E.D. Townsend to George G. Meade, July 17, 1865

Maj. Gen. George G. Meade,

Eighteenth and Delaney Place:

Send staff officers to each, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Cart lina, and direct the muster out of all cavalr^^ that can be dispense with, and the sale of their horses when dismounted. When it is ne<' essary to retain cavalry for want of other troops, dismount them an have their horses sold, except the actual number of mounted me required. A few hundred mounted men in each State I would thin the greatest abundance. Order also the muster out of all cavali possible to dispense with in the other departments of your command The horses to be turned over to quartermasters and reported to tl Quartermaster-General. Request department commanders to repo the number of men and horses disposed of under this order.

Lieutenant-General. Circular) War Dept., Adjutant-General’s Office,

33. j Washington, July 18, 1865.

(Extracts from telegrams and circulars to chief mustering officers of States.)

I. Officers of mustered-out regiments can be paid on the certificate of t* mustering officer that they have rendered all required returns and accounts, a l on their affidavits that they are not indebted to the Government.

In the absence of other evidence (certificates or statements from the supnlv departments concern^, retained papers, &c.) relative to the rendition of the said^pers, the War Department has authorized the affidavit of the ZstLedont officer concerned to be received as evidence, and mustering officers can base there(m their certificates relative to the rendition of returns and accounts, thorn i”‘® not required to examine accounts of officers and give

xllTsSy Departmlnr’™’^*’^*®^^^^ settlement of accounts belongs toVe A.ssistant Adjutant-General.

I War Dept., Adjt. General’s Office,

[ Washington, July 21, 1865.

General Orders.

Orderec? That a bureau be organized in the Adjutant-General’s Office for the collection, safe-keeping, and publication of the rebel archives that have come into possession of this Government, the bureau to consist of one chief, with the pay of a colonel of cavalry and one assistant, with the pay of a lieutenant-colonel of cavalry and such number of clerks, to be detailed by the Adjutant-General as may be found necessary for the speedy collection of the archives’ Dn ^®^®^^ appointed chief of said bureau, and the

bnihl ifJ? ‘o furnish suitable apartments and

buildings for the collation and custody of the archives mentioned.

By order of the Secretary of War: