Today in History:

173 Series I Volume XVII-II Serial 25 - Corinth Part II

Page 173 Chapter XXIX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.


SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DISTRICT OF WEST TENNESSEE,

Numbers 163.
Corinth, Miss., August 14, 1862.

* * * * * *

VI. The two divisions of the Army of the Mississippi now guarding railroad east of Corinth will proceed with all dispatch to Decatur, Ala., as soon as relieved by troops to be designated by Brigadier-General Rosecrans. General Rosecrans will designate and order forward sufficient forces to hold the points now held by these two divisions with as little delay as practicable. The troops advancing will carry with them all their camp and garrison equipage, transportation, ammunition, and, if practicable ten days' rations. At Decatur they will receive supplies from Corinth so long as they remain a part of the command of the District of West Tennessee. Should orders be received by these two divisions from Major General D. C. Buell they will be obeyed and supplied there-after by such means as he may direct.

By order of Major General U. S. Grant:

JNO. A. RAWLINS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS FIFTH DIVISION,


Numbers 72.
Memphis, August 14, 1862.

I. Major Fisher, Fifty-fourth Ohio Volunteers, and Captain Little field, provost-marshal of General Hurlbut's division, are announced as assistant provost-marshals of Memphis, and will report for duty to Colonel Anthony. More attention will be given to the quiet and good order of soldiers on the streets. The assistant provost-marshals and the patrols and guards sent out by them have the power and right to suppress all riots and nuisances. Any house where noise, drunkenness, and fighting are either going on or likely to occur is a military nuisance, and will be suppressed by the seizure of its contents and the delivery of the liquors to the hospital department. If the nuisance cannot thus be suppressed the house will be burned or pulled down according to its position. Any brigade provost-marshal may suppress a nuisance in the vicinity of his brigade, but no house will be pulled down or burned without the written order of the commanding general, the provost-marshal, or the commander of a brigade.

Riots on the streets will be promptly suppressed by blows, the bayonet, or firing when necessary. Of course the military are not bound by the licenses issued by the city authorities as licenses are designed for revenue and not to sanction or encourage crimes and nuisances.

II. In consequence of the abuse of the privilege, passes given to officers and soldiers are hereby limited to the time between guard mounting in the morning and tattoo at night.

When an officer or soldier wishes to remain absent from his regiment and stay in the city overnight he must obtain from his commanding officer and his brigadier a special leave of absence, specifying the reason of his visit to the city.

All officers and soldiers found by the provost guard in the city without passes at any time, or after 10 o'clock at night without special leave from their brigadiers, will be arrested and confined for the night and sent in the morning to the guard of Colonel McDowell's brigade-soldiers to work on the fortification one week, officers to be confined to their tents in arrest. Written lists with charges should accompany each batch of prisoners thus arrested and sent with them to the fort.


Page 173 Chapter XXIX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.