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HONOR TO THE FALLEN.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE OHIO, KNOXVILLE, TENN., Dec. 11.

GENERAL ORDER, No. 37.

In order clearly to designate the positions occupied by our troops during the recent siege, and in token of respect to the gallant officers who fell in defence of Knoxville, the several forts and batteries are named as follows:

Battery Noble-At loop-holed house south of Kingston road, in memory of Lieutenant and Adjutant William Noble, Second Michigan volunteers, who fell in the charge upon the enemy's rifle-pits, in front of Fort Sanders, on the morning of November twenty-fourth.

Fort Byington-At College, after Major Cornelius Byington, Second Michigan volunteers, who fell mortally wounded, while leading the assault upon the enemy's rifle-pits, in front of Fort Sanders, on the morning of November twentyfourth.

Ohio volunteer mounted infantry, who fell mortally wounded in the action near Philadelphia, Tennessee.

Battery Billingsley-Between Gay street and First Creek, in memory of Lieutenant J. Billingsley, Seventeenth Michigan infantry, who fell in action in front of Fort Sanders, November twentieth.

Fort Higley-Comprising all the works on the hill west of the railroad embankment, south side of the river, in memory of Captain Joel P. Higley, Seventh Ohio cavalry, who fell in action at Blue Springs, Tennessee, October sixteenth, 1863.

Fort Dickerson-Comprising all the works between Fort Stanley and Fort Higley, in memory of Captain Jonathan Dickerson, One Hundred and Twelfth Illinois mounted infantry, who fell in action near Cleveland, Tennessee. By command of Major-General BURNSIDE. LEWIS RICHMOND, A. A. G.

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Battery Galpin-East of Second Creek, in memory of Lieutenant Galpin, Second Michigan volunteers, who fell in the assault upon the enemy's rifle-pits, in front of Fort Sanders, on the GOVERNMENT OF THE CONTRABANDS. morning of November twenty-fourth.

Fort Comstock-On Summit Hill, near the railroad dépôt, in memory of Lieutenant-Colonel Comstock, Seventeenth Michigan volunteers, who fell in our lines during the siege.

Battery Wiltsee-West of Gay street, in memory of Captain Wiltsee, Twentieth Michigan volunteers, who was mortally wounded in our lines during the siege.

Fort Huntington Smith-On Temperance Hill, in memory of Lieutenant-Colonel Huntington Smith, Twentieth Michigan volunteer infantry, who fell at the battle of Campbell's Station.

Battery Clifton Lee-East of Fort Huntington Smith, in memory of Captain Clifton Lee, One Hundred and Twelfth Illinois mounted infantry, who fell in the fight of November eighteenth, in front of Fort Sanders.

Fort Hill-At the extreme eastern point of our lines, in memory of Captain Hill, of the Twelfth Kentucky cavalry, who fell during the siege.

Battery Fearns-On Flint Hill, in memory of Lieutenant and Adjutant Charles W. Fearns, Forty-fifth Ohio mounted infantry, who fell in the action of November eighteenth, in front of Fort Sanders.

Battery Zoellner-Between Fort Sanders and Second Creek, in memory of Lieutenant Frank Zoellner, Second Michigan volunteers, who fell mortally wounded, in the assault upon the enemy's rifle-pits in front of Fort Sanders, on the morning of November twenty-fourth.

GENERAL BUTLER'S ORDER.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS, DEPARTMENT
OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH-CAROLINA,

FORT MONROE, VA., December 5, 1863.
GENERAL ORDERS, No. 46.

THE recruitment of colored troops has become the settled purpose of the Government. It is therefore the duty of every officer and soldier to aid in carrying out that purpose, by every proper means, irrespective of personal predilection. To do this effectually, the former condition of the blacks, their change of relation, the new rights acquired by them, the new obligations imposed upon them, the duty of the Government to them, the great stake they have in the war, and the claims their ignorance, and the helplessness of their women and children, make upon each of us who hold a higher grade in social and political life, must all be carefully considered.

