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805 Series I Volume XXXIII- Serial 60 - New Berne

Page 805 Chapter XLV. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. -UNION.

captain, with one full company of infantry subject to his orders, to serve as guards and perform such other duties as may be required of the department.

Second. The corps and division provost-marshals may be changed by corps commanders, for cause, but all such changes, together with the reasons therefore, will be promptly reported to the provost-marshal-general.

Third. The official correspondence between the officers of the provost-marshal's department will be regulated by the provisions of paragraph 1 of General Orders, Numbers 81, of August 20, 1863, from these headquarters.

II. The following is established as the organization and equipment of the pioneer parties of this army:

First. The unit of organization will be by brigade. In each brigade 1 man shall be selected for every 50 men equipped for duty in it; for every 10 men thus selected a corporal shall be detailed, and for every 20 a sergeant, and for each brigade 1 lieutenant.

For each division a first lieutenant of old date or a captain shall be detailed to command the pioneers of the division, who will be a member of the division staff, and be furnished with a horse and equipments by the quartermaster's department.

The pioneers will be armed as they were in their regiments, and men and officers will be especially selected for fitness for the duty. They will be excused from all guard and picket duty and from ordinary fatigue details. The tools will be furnished in the following proportions, viz, five-tenths axes, three-tenths shovels, two-tenths picks, and be carried on pack-mules during the march, each mule carrying the tools for 40 pioneers. The quartermaster's department will provide the necessary mules and appropriate panniers for this service.

Brigade and division commanders are directed to give special attention to the prompt formation and equipment of their pioneer parties.

In camp, the pioneer parties will make the ordinary repairs to roads, build bridges, &c. On the march, they will move at the head of the infantry column and promptly put in order all parts of the route where artillery and wagons have to pass, whether for their own command or for troops to follow.

Second. Corps commanders will cause 1 non-commissioned officer and 25 efficient men to be selected and placed under the orders of the chief quartermaster of the corps to serve as a mounted pioneer party to accompany the trains, and to be provided with 10 axes, 10 spades, and 5 picks. The horses and equipments for the pioneers for the trains will be furnished by the quartermaster's department.

III. General Orders, Numbers 100, of November 5, 1863, from these headquarters, is so far modified as to authorize, in addition to present allowances, the following, viz:

At each army corps headquarters one two-horse wagon, without springs; three saddle-horses for contingent wants.

At each division headquarters one two-horse wagon, without springs; two saddle-horses for contingent wants.

At each brigade headquarters one common two-horse spring wagon; one saddle-horse for contingent wants.

The additional wagons thus authorized are for the transportation of paymasters, sick officers, and the public mails, and will not be used for private purposes.


Page 805 Chapter XLV. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. -UNION.