SPECIAL ORDERS, ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL’S OFFICE, March 27, 1865

No, 72. Richmond, March 27, 1865. * * * * * * *

I. The following schedules of prices for articles named therein, adopted by commissioners appointed pursuant to law, for the State of Virginia are published for the information of all concerned, and the special attention of officers and agents of the Government is directed thereto:

RicHMonpD, VA., March 22, 1865. Hon. JOHN C. BRECKINRIDGE:

S1r: As Congress has repealed portions of former impressment laws relating to

schedules of prices, and confined their operation to the productions of those

74 R R—SERIES IV, VOL III

‘« detailed or exempted” by the Government, we have thought it advisable to cite the late acts of Congress on the subject for the information of the public and as a guide to all impressment officers. Therefore we invite particular attention to the annexed extracts from recent acts of Congress. .

As our schedules were designed for the State, the commissioners endeavored, in arranging prices, to base them upon what appeared to be a fair average, taking all the markets of Virginia into consideration. The varied and conflicting interests involved rendered the task imposed upon the commissioners not onl cult to accomplish, but made it impossible for them to please all parties. Acting under laws of Congress, whatever may be our opinions as to their policy, we have and will fairly endeavor to observe them :

‘AN ACT to amend thelaw in relation to impressments.

‘The Congress of the Confederate States of America_do enact, That it shall not be lawful to impress any sheep, milch cows, brood mares, stallions, jacks, bulls, breeding hogs, or other stock kept or necessary for raising sheep, hogs, horses, mules, or cattle.

“Suc. 2. That the term ‘just compensation’ for property impressed or taken for public use, whenever the same occurs in any of the acts relating to impressments, is hereby declared to mean the usual market price of such property at the time and place of impressment.

‘¢Src. 3. That so much of the fifth section of the act to regulate impressments, approved March 26, 1863, as authorizes the board of commissioners appointed by the President and Governors of the respective States to fix in advance upon the prices to be paid for property impressed or taken for public use, and to agree upon and publish schedules of prices for property so impressed, is hereby repealed : Provided, however, That nothing herein contained shall be construed as prohibiting said commissioners from fixing upon and publishing schedules of prices to be paid by the Government or by the families of soldiers to persons holding exemptions or details upon conditions which bind such persons to sell to the Government or to families of soldiers at prices fixed by said commissioners.

“Sec. 4. That in all cases of appeals to the board of commissioners, appointed by the President and the Governors of the respective States, from the appraisements of impressed property made by local appraisers, it shall be the duty of said commissioners to hear the proofs adduced by the parties as to the usual market price of the property at the time and place of impressment, and to assess the same according to the testimony submitted in the particular case. On such appeals the commissioners shall receive and consider such legal oral testimony as may be offered, and also affidavits or depositions of competent witnesses taken before and certified by any justice of the peace, or judge, or clerk of any court of record. Witnesses examined before such board may be sworn by either of the commissioners. Where the appeal is taken by the impressing officer, and the same is not brought to a hearing, and a final award in ee case made by the commissioners within ninety days after the date of the original appraisement, such appeal shall be considered as abandoned and shall not be afterward heard, and the original appraisement shall be treated as final and conclusive.

“* Approved March 18, 1865.

“A true copy:

“JAMES M. MATTHEWS, “Taw Clerk.”

“AN ACT toamend an act entitled ‘An act to regulate impressments,’ approved March 26, 1863, as amended by the act approved February 16, 1864.

‘The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That the act entitled ‘An act to regulate impressments,’ approved March 26, 1863, as amended by the act approved February 16, 1864, be so amended that in all cases where property shall be impressed for the use of the Army it shall not be necessary to pay the price at the time of impressment, when the parties from whom such property is impressed shall refuse to receive therefor certificates of indebtedness issued under authority of the act entitled ‘An act to reduce the currency and to authorize a new issue of notes and bonds,’ approved February 17, 1864, but the same shall be paid as soon as practicable thereafter.

“* Approved March 18, 1865.

“A true copy:

“JAMES M. MATTHEWS, “Law Clerk.”