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It will also be taken into account that the colored soldiers have none of the machinery of State aid," for the support of their families while fighting our battles, so liberally provided for the white soldiers, nor the generous bounties given by the State and National Governments in the loyal States—although this last is far more than compensated to the black man by the great boon awarded to him, the result of the warfreedom for himself and his race for ever!

To deal with these several aspects of this subject, so that as few of the negroes as possible shall become chargeable either upon the bounty of Government or the charities of the benevo

Battery Stearman—In the gorge between Tem-lent, and at the same time to do justice to those perance Hill and Mabrey's Hill, in memory of Lieutenant William Stearman, Thirteenth Kentucky volunteers, who fell near Loudon, Tennes

see.

Fort Stanley-Comprising all the works upon the central hill on the south side of the river, in memory of Captain C. B. Stanley, Forty-fifth

who shall enlist, to encourage enlistment, and to cause all capable of working to employ themselves for their support, and that of their fam-1 ilies-either in arms or other service-and that the rights of negroes and the Government may both be protected, it is ordered :

First. In this department, after the first day

of December instant, and until otherwise ordered, every able-bodied colored man who shall enlist and be mustered into the service of the United States for three years or during the war, shall be paid as bounty, to supply his immediate wants, the sum of ten (10) dollars. And it shall be the duty of each mustering officer to return to these headquarters duplicate rolls of recruits so enlisted and mustered into the service, on the tenth, twentieth, and last days of each month, so that the bounty may be promptly paid and

accounted for.

Sixth. The best use, during the war, for an able-bodied colored man, as well for himself as the country, is to be a soldier. It is therefore further ordered: That no colored man, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, who can pass the surgeon's examination for a soldier, shall be employed on land by any person in behalf of the Government, (mechanics and skilled laborers alone excepted.) And it shall be the duty of each officer or other person employing colored labor in this department to be paid by or on behalf of the Government, to cause each laborer to be examined by the surgeons detailed to examine colored recruits, who shall furnish the laborer with a certificate of disability or ability, as the case may be; and after the first day of January next, no employment-rolls of colored laborers wherein this order has not been complied with, and are not vouched for by such certificate of disability of the employés. And whenever, hereafter, a colored employé of the Government shall not be paid within sixty days after his wages shall become due and payable, the officer or other person having the funds to make such payment shall be dismissed the service, subject to the approval of the President.

Second. To the family of each colored soldier so enlisted and mustered, so long as he shall remain in the service and behave well, shall be furnished suitable subsistence, under the direction of the Superintendents of Negro Affairs, or their assistants; and each soldier shall be fur-will be certified or passed at these headquarters nished with a certificate of subsistence for his family as soon as he is mustered; and any soldier deserting, or whose pay and allowances are forfeited by court-martial, shall be reported by his captain to the Superintendent of the district where his family lives, and the subsistence may be stopped-provided that such subsistence shall be continued for at least six months to the family of any colored soldier who shall die in the service by disease, wounds, or battle.

Third. Every enlisted colored man shall have the same uniform, clothing, arms, equipments, camp equipage, rations, medical and hospital treatment, as are furnished to the United States soldiers of a like arm of the service, unless, upon request, some modification thereof shall be granted from these headquarters.

