and on conviction, if an officer, he shall be cashiered and put into the ranks as a private; and if a non-commissioned officer or private, he shall suffer such punishment not inconsistent with military law as the court may direct.

Extract from General Orders, No. 30, Adjutant and Inspector General, dated March 7, 1864:

V. In all cases in which the offer of an impressing officer is refused he will proceed to adjust the price according to the first section of the act above recited; that is, by the judgment of the two loyal and disinterested persons of the city, county, or parish in which the impressment may be made, one to be selected by the owner, his bailee, or agent, and one by the impressing officer. In the event of their disagreement, these two will select an umpire of like qualification. The persons thus selected will proceed to assess just compensation for the property so impressed, whether the absolute ownership or the temporary use thereof be required. If the impressing officer believes that the appraisement is fair and just, he will indorse his approval and pay for the property, and the right in the object impressed will become the property of the Confederate States; but if he does not approve of the appraisement he will decline to approve it, and indorse the reasons for his refusal on the certificate and forthwith report the case to the commissioners appointed under the fifth section of the act to which the act above recited is an amendment; and in the meantime the property will be taken and a receipt describing the property and proceedings for adjustment of the price and the appeal given to the owner. The impressing officer will immediately report the case to the appraisers, with the statement of the quality and condition of the property, and his opinion on the subject.

W. E. TRAVIS,

WM. H. SNEED,

Commissioners.

QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Richmond, February 2, 1865.

Hon. JAMES A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: At the request of Colonel Screven, president Atlantic and Gulf Railroad, I have the honor to state that the railroad connection between Albany and Thomasville is of vast importance to the Government. It would not only keep connection between our armies and a section of country extremely fertile, but make available for transportation purposes a large amount of rolling-stock and railway iron otherwise hopelessly cut off from the routes of travel and transportation on which all active military operations depend. As this connection with Southern Georgia and Florida, and with all their products and railway improvements, was once made through Savannah, hereafter it would be quite as effectually made through Albany.

I am satisfied the value of the supplies to be transported from those fertile sections has not been overstated by Colonel Screven. The obstacle which is usually interposed in the way of attempting the construction of any new line does not present itself here, for there is both iron and rolling-stock in abundance not only close at hand for their purpose, but not available for any other.

So far as the connection between Quincy and the Chattahoochee may be considered a competing project for the favor of Government, I remark that while it would serve in a measure the purpose of securing the supplies of that immediate country (though much of it by a circuitous route), it would be almost useless in securing the rolling-stock for service elsewhere. With such boats and such navigation as the Chattahoochee River can furnish, it would occupy months to remove their rolling-stock, if, indeed, it were possible to accomplish