R Cleaned oats

poe salt

Onions bap peaches… “Dried. apples . aay, Baled

Hay, unbaled Sheaf oats, baled Shear oats, unbaled… Blade fodder, baled Blade fodder, unbaled Shucks, baled Shucks, unbaled………. Wheat straw, baled …… Wheat straw, unbaled…. Pasturage

Railroad iron…… BAserES Leather

creed Saece Onc COseOE

“Salt ect SECO Bee ncoascae

Sheep… <5. - ceseccccsnns

Army woolen “cloth, 3-4 vere

Army woolen cloth, 6-4. .

Superior. . First rate. . Good

Superior. . First rate. . Orchar

Per bushel of 60 lbs. – Per ie of 196 lbs… Per bushel of 56 lbs. Per bushel of 50 lbs. Per bushel of 56 lbs. Per bushel of 32 lbs. Per bushel of 17 lbs. Per bushel of 22 Ibs. Per bushel of 28 lbs. Per bushel of 37 lbs. Per Sete

or clover… or herd

Per Sraal of 50 lbs. Per pound

“Per pound . Per gallon .. . Per pound

No. 2 qitality…….. No. 3 quality……-.

aces 0 SOrviC CMW O persis alee stele ae aie ainnie ie tn wimyate Penieiese GB Herdue se ane Goadtecesceciee a Per pound «22. .–<-. atnietd GI agomocesde estas Oma scttses missy Eons 0 jac = Ste AO eaate ste ce ae bear. Oia sieece <5 Pers Wpeuades:-+-- SUPOELOI eee ee eel cata al Oy are cleo nc 2 era, asa ll arnjoinin AO (ois cininso\nlsininchinie HUTS atO sss sec aaee

to UOT SUSE) SS SOONG) CS

@ Pro rata as to greater or less width or weight.

ScHEDULE A—(Continued.)

Articles. Quality. Description. Quantity. Price. 71 Army woolen cloth, 6-4 Good ….. pout lemabetnas ssc eeie aces er yard-ceereeresss (a) yard. 72 Finnaelas Bed) taea enews eons oak do: s22-ceeees 6\0z. per: yard = -2-—. – .– 2. 62S $14. 00 73 Cotton shirtings, 3-4. sedOrse ne snares 44 yards to pound… ….. Coie.” eee 2.50 74 Cotton shirtings, 7-8— ROO erent eet 32 yards to pound… .–.. doisetas’-< ae 3.00 75 Cotton sheetings, 4-4..... 3 yards to pound.... ..... doreeeeee SoBe 3.50 76 Cotton, osnaburgs, 3-4 - -.. 6 02: per yard 22.25 2. 2-2.: otere 38 3.50 77 Cotton osnaburgs, 7-8 - 8 oz. per yard .. Bett ners 3.80 78 Cotton tent cloths... - 10 oz. per yard . Oe Teer sepr As 00 NOW so cca cen earstlecticle eee st clei] wicamictelsts caves asiy 6 nil cals yee ee ae isiem oer ates eal mini een seeeeee 80 Army shoes......--. Per pair -..-. 25. 00 81 Shoe thread ......... ae Per pound =es- oes e-- 6. 00 82 Wool socks, men’s......-. Per'pair 22+ -see os 5. 00 83 Corn-top fodder, baled.... ..... 0) ccoeeer = oe Per 100 pounds ..... 2. 00 84 Corn-top fodder, unbaled . ..... GOW coos ss Haase ote cs cence eete s]e ese Ol. tees s eee 1.00 85 Wheat chaff, baled ....-.- ..... AO: a Aarne ies Metta siate natn eee sion Sete do? i252 enos eee 7.00 86 Wheat chaff, unbaled -..-.. ..... Go secretes iis aectemees Meese Se oaeal alee do Steere 6.00 87 Sorghum molasses........ First quality ... Per gallon ... 15. 00 88 Pasturage for sheep...... Good ...-....... Per head 1.00 SON ees Ky AB onencasnonae oa Saperior..s25 es d A Scie doeer== = 1.25 O0iee uc dOl so sscseence First rate. . dose 1. 50 91 Apple brandy ... Good! <¢-2-= Per gallon 15. 00 92 Peach brandy............ aoe 10 mee neeminn Dene cee ee cee ners es ceiibseee Owcisteececeeee 15. 00 @ Pro rata as to greater or less width or weight. ’ b On the above enumerated cotton cloths, pro rata as to greater or less width or weight. SCHEDULE B.—Hire of labor, teams, wagons, and drivers. Labor. Quantity and time. Price. Jy Balin g lon gifOrg gO rete crs wareiereicisloreeetee er nie «eee ie eee eae ence oe Per 100 pounds ..... $1.00 2 Shelling and bagging corn; sacks furnished by Government...... Per 56 pounds ...... = 20 Shia Taulin gee csnsi tone ic otic ewe sneer ian eee ats me etre ae Per cwt. per mile ... 20 4 Hauling grain nisin-a)cle(siaia nialdalerelvicrtp leis amr stats cer Ris nae oie apes aenae wad Per bushel.......... oul 5 Hire of 2-horse team, wagon, and driver; rations furnished by Per day............. 30. GO owner. 6 Hire of same; rations furnished by Government ........-.-....... ..-.- QG tee ceke oR 15. 00 7 Hire of 4-horse team, wagon, and driver; rations furnished DY? soatk AGicsst es lee 50. 00 owner. 8 25. 00 9 70. 00 10 35. 00 11 8.00 12 4.00 13 185. 00 14 100. 00 15 100. 00 16 500. 00 17 Hire of ox-cart, team, and driver; rations furnished by owner..... Per dayc.c.saatessoe 30. 00 18 Hire of same; rations furnished by\Goverhmenta

