GENERAL ORDERS No. 28. HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, 19TH ARMY CORPS, Cortegele, near Vermilionville, April 19, 1863. The morning salute celebrates the anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, and the assault upon American troops in Baltimore in 1861. The day is consecrated to Union and Liberty. Soldiers, you have exhibited your devotion to its hallowed memories and the principles it represents. In peace you contributed in every professional and industrial pursuit to the prosperity and power which gave a world-wide renown to the American States. In war you have learned to endure fatigue, suffered deprivations, conquered difficulties and achieved victories. In three months you have become soldiers. You have defeated the enemy, dispersed his army and destroyed his navy. In twenty days you have marched 300 miles, fought four engagements, expelled him from his fortifications, driven him at the point of the bayonet from Berwick's Bay to Opelousas, captured ten guns and two thousand prisoners, including some of his best officers of all arms, and made the reorganization of his forces for the present impossible, by depriving him of all the material resources of war-destroying his foundries and demolishing his salt works, that for two years have sustained the life of the Confederacy. The navy of the Gulf shares in the honors of the campaign. It has encountered and dispersed the fleet of the enemy, and sunk the Queen of the West To-day it will reduce the fortifications at Butte-à-la Rose, and open the Atchafalaya to the Red river, and the Courtableau to Washington of Louisiana. Let us be grateful to Him who giveth us the victory, and true to the cause we defend. New glories are before us. The Army of the Gulf will command the attention of the people, and every eye be fastened upon its movements. Let us honor the flag we bear, and remember that to defy danger is to drive it into the ranks of the enemy. BY COMMAND OF MAJOR GENERAL BANKS : RICHARD B. IRWIN, Assistant Adjutant General. OFFICIAL: Aide-de-Camp. GENERAL ORDERS HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, 19TH ARMY CORPS, No. 29. Opelousas, April 21, 1863. The exigencies of the service, and the safety of the troops, imperatively demand that the disposable force of the corps shall march in column, except where necessary detachments upon special duty are ordered by superior officers. The desertion of the column upon the march, or straggling, for the purpose of pillage and plunder, is an offense made punishable with death by the Articles of War. The honor of the Flag, and the safety of the men who faithfully discharge their duty, demand that this law be enforced; and the Commanding General gives notice, absolute and positive, that this punishment will be executed upon those men, of whatever command, who violate the Army Regulations, and dishonor the service by inexcusable and attrocious acts of this kind. All officers, of whatever grade, who shall allow the men under their respective commands to leave the line of march, or the camp, without authority, will be summarily and dishonorably discharged the service, as unworthy to participate in the triumphant march of this column. The army is now hundreds of miles from its base of operations, in the enemy's country. The cam paign may be made one of the most creditable of the war, or it may disgrace the troops and dishonor the country. The Commanding General appeals to officers and men to reflect upon their position, to consider their duties, and faithfully to discharge the obligations which rest upon them, and is, for himself, determined to execute the severest sentence of military law npon those who basely betray the service and dishonor their country in this regard. Whatever property may be necessary for the support of the army, or may be prostituted to support the rebellion, will be taken by the Government, and due reparation will be made therefor. But we do not war upon women and children, however much and in whatever way they may have erred. Our contest is with the men and the armies of the rebellion. Information has been received at these Headquarters that the lives of officers as well as of the men of the line have been endangered by the unauthorized and criminal discharge of firearms by persons engaged in pillage. Notice is given to all officers and soldiers, that the parties engaged in these practices will be held responsible for the consequences of their acts, and that such offenses will be punished with the severest penalties prescribed by the Articles of War. This order is not a matter of form, but will be rigidly enforced during the campaign. Officers in every Division, Brigade and Regiment of this command, are directed to place a rear guard for the purpose of preventing stragglers from falling to the rear of the column. Where men are sick or foot-sore, upon the certificate of the surgeon, they will be allowed such conveyance or provided with such hospital accommodations as their situation may require. The captured straggler is the best · source of information that the enemy possesses. A soldier who deserts his column in the face of the enemy, will not hesitate to betray his comrades, and deserves the penalty which the law provides for his great wrong. BY COMMAND OF MAJOR GENERAL BANKS : RICHARD B. IRWIN, Assistant Adjutant General. OFFICIAL: Aide-de-Camp. Discharge of Firearms. GENERAL ORDERS HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, 19TH ARMY CORPS, No. 30. Opelousas, April 21, 1863. The Commanding Officer of every Division or separate Brigade in this command is hereby directed to detail a suitable guard,—of mounted men, if practicable---to be under the direction of the Division or Brigade Provost Marshal, and to march habitually in the rear and on the flanks of the Division or Brigade. All stragglers and marauders belonging to any command whatever in this army, and all officers and enlisted men found out of ranks or absent from their commands, except on duty or otherwise duly authorized to be absent as hereinafter provided, will be arrested-the names of the officers reported to these Headquarters for dishonorable discharge from the service, and the enlisted men invariably and severely punished according to the nature of their offenses. The punishment must not be left to the discretion of regimental commanders. A surgeon will march in rear of each regiment or battery, to examine cases of alleged inability to march. He will give to each officer or enlisted man whom he shall find actually unable to march, a certificate to that effect, which certificate will be a satisfactory excuse for a reasonable delay in rejoining the command. If an enlisted man is obliged to leave the ranks for a necessary purpose, the commander of his company shall give him a written permission to fall out for such purpose, (with date and hour of giving the permission,) to be signed by said commander; the soldier to return it when he rejoins the company. Such permission, in writing, will be deemed a sufficient excuse for being found out of ranks, provided the soldier shall rejoin his company without unnecessary delay. Orderlies, messengers, and detachments on duty, will not be deemed absent from their commands without authority, but will, when required to, state by whose authority they are so absent, when questioned by any provost guard. All servants of officers must always have the certificate prescribed by paragraph 782, Army Regulations. A semi-weekly report of the stragglers (officers and men) arrested by each provost guard, will be made on Wednesdays and Saturdays, to these Headquarters, by the Division or Brigade Provost Marshal, showing the name, rank, and regiment of the commissioned officers, and the number of the enlisted men from each regiment and company. The latter will be taken as an indication of the efficiency of the regimental and company commanders. |