or wagon horse or mule, whether the parties appeal to our Board or not, and the impressing agents and officers should forthwith call on all those persons of whom they have impressed horses or mules and propose a settlement upon the foregoing basis, but allowing to each person only such prices as first, second, or third class artillery or wagon horses or mules may have been estimated at by the local or county appraisers, assuming our average appraisement of $600 as a fair medium valuation. This, then, would allow a maximum price of $800 and a minimum price of $400, making $600 the average price, thus allowing more for first-class horses or mules and proportionately less for the inferior, as they may fall below the grade of first class. The county appraisements will be the guide in making these settlements, but within the limits of our maximum price of $800 and our minimum price of $400. This plan would perhaps be most satisfactory to the people. For whatever price the county appraisers agreed upon should be deemed fair within the range of our minimum price of $400 and our maximum price of $800, payment of whatever amount awarded to be made in the new issue of Treasury notes.

The impressing officers in those instances where there were no arbitrators or local appraisements for horses or mules impressed should in all such cases themselves re-estimate the value of horses or mules thus impressed and allow in each case such additional compensation as would, within the limits of our schedule rates, appear just and proper. But if after this revaluation and settlement any person should not be satisfied the party could then appeal to our Board and have the case reconsidered.

All appeals and communications for the Board of Commissioners should be addressed, postpaid, Mr. D. K. Whitaker, secretary of the Board, Box 995, Richmond post-office, Va.

The next meeting of the Board will be held the 2d day of May next in the city of Richmond.

E. W. HUBBARD.

ROBT. GIBBONEY,

Commissioners of Virginia.

By command of the Secretary of War:

JNO. WITHERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Richmond, Va., March 27, 1865.

Brigadier Gen. A. R. LAWTON,

Quartermaster-General:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose to you copies of a memorandum from the President and of a letter from the Secretary of War, to the main points of which, in so far as they are applicable to your Bureau, I am directed to invite your attention.

You will please classify the officers of your department according to their respective grades, and in the order of relative rank, with a view to selections for the different commands and promotions founded upon capacity and services. You will accompany the list, which will be sent to this office, with such necessary information, in brief, and your opinion, as will facilitate the selection. You will include in the list (making the necessary distinction) such officers of the C. S. Army as may properly belong to your department.

A general order embodying these regulations and announcing the operation of the several acts will be published in a few days, but it is hoped that by promptness in the above particulars the Department may be able to anticipate the demands from promotion from the different sources interested.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.