the Military Division of the Missouri, in addition to his duties of department commander. By command of General Grant: Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General. EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, D. C., February 21, 1868. Washington, D. C. SIR: By virtue of the power and authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and laws of the United States, you are hereby removed from office as Secretary for the Department of War, and your functions as such will terminate upon the receipt of this communication. You will transfer to Brevet Major-General Lorenzo Thomas, AdjutantGeneral of the Army, who has this day been authorized and empowered to act as Secretary of War ad interim, all records, books, papers, and other public property now in your custody and charge. Respectfully, yours, ANDREW JOHNSON. EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, D. C., February 21, 1868. Brevet Major-General LORENZO THOMAS, Adjutant-General United States Army, Washington, D. C. SIR: The Hon. Edwin M. Stanton having been this day removed from office as Secretary for the Department of War, you are hereby authorized and empowered to act as Secretary of War ad interim, and will immediately enter upon the discharge of the duties pertaining to that office. Mr. Stanton has been instructed to transfer to you all the records, books, papers, and other public property now in his custody and charge. Respectfully, yours, ANDREW JOHNSON. GENERAL ORDERS, No. 17. HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, By direction of the President of the United States, Major-General W. S. Hancock is relieved from command of the Fifth Military District and assigned to command of the Military Division of the Atlantic, created by General Orders, No. 10, of February 12, 1868. By command of General Grant: E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General. EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, D. C., May 28, 1868. The chairman of the committee of arrangements having requested that an opportunity may be given to those employed in the several Executive Departments of the Government to unite with their fellow-citizens in paying a fitting tribute to the memory of the brave men whose remains repose in the national cemeteries, the President directs that as far as may be consistent with law and the public interests persons who desire to participate in the ceremonies be permitted to absent themselves from their duties on Saturday, the 30th instant. By order of the President: WM. G. MOORE, Secretary. EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, D. C., June 1, 1868. Major-General John M. Schofield having been appointed, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, Secretary for the Department of War, is hereby relieved from the command of the First Military District, created by the act of Congress passed March 2, 1867. Brevet Major-General George Stoneman is hereby assigned, according to his brevet rank of major-general, to the command of the said First District and of the Military Department of Virginia. The Secretary of War will please give the necessary instructions to carry this order into effect. ANDREW JOHNSON. GENERAL ORDERS, No. 25. HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, I. The following order of the President has been received from the War Department: WASHINGTON, June 2, 1868. The President with deep regret announces to the people of the United States the decease, at Wheatland, Pa., on the 1st instant, of his honored predecessor James Buchanan. This event will occasion mourning in the nation for the loss of an eminent citizen and honored public servant. As a mark of respect for his memory, it is ordered that the Executive Departments be immediately placed in mourning and all business be suspended on the day of the funeral. It is further ordered that the War and Navy Departments cause suitable military and naval honors to be paid on this occasion to the memory of the illustrious dead. ANDREW JOHNSON. II. In compliance with the instructions of the President and of the Secretary of War, on the day after the receipt of this order at each military post the troops will be paraded at 10 o'clock a. m. and the order read to them, after which all labors for the day will cease. The national flag will be displayed at half-staff. At dawn of day thirteen guns will be fired, and afterwards, at intervals of thirty minutes between the rising and setting sun, a single gun, and at the close of the day a national salute of thirty-seven guns. The officers of the Army will wear crape on the left arm and on their swords and the colors of the several regiments will be put in mourning for the period of six months. By command of General Grant: E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General. SPECIAL ORDER. NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, June 3, 1868. The death of ex-President James Buchanan is announced in the following order of the President of the United States: [For order see preceding page.] In pursuance of the foregoing order, it is hereby directed that thirty minute guns be fired at each of the navy-yards and naval stations on Thursday, the 4th instant, the day designated for the funeral of the late ex-President Buchanan, commencing at noon, and on board the flagships in each squadron upon the day after the receipt of this order. The flags at the several navy-yards, naval stations, and marine barracks will be