Samuel Cooper to Army personnel, March 29, 1864

No. 40. Richmond, March 29, 1864. I. The enlistment of deserters is a serious evil in the service. The attention of the Army is therefore directed to the Twenty-second Article of War, which provides that ”no non-commissioned officer or soldier shall enlist himself in any other regiment, troop, or company without a regular discharge from the regiment, troop, or company in which he last served, on the penalty of being reported a deserter and suffering accordingly; and in case any officer shall knowingly receive and entertain such non-commissioned officer or soldier, or shall not, after his being discovered to be a deserter, immediately confine him, and give notice thereof to the corps in which he last served, the said officer shall by a court-martial be cashiered.” Il. A strict observance of this law, and the arrest and trial of all who violate its injunctions, are required. By order:

S. COOPER,