Seventh. Promptness of payment of labor, and the facilities furnished by the Government and the benevolent, will enable colored laborers in the service of the Government to be supported from the proceeds of their labor. Therefore no subsistence will be furnished to the families of those employed by the Government at labor; but the Superintendent of Negro Affairs may Fourth. The pay of the colored soldiers shall issue subsistence to those so employed, and be ten (10) dollars per month, three of which charge the amount against their wages, and furmay be retained for clothing; but the non-com-nish the officer in charge of payment of such missioned officers, whether colored or white, laborers with the amounts so issued, on the first shall have the same addition to their pay as day of each month, or be himself chargeable other non-commissioned officers. It is, however, with the amount so issued. hoped and believed by the Commanding General, Eighth. Political freedom, rightly defined, is that Congress, as an act of justice, will increase liberty to work, and to be protected in the full the pay of the colored troops to a uniform rate enjoyment of the fruits of labor, and no one with other troops of the United States. He can with ability to work should enjoy the fruits of see no reason why a colored soldier should be another's labor. Therefore, no subsistence will asked to fight upon less pay than any other. be permitted to any negro or his family, with The colored man fills an equal space in ranks whom he lives, who is able to work and does while he lives, and an equal grave when he falls. not work. It is, therefore, the duty of the SuFifth. It appears by returns from the several perintendent of Negro Affairs to furnish employrecruiting officers, that enlistments are discour-ment to all the negroes able to labor, and see aged, and the Government is competing against itself, because of the payment of sums larger than the pay of the colored soldiers to the colored employé in the several staff departments, and that, too, while the charities of the Government and individuals are supporting the families of the laborer. It is further ordered: That no officer, or other person on behalf of the Government, or to be paid by the Government, on land in this department, shall employ or hire any colored man for a greater rate of wages than ten dollars per month, without rations, except that mechanics and skilled laborers may be employed at other rates-regard being had, however, to the pay of the soldier, in fixing such rates.

that their families are supplied with the necessaries of life. Any negro who refuses to work when able, and neglects his family, will be arrested, and reported to these headquarters, to be sent to labor on the fortifications, where he will be made to work. No negro will be required to labor on the Sabbath, unless upon the most urgent necessity.

Ninth. The Commanding General is informed that officers and soldiers in the department have, by impressment and force, compelled the labor of negroes, sometimes for private use, and often without any imperative necessity.

Negroes have rights so long as they fulfil their duties. Therefore, it is ordered, that no officer

or soldier shall impress or force to labor, for any private purpose whatever, any negro; and negro labor shall not be impressed or forced for any public purpose, unless under orders from these headquarters, or because of imperative military necessity, and where the labor of white citizens would be compelled, if present. And any order of any officer compelling any labor by negroes or white citizens shall be forthwith reported to these headquarters, and the reasons which called for the necessity for such order be fully set forth.

In case of a necessity compelling negro or white labor for the purpose of building fortifications, bridges, roads, or aiding transportation or other military purpose, it shall be the duty of the Superintendent of Negroes in that district to cause employment-rolls to be made of those so compelled to labor, and to present said rolls, as soon as the necessity ceases, to the Assistant Quartermaster of the district, that the laborers may be paid; and the Superintendent shall see that those that labor shall have proper subsistence, and may draw from the Commissary of Subsistence rations therefor. Any officer offending wilfully against the provisions of this order, will be dismissed the service, subject to the approval of the President.

And no negro shall be impressed into military service of the United States, except under orders from these headquarters, by a draft, which shall equally apply to the white and colored citizens.

shall dissuade, hinder, prevent, or endeavor to prevent or hinder any negro from enlisting; or who shall insult, abuse, ridicule, or interfere with, for the purpose of casting ridicule or contempt upon colored troops, or individual soldiers, because they are colored, shall be deemed to be, and held liable under the several acts of Congress applicable to this subject, and be punished with military severity for obstructing recruiting.

Eleventh. In consideration of the ignorance and helplessness of the negroes, arising from the condition in which they have been heretofore held, it becomes necessary that the Government should exercise more and peculiar care and protection over them than over its white citizens, accustomed to self-control and self-support, so that their sustenance may be assured, their rights respected, their helplessness protected, and their wrongs redressed; and, that there be one system of management of negro affairs,

It is ordered: That Lieutenant-Colonel J. Burnham Kinsman, A. D. C., be detailed at these headquarters, as General Superintendent of Negro Affairs in this department, to whom all reports and communications relating thereto, required to be sent to these headquarters, shall be addressed. He shall have a general superintendence over all the colored people of this department; and all other Superintendents of Negro Affairs shall report to Lieutenant-Colonel Kinsman, who is acting for the Commanding General in this behalf.

