Re: Contents of Special Order 126, 1864?
I've also never seen a copy of Special Orders, No. 126, but I have seen several orders subsequent to it that reference both 126 and General Orders, No. 8 (dated March 5, 1864), which I have seen. No. 8 provides a copy of the text of "An Act to prescribe an oath of allegiance for certain military officers," approved by the Missouri General Assembly on February 15, 1864. That act gave the text of the loyalty oath all officers and staff of the EMM were to subscribe to. They were required to take the oath by July 4, 1864, or their positions would be vacated, and apparently a substantial number chose not to take the oath.