Ulysses S. Grant to George G. Meade, May 18, 1865

Gen. George G. Meade,

Commanding Army of the Potomac:

In connection with the telegram order of yesterday, relative to the discharge ol troops whose terms expire prior toOfto’>erl, and referring to paragr^^^^ eral Orders, No. 94, current series, I am directed to say that it is ot importanc( that the muster-out rolls should be ready in the shortest time possible.

Extra clerks should be detailed to assist the commissaries of musters and then

^^In\he absence of rooms for use as offices, hospital and wall tents should b< provided for the use of mustering officers in making out the necessary papers All other proper facilities at command should also be afforded.

The attention of corps, division, and brigade commanders should be directed to what is required of them under paragraph IV , General Orders, No. 94 Assistant inspectors-general should be directed to frequently visit and companies, to see in person if the data for the rolls PfP®^®.p

promptly and accurately furnished by regimental and company officei^ confe nng with the commissaries of musters and their assistants with the view of cor recting at once any delinquencies they may VINCENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Note.— The foregoing instructions were applied to the Army of the Tennesse and Army of Georgia, May 18, 1865, and to other armies and departments excep Department of the East, Northern Department, Departments of the Pacific an New Mexico, June 2, 1865.

War Department, Adjutant-General’s Office,

Washington, May 29, 1865.

The Secretary of War directs that all volunteer organizations of white troops in your command whose terms of service expire between this date and September tions, and under the regulations promulgated in General Orders, No. 94, of the 15th instant, from this office.

All men in the aforesaid organizations whose terms of service expire subsequent to October 1 will be transferred to other organizations from the same State; to veteran regiments when practicable, and when not practicable to regiments hav¬ ing the longest time to serve.

It is proper to add that this order will discharge as follows:

First. The three-years’ regiments that were mustered into service under the call of July 2, 1862, and prior to October 1 of that year.

Second. Three-years’ recruits mustered into service for old regiments between the same dates.

Third. One-year’s men for new and old organizations who entered the service prior to October 1, 1864.

Should your command be reduced prejudicially to the service by this order you are authorized to suspend it in whole or in part, promptly notifying the AdjutantG^eral of the Army, with a view to receiving further instructions.

Please acknowledge receipt of this.

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Telegram.] War Department, Adjutant-General’s Office,

TIT • ^ Washington, May 29, 1865.

Maj. Gen. George G. Meade, ^ ^ ,

Commanding Army of the Potomac.

Maj. Gen. John G. Parke,

Commanding Ninth Army Corps:

The Secretary of War directs that all the volunteer artillery of your command (army) be immediately mustered out and discharged.

For this arm of the service General Orders, No. 94, current series, from this office, IS so modified as to allow said troops to be sent to their respective States, StSe under the direction of the chief mustering officer of the

Prior to their departure all public property will be turned over to the proper Officers ot the supply departments concerned for the command with which thev may be serving. ^

The troops should be placed en route with the least practicable delay, and forwarded to the respective rendezvous in their States at or nearest which they were 11114.0 00. in,

■: War Department, Adjutant-General’s Office,

Pi ‘ Washington, June 5, 1865.

telegram to commanding generals of all armies and departments except¬ ing DEPARTMENTS OF THE EAST AND THE NORTHERN. ‘

Secretary of War directs that all dismounted volunteer cavalry of your command be immediately discharged the service. ^

and th?ir?n^? aS* be made by commissaries of musters and their assistants, and the troops afterward forwarded to their respective States for payment.

will General Orders, No. 94, current series, from this office,

will be applied in executing this order. ‘ j

Please acknowledge receipt of this by telegram and report the number of men i to be discharged. i

Assistant Adjutant-General.

1. See General Orders, No. 105, of June 2, for the discharge of cer¬ tain batteries of artillery.

2. Telegram from this office of June 5, 1865, to Major-General Dix, commanding Department of the East, directed all volunteer cavalry in that department to be discharged ; organizations to be sent to their respective States for muster out under the direction of the chief mustering officers thereof.

3. Telegram from this office of June 5, 1865, to Major-General Dix, commanding Department of the East, and Major-General Hooker, commanding Northern Department, directed all volunteer infantry (except Veteran Reserve Corps) in said departments whose services were no longer required to be discharged; organizations to be sent to their respective States for muster out under the direction of the chief mustering officers thereof.

4. Telegram from this office of June 16, 1865, to Major-General McDowell, commanding Department of the Pacific, directed all vol¬ unteer troops in that department whose terms expire prior to October 1, 1865, to be immediately discharged. Should the order reduce the command prejudicially to the service, authority was given to suspend it, in whole or in part, until the receipt of further orders through the Adjutant-General of the Army.

Assistant Adjutant- General.

Confidential Circular.] Washington, June 22, 1865.

All department commanders commanding in States where martial ! law prevails will immediately put detectives upon the watch for gambling-houses, especially faro banks, and at the appropriate time [ make a descent upon them all simultaneously, arresting all disburs¬ ing officers of the Government who may be found gambling in them, or visitants therein at the time, and who it can be proven had pre¬ viously gambled at such places. The gambling institutions will be completely broken up and their money and stock confiscated, and the owners or proprietors of such gambling institutions be made to disgorge and refund all money they have won from U. S. disbursing officers. The officer so taken will be imprisoned and tried immedi¬ ately. The same proceedings will be taken by department command¬ ers in the North within their respective commands in the cities where disbursing officers may be located, except that instead of confiscating the money and stock of the gambling establishments, or compelling by military action the owners and proprietors of the same to disgorge or refund any moneys they may have won from disbursing officers of the Government, they will be immediately reported to the civil author¬ ities for their action. This will be kept strictly confidential, except so far as it may be necessary to communicate it to those who are to

carry it into execution.

(Sent to all military division and department commanders in cipher. ) Memorandum.] War Dept., Paymaster-General’s Office,

Washington, D. (7., June 22, 1865.

All veteran volunteers in batteries of volunteer artillery mustered out as organizations from Armies of Potomac, Tennessee, and Georgia, under recent orders, are mustered out ‘ ‘ on account of their services being no longer required,” and are entitled to balance of veteran bounty.

Heavy artillery follows the general rule, not that for field artillery.

Special Orders, \ PIdqrs. of the Army, Adjt. Gen.’s Office,

No. 328. f Washing to7i, June 23, 1865.

5. Bvt. Maj. Gen. J. D. Webster, U. S. Volunteers, is hereby tem¬ porarily detached from the staff of Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman, and will proceed without delay on a tour of inspection of the railroads of the Southern States, reporting upon their present condition and their ability to transport the U. S. mails.

In his report he will consider all the subjects mentioned in the let¬ ter of instructions which will be given him, and such other matters pertaining to the Southern railroads as in his investigations may sug¬ gest themselves.

I General Webster is authorized to employ and take with him an experienced railroad man.

Upon the execution of this order General Webster will report to Major-General Sherman for duty.

By command of Lieutenant-General Grant: