evidence of their rank. No company can be accepted unless fully organized—if infantry, with at least sixty-four; if cavalry, with at least sixty; if artillery, with at least seventy privates.

9. No regiment or battalion can be accepted unless already organized by the election of field officers, which officers then receive commissions, with rank from the date of mustering into service. When companies already accepted are afterward organized into regiments or battalions, the President appoints the field officers; but in no case will a commission be conferred or promised in advance.

10. A regiment is by law composed of ten companies, neither more nor less. A battalion is entitled to no other field officer than a major, unless the number of companies exceeds five.

11. Staff officers, quartermaster, commissary, surgeon, assistant surgeon, chaplain, and adjutant (when this latter is not already lieutenant of the regiment) are always appointed by the President through this Department. The recommendation of the commanding officer is respected in making such appointments, and he should forward his recommendations to this Department as soon as mustered into service or as a vacancy may occur. Except staff appointments upon the recommendation of the commanding officer upon whose staff the vacancy exists, no appointments are now made from civil life.

12. No troops can be mustered into service except by order of the Adjutant and Inspector-General, upon information that the troops are accepted by this Department and ready to be mustered.

13. No supplies, transportation, &c., can be furnished to any troops until already mustered into service. When troops are mustered in they will be supplied by the nearest quartermaster and commissary until otherwise provided for.

14. Commutation is allowed for clothing furnished at the rate of $25 for six months, payable to the captains of companies upon vouchers, presented to the Quartermaster’s Department, showing that their men are supplied according to regulation with clothing for the time specified.

15. All supplies of clothing or other stores for soldiers, hospitals, &c., from private contributions will be transmitted free if delivered, properly addressed, to an officer of the Quartermaster’s Department; but no person can receive free transportation for the purpose of conveying such articles.

16. All communications from persons in the service must be transmitted through the office of the Adjutant-General, and all communications from subordinates must be duly forwarded through their commanding officer. No offer of resignation or application for discharge, furlough, &c., and no requisitions will be considered unless so transmitted. All communications from camps should contain, in addition to the specification of the regiment, the name of the post-office to which answer should be addressed.

J. P. BENJAMIN,
Acting Secretary of War.