Revision of the Schedules of February and March last.

Since the adoption of our schedules for the months of February and March last the financial bills passed by Congress taxing the currency had seriously impaired the value of the old issues of Confederate Treasury notes. At this juncture large numbers of horses and mules were impressed and paid for in a currency which was in a few days thereafter to be taxed 33} per cent.

The Board of State Commissioners having adjourned and one of its members being out of the State, it could not be convened in time to review our schedules of prices. Under this state of facts we have re-examined and rearranged our tariff of prices, so far as we have been advised of recent impressments, proposin in this mode to remedy any diminution of valuation which may have occurre from the action of Congress upon the currency. Therefore we assess the average value of artillery or wagon horses or mules impressed since the passage of the currency bill of the 17th of February last at $600. This award will entitle each person to receive a higher compensation accordingly as each horse or mule recently impressed may be considered as being a first, second, or third class artillery

CONFEDERATE AUTHORITIES. L173

or wagon horse or mule, whether the parties appeal to our Board or not, ana the impressing agents and officers should forthwith call on all those persons of whom they have impressed horses or mules and propose a settlement upon the foregoing basis, but allowing to each person only such prices as first, second, or third class artillery or wagon horses or mules may have been estimated at by the local or county appraisers, assuming our average appraisement of $600 as a fair medium valuation. This, then, would allow a maximum price of $800 and a minimum price of $400, making $600 the average price, thus allowing more for first-class horses or mules and proportionately less for the inferior, as they may fall below the grade of first class. The county appraisements will be the guide in making these settlements, but within the limits of our maximum price of $800 and our minimum price of $400. This plan would perhaps be most satisfactory to the people. For whatever price the county appraisers agreed upon should be deemed fair within the range of our minimum price of $400 and our maximum price of $800, payment of whatever amount awarded to be made in the new issue of Treasury notes.

The impressing officers in those instances where there were no arbitrators or local appraisements for horses or mules impressed should in all such cases themselves re-estimate the value of horses or mules thus impressed and allow in each case such additional compensation as would, within the limits of our schedule rates, appear just and proper. But if after this revaluation and settlement any person should not be satisfied the party could then appeal to our Board and have the case reconsidered.

All appeals and communications for the Board of Commissioners should be addressed, postpaid, Mr. D. K. Whitaker, secretary of the Board, Box 995, Richmond post-office, Va. ?

The next meeting of the Board will be held the 2d day of May next in the city

of Richmond. E. W. HUBARD, ROBT. GIBBONEY, Commissioners of Virginia.

JNO. WITHERS, Assistant Adjutant-General.

By command of the Secretary of War: