ulations prescribing the details of every department in the service for the general government of the Army, which regulations shall be approved by the President, and when so approved shall be binding.

SEC. 27. All officers of the Quartermaster's and Commissary Department shall, previous to entering on the duties of their respective offices, give bonds, with good and sufficient sureties, to the Confederate States, in such sum as the Secretary of War shall direct, fully to account for all moneys and public property which they may receive.

SEC. 28. Neither the Quartermaster-General, the Commissary-General, nor any or either of their assistant shall be concerned, directly or indirectly, in the purchase or sale of any articles intended for, making a part of, or appertaining to public supplies, except for and on account of the Confederate States; nor shall they, or either of them, take or apply to his or their own use any gain or emolument for negotiating any business in their respective departments other that what is or may be allowed by law.

SEC. 29. The Rules and Articles of War established by the law of the United States of America for the government of the Army are hereby declared to be of force, except that wherever the words "United States" occur the words "Confederate States" shall be substituted therefor; and except that the Articles of War Nos. 61 and 62 are hereby abrogated and the following articles substituted therefor:

ART. 61. Officers having brevets or commissions of a prior date to those of the corps in which they serve will take place on courts-martial or of inquiry, and on boards detailed for military purposes, when composed of different corps, according to the ranks given them in their brevet or former commissions; but in the regiment, corps, or company to which such officers belong they shall do duty and take rank, both in courts and on boards as aforesaid which shall be composed of their own corps, according to the commissions by which they are there mustered.

ART. 62. If upon marches, guards, or in quarters different corps shall happen to join or do duty together, the officer highest in rank, according to the commission by which he is mustered in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or militia, there on duty by orders from competent authority, shall command the whole and give orders for what is needful for the service, unless otherwise directed by the President of the Confederate States in order of special assignment providing for the case.

SEC. 30. The President shall call into the service of the Confederate States only so many of the troops herein provided for as he may deem the safety of the Confederacy may require.

SEC. 31. All laws or parts of laws of the United States, which have been adopted by the Congress of the Confederate States, repugnant to or inconsistent with this act are hereby repealed.

Approved March 6, 1861.

WASHINGTON, D. C., March 6, 1861.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS,

President of the Confederate States of America:

SIR: In pursuance of my understanding with you respecting the machinery for arms, I immediately, on my arrival here, went to work to find out the facts relative to the business, and had prepared a letter to you as the result of my investigations, which I took on Sunday evening to Captain Semmes for delivery, as I learned he was going direct to Montgomery. Much to my surprise, he informed me that he had been sent here fully authorized to transact the same business and instead of going to Alabama he was on his way to the East to see Mr Ames. Finding myself thus completely ignored in the transaction, I, of course, withhold as useless the communication, as no doubt