All the territory of Virginia south of the James River shall be under the superintendence of Captain Orlando Brown, Assistant Quartermaster. All the territory north of James River shall be under the superintendence of Captain Charles B. Wilder, Assistant Quartermaster. The District of North-Carolina shall be under the superintendence of Rev. Horace James, Chaplain.

Tenth. The theory upon which negroes are received into the Union lines, and employed, either as laborers or soldiers, is, that every negro able to work, who leaves the rebel lines, diminishes by so much the producing power of the rebellion to supply itself with food and labor necessary to be done outside of military operations, to sustain its armies; and the United States thereby gains either a soldier or a pro- Each Superintendent shall have the power to ducer. Women and children are received, be- select and appoint such Assistant Superintendcause it would be manifestly iniquitous and un-ents for such sub-districts in his district as may just to take the husband and father, and leave the wife and child to ill-treatment and starvation. Women and children are also received when unaccompanied by the husband and father, because the negro has the domestic affections in as strong a degree as the white man, and however far South his master may drive him, he will sooner or later return to his family.

Therefore it is ordered: That every officer and soldier of this command shall aid, by every means in his power, the coming of all colored people within the Union lines; that all officers commanding expeditions and raids shall bring in with them all the negroes possible, affording them transportation, aid, protection, and encouragement. Any officer bringing or admitting negroes within his lines shall forthwith report the same to the Superintendent of Negro Affairs within his district, so they may be cared for and protected, enlisted, or set to work. Any officer, soldier, or citizen who shall dissuade, hinder, prevent, or endeavor to hinder or prevent any negro from coming within the Union lines; or

be necessary, to be approved by the Commanding General; such appointments to be confirmed by the Commanding General.

The pay of such assistant, if a civilian, shall in no case exceed the pay of a first-class clerk in the quartermaster's department.

It shall be the duty of each Superintendent, under the direction of the General Superintendent, to take care of the colored inhabitants of his district, not slaves, under the actual control of a loyal master in his district, (and in all questions arising as to freedom or slavery of any colored person, the presumption shall be that the man, woman, or child is free or has claimed protection of the military authorities of the United States, which entitles the claimant to freedom;) to cause an accurate census to be taken of colored inhabitants in his district, and their employments; to cause all to be provided with necessary shelter, clothing, food, and medicines; to see that all able to work shall have some employment, and that such employment shall be industriously pursued; to see that in all contracts for labor or

Fifteenth. Courts-martial and courts of inquiry in relation to all offences committed by, or against any of the colored troops, or any person in the service of the United States connected with the care, or serving with the colored troops, shall have a majority of its members composed of officers in command of colored troops, when such can be detailed without manifest injury to the service.

All offences by citizens against the negroes, or by the negroes against citizens-except of a high and aggravated nature-shall be heard and tried before the provost-court.

