Today in History:

562 Series I Volume XXXIV-II Serial 62 - Red River Campaign Part II

Page 562 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter XLVI.

GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS, No. 25.
AND U. S. FORCES IN W. LOUISIANA, Franklin, March 11, 1864.

1. During the march the commanding officers of regiments will habitually march at the rear of their regiments and will make it their particular duty to see that straggling is prevented, and that the men do not wander from the ranks into houses and fields near the line of march. They will inflict summary punishment upon men who do so straggle or wander, and in case of mutinous language or disobedience of orders by stragglers, must use their power so far as to put the stragglers to death if such course be necessary to enforce this order.

2. Each brigade commander shall keep a staff officer in rear of his brigade during the march, whose duty it shall be to report at once to his chief any neglect of duty on the part of regimental officers in carrying out this order.

3. The division commanders will also exercise a general supervision over the march by leaving staff officers, who will report to them whether the regiments start at the time indicated in the orders for the march, and whether the orders against straggling are carried out.

4. Guards will be kept at such points as the commander of the leading division may consider necessary, and these guards will be relieved, by the commander of the next division as it passes, when they will rejoin their commands. After the second division and its train has passed the guards left by it will rejoin their command.

5. No officer or soldier will be allowed to leave the ranks on account of illness without a written statement from a medical officer (one of whom shall march in the rear of each regiment) of his regiment or detachment, stating that the bearer, naming him, has been permitted to leave the ranks on account of illness, and also directing that he be received into an ambulance if necessary. The officer in charge of the ambulances must not admit any person to ride in them, whether officer or soldier, who has not such a written authority.

6. The major-general commanding appeals to the officers and soldiers of this command to assist him in enforcing these orders to prevent marauding and straggling, begging them to remember that warring on an unarmed population is barbarous, and that robbing defenseless women and children and insulting unarmed men will only embitter the war and make enemies where we should make friends.

7. This order will be read upon its receipt at the head of every company of this command.

By order of Major-General Franklin:

WICKHAM HOFFMAN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. THIRD DIV., 13TH ARMY CORPS, No. 10.
Berwick, La., March 11, 1864.

If the remaining transportation should arrive to-day this division will move to-morrow morning at 7 o'clock for Franklin. If it does


Page 562 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter XLVI.