That the commissary to be appointed by the agent of marine shall receive in full for his services, including any pay or allowances that he may be entitled to as an officer of the United States, the sum of 1,200 dollars per annum.

That the allowance of pay and rations to the persons to be appointed by the Secretary at War to assist him in superintending and safekeeping prisoners of war shall not exceed 40 dollars per month and four rations per day, or subsistence equivalent, including what they may be entitled to as officers of the Army.

September 22, 1782.-"By virtue of the power vested in the Commander in Chief by the resolve of the honorable the Congress of the 24th July last, Lieut. Col. Wm. S. Smith is appointed commissary of prisoners to the army in this quarter." (Orders, General Headquarters, Verplanck's Point.)

Resolved,

October 23, 1782.

That the following be the proportion of wagons

and bathorses to the different ranks of officers,

Commissary of prisoners, one two-horse wagon.

*

Deputy commissary of prisoners, southern army, one two-horse

Act of July 6, 1812 (2 Stats., 777).

AN ACT for the safe-keeping and accommodation of prisoners of war.1

That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, authorized to make such regulations and arrangements for the safe-keeping, support, and exchange of prisoners of war as he may deem expedient, until the same shall be otherwise provided for my law;

1 Repealed by act of March 3, 1817 (3-358).

BUREAU OF REFUGEES, FREEDMEN, AND

ABANDONED LANDS.

May 12, 1865.-Maj. Oliver O. Howard (Maine), Commissioner. June 30, 1872.-Bureau discontinued.

BUREAU OF REFUGEES, FREEDMEN, AND ABANDONED

LANDS.

STATUTES AT LARGE.

Act of March 3, 1865 (13 Stats., 507).

AN ACT to establish a bureau for the relief of freedmen and refugees.

That there is hereby established in the War Department, to continue during the present war of rebellion and for one year thereafter, a Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, to which shall be committed, as hereinafter provided, the supervision and management of all abandoned lands and the control of all subjects relating to refugees and freedmen from rebel States, or from any district of country within the territory embraced in the operations of the Army, under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the head of the Bureau and approved by the President. The said Bureau shall be under the management and control of a commissioner, to be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, whose compensation shall be three thousand dollars per annum, and such number of clerks as may be assigned to him by the Secretary of War, not exceeding one chief clerk, two of the fourth class, two of the third class, and five of the first class. And the commissioner, and all persons appointed under this act, shall, before entering upon their duties, take the oath of office prescribed in an act entitled "An act to prescribe an oath of office, and for other purposes," approved July second, eighteen hundred and sixty-two; and the commissioner and chief clerk shall, before entering upon their duties, give bonds to the Treasurer of the United States, the former in the sum of fifty thousand dollars and the latter in the sum of ten thousand dollars, conditioned for the faithful discharge of their duties, respectively, with securities to be approved as sufficient by the Attorney-General, which bonds shall be filed in the office of the First Comptroller of the Treasury, to be by him put in suit for the benefit of any injured party upon any breach of the conditions thereof.

SEC. 2. That the Secretary of War may direct such issues of provisions, clothing, and fuel as he may deem needful for the immediate and temporary shelter and supply of destitute and suffering refugees and freedmen and their wives and children, under such rules and regulations as he may direct.

SEC. 3. That the President may, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint an assistant commissioner for each of the States declared to be in insurrection, not exceeding ten in number, who shall, under the direction of the commissioner, aid in the execution of the