other things made by the negroes with white or recruitment of colored troops, and relating to persons the negro is not defrauded, and to annul the care and control of the negroes in this deall contracts made by the negroes which are un-partment, with any official organized body or conscionable and injurious, and that such contracts society, or any department or bureau of the Govas are fulfilled by the negro shall be paid; to ernment, must be transmitted through these headtake charge of all lands and all property allotted, quarters, as by regulation all other military corturned over, or given to the use of the negroes, respondence is required to be done. whether by Government or by charity; to keep accurate accounts of the same, and of all expenditure; to audit all accounts of the negroes against Government, and to have all proper allowances made as well to the negro as the Government; and to have all claims put in train for payment by the Government; to keep accurate accounts of all expenses of the negro to the Government, and of his earnings for the Government; to see that the negroes who have wrought on land furnished by the Government on shares shall have their just portion, and to aid in disposing of the same for the best good of the negro and Govern- Sixteenth. This order shall be published and furment; to make quarterly returns and exhibits nished to each regiment and detached post within of all accounts of matters committed to them; the department a copy for every commanding and to hold all moneys arising from the surplus officer thereof-and every commander of a comearnings of the negro over the expenditures by pany, or detachment less than a company, shall the United States, for the use and benefit of the cause the same to be read once, at least, to his negroes, under orders from these headquarters. company or detachment; and this order shall be Twelfth. It appearing to the Commanding Gen-printed for the information of the citizens, once, eral that some of the labor done by the negroes at least, in each newspaper published in the dein this department remains unpaid-some for the partment. space of more than two years, although contracts were duly made by the proper officers of the Government for the payment thereof - whereby the faith of the negro in the justice of the Government is impaired, and the trust in its protection is weakened, it is ordered, that each Superintendent shall be a Commissioner, to audit all such accounts, procure evidence of their validity, make out accurate pay-rolls, and return the same, so that they may be presented for adjustment to the proper departments. Provided, however, that no sale of any such claim against the Government shall be valid, and no payment shall be made of any such claim, except in hand to the person actually earning it—if he is within this department-or to his legal representative, if the person earning it be deceased.

Thirteenth. Religious, benevolent, and humane persons have come into this department for the charitable purpose of giving to the negroes secular and religious instructions; and this, too, without any adequate pay or material reward. It is, therefore, ordered, that every officer and soldier shall treat all such persons with the utmost respect; shall aid them by all proper means in their laudable avocations; and that transportation be furnished them, whenever it may be necessary in pursuit of their business.

Fourteenth. As it is necessary to preserve uniformity of system, and that information shall be had as to the needs and the supplies for the negro, and as certain authorizations are had to raise troops in the department, a practice has grown up of corresponding directly with the War and other Departments of the Government, to the manifest injury of the service: It is, therefore, ordered, That all correspondence in relation to the raising

By command of Major-General BUTLER.
R. S. DAVIS,

Official.

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

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MESSAGE OF JEFFERSON DAVIS.

DELIVERED DECEMBER 7, 1863.

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the Confederate States:

THE necessity for legislative action, arising out of the important events that have marked the interval since your adjournment, and my desire to have the aid of your counsel on other matters of grave public interest, render your presence at this time more than ordinarily welcome. Indeed, but for serious obstacles to convoking you in extraordinary session, and the necessity for my own temporary absence from the seat of government, I would have invited you to an earlier meeting than that fixed at the date of your adjournment.

Grave reverses befell our arms soon after your departure from Richmond. Early in July, our strongholds at Vicksburgh and Port Hudson, together with their entire garrisons, capitulated to the combined land and naval forces of the enemy. The important interior position of Jackson next fell into their temporary possession. Our unsuccessful assault on the post at Helena was followed, at a later period, by the invasion of Arkansas; and the retreat of our army from Little Rock gave to the enemy the control of the important valley in which it is situated.

The resolute spirit of the people soon rose superior to the temporary despondency naturally

resulting from these reverses. The gallant troops so ably commanded in the States beyond the Mississippi, inflicted repeated defeats on the invading armies in Louisiana and on the coast of Texas. Detachments of troops and active bodies of partisans kept up so effective a war on the Mississippi River as practically to destroy its value as an avenue of commerce.

The determined and successful defence of Charleston against the joint land and naval oprations of the enemy, afforded an inspiring example of our ability to repel the attacks even of the iron-clad fleet, on which they chiefly rely, while on the Northern frontier our success was still more marked.