placed at half-mast until after the funeral, and on board all naval vessels in commission upon the day after this order is received. GIDEON WELLES, Secretary of the Navy. GENERAL ORDERS, No. 33. HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, ADJUTANT-GEneral's OffICE, By direction of the President of the United States, the following orders are made: I. Brevet Major-General Irvin McDowell is relieved from the command of the Fourth Military District, and will report in person, without delay, at the War Department. II. Brevet Major-General Alvan C. Gillem is assigned to the command of the Fourth Military District, and will assume it without delay. By command of General Grant: E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General. M P-VOL VI—2 GENERAL Orders, No 44. HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, By direction of the President, Brigadier and Brevet Major-General Irvin McDowell is assigned to the command of the Department of the East. The headquarters of the department will be transferred from Philadelphia to New York City. By command of General Grant: E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General. GENERAL Orders, No. 55. HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, The following orders from the War Department, which have been approved by the President, are published for the information and government of the Army and of all concerned: The commanding generals of the Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Military Districts having officially reported that the States of Arkansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida have fully complied with the acts of Congress known as the reconstruction acts, including the act passed June 22, 1868, entitled "An act to admit the State of Arkansas to representation in Congress," and the act passed June 25, 1868, entitled "An act to admit the States of North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida to representation in Congress," and that, consequently, so much of the act of March 2, 1867, and the acts supplementary thereto as provides for the organization of military districts, subject to the military authority of the United States, as therein provided, has become inoperative in said States, and that the commanding generals have ceased to exercise in said States the military powers conferred by said acts of Congress: Therefore the following changes will be made in the organization and command of military districts and geographical departments: I. The Second and Third Military Districts having ceased to exist, the States of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida will constitute the Department of the South, Major-General George G. Meade to command. Headquarters at Atlanta, Ga. II. The Fourth Military District will now consist only of the State of Mississippi, and will continue to be commanded by Brevet Major-General A. C. Gillem. III. The Fifth Military District will now consist of the State of Texas, and will be commanded by Brevet Major-General J. J. Reynolds. Headquarters at Austin, Tex. IV. The States of Louisiana and Arkansas will constitute the Department of Louisiana. Brevet Major-General L. H. Rousseau is assigned to the command. Headquarters at New Orleans, La. Until the arrival of General Rousseau at New Orleans, Brevet Major-General Buchanan will command the Department. V. Brevet Major-General George Crook is assigned, according to his brevet of major-general, to command the Department of the Columbia, in place of Rousseau, relieved. VI. Brevet Major-General E. R. S. Canby is reassigned to command. the Department of Washington. Under and in pursuance of the authority vested in the President of the United States by the provisions of the second section of the act of Congress approved on the 27th day of July, 1868, entitled "An act to extend the laws of the United States relating to customs, commerce, and navigation over the territory ceded to the United States by Russia, to establish a collection district therein, and for other purposes," the port of Sitka, in said Territory, is hereby constituted and established as the port of entry for the collection district of Alaska provided for by said act; and under and in pursuance of the authority vested in him by the fourth section of said act the importation and use of firearms, ammunition, and distilled spirits into and within the said Territory, or any portion thereof, except as hereinafter provided, is entirely prohibited, under the pains and penalties specified in said last-named section: Provided, however, That under such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe, in accordance with law, such articles may, in limited quantities, be shipped coastwise from United States ports on the Pacific coast to said port of Sitka, and to that port only in said Territory, on the shipper giving bonds to the collector of customs at the port of shipment, conditioned that such articles will on their arrival at Sitka be delivered to the collector of customs, or the person there acting as such, to remain in his possession and under his control until sold or disposed of to such persons as the military or other chief authority in said Territory may specially designate in permits for that purpose signed by himself or a subordinate duly authorized by him. Done at the city of Washington, this 22d day of August, A. D. 1868, and of the Independence of the United States the ninety-third. ANDREW JOHNSON, President. |