Chattanooga, where his imperilled position had the immediate effect of relieving the pressure of the invasion at other points, forcing the concentration, for his relief, of large bodies of troops withdrawn from the armies in the Mississippi valley and in Northern Virginia. The combined forces thus accumulated against us in Tennessee so greatly outnumbered our army as to encourage the enemy to attack. After a long and severe battle, in which great carnage was inflicted on him, some of our troops inexplicably abandoned positions of great strength, and, by a disorderly retreat, compelled the commander to withdraw the forces elsewhere successful, and, finally, to retire with his whole army to a position some The able commander who conducted the cam- twenty or thirty miles to the rear. It is bepaign in Virginia determined to meet the threat-lieved that if the troops, who yielded to the asened advance on Richmond-for which the ene-sault, had fought with the valor which they had my had made long and costly preparations-by displayed on previous occasions, and which was forcing their armies to cross the Potomac and manifested in this battle on other parts of the fight in defence of their own capital and homes. lines, the enemy would have been repulsed with Transferring the battle-field to their own soil, he very great slaughter, and our country would have succeeded in compelling their rapid retreat from escaped the misfortune and the army the mortiVirginia, and, in the hard-fought battle of Get-fication of the first defeat that has resulted from tysburgh, inflicted such severity of punishment misconduct by the troops. In the mean time, as disabled them from early renewal of the cam- the army of General Burnside was driven from paign as originally projected. Unfortunately, all its field positions in Eastern Tennessee, and the communications on which our General relied forced to retreat from its intrenchments at Knoxfor receiving his supplies of munitions were in-ville, where, for some weeks, it was threatened terrupted by extraordinary floods, which so swelled the Potomac as to render impassable the fords by which his advance had been made, and he was thus forced to a withdrawal, which was conducted with deliberation, after securing large trains of captured supplies, and with a constant but unaccepted tender of battle. On more than one occasion the enemy has since made demonstrations of a purpose to advance, invariably followed by a precipitate retreat to intrenched lines on the approach of our forces.

The effective check thus opposed to the advance of invaders at all points was such as to afford hope of their early expulsion from portions of the territory previously occupied them, when the country was painfully surprised by the intelligence that the officer in command of Cumberland Gap had surrendered that important and easily defensible pass without firing a shot, upon the summons of a force still believed to have been inadequate to its reduction, and when reënforcements were within supporting distance and had been ordered to his aid. The entire garrison, including the commander, being still held as prisoners by the enemy, I am unable to suggest any explanation of this disaster, which laid open Eastern Tennessee and South-Western Virginia to hostile operations, and broke the line of communication between the seat of government and Middle Tennessee. This easy success of the enemy was followed by an advance of General Rosecrans into Georgia, and our army evacuated Chattanooga and availed itself of the opportunity thus afforded of winning, on the field of Chickamauga, one of the most brilliant and decisive victories of the war. This signal defeat of General Rosecrans was followed by his retreat into

with capture by the forces under General Longstreet. No information has reached me of the final result of the operations of our commander, though intelligence has arrived of his withdrawal from that place.

While, therefore, our success in driving the enemy from our soil has not equalled the expectations confidently entertained at the commencement of the campaign, his further progress has been checked. If we are forced to regret losses in Tennessee and Arkansas, we are not without ground for congratulations on successes in Louisiana and Texas. On the sea-coast he is exhausted by vain efforts to capture our ports; while, on the Northern frontier, he has in turn felt the pressure and dreads the renewal of invasion. The indomitable courage and perseverance of the people in the defence of their homes have been nobly attested by the unanimity with which the Legislatures of Virginia, North-Carolina, and Georgia have recently given expression to the popular sentiment; and like manifestations may. be anticipated from all the States. Whatever obstinacy may be displayed by the enemy in his desperate sacrifices of money, life, and liberty, in the hope of enslaving us, the experience of mankind has too conclusively shown the superior endurance of those who fight for home, liberty, and independence, to permit any doubt of the result.

FOREIGN RELATIONS.

I regret to inform you that there has been no improvement in the state of our relations with foreign countries since my message in January last. On the contrary, there has been a still greater divergence in the conduct of European nations from that practical impartiality which

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