Today in History:

1179 Series IV Volume III- Serial 129 - Correspondence, Orders, Reports and Returns of the Confederate Authorities from January 1, 1864, to the End

Page 1179 CONFEDERATE AUTHORITIES.

me by the Assistant Secretary of War, require me to do so. While the courts differ, most of them discharge men upon becoming fifty years of age upon writs of habeas corpus.

Second. Does the act of February 17, 1864, hold to service during the war all men who were on that day under fifty years of age; or does it mean simply to hold to service those who are under fifty at the dates at which they are respectively liable to enrollment? To illustrate: A member of the Legislature who will go out of commission on the 1st of July next will then be fifty years of age, but was under that age on the 17th of February, 1864. Shall he be held to service? Another member will then be forty-five years of age. Is he to be held to service as a reserve, or does the fact that he was under forty-five on the 17th of February, 1864, make it proper to assign him to the regular forces?

Third. Am I to allow any details to men between forty and forty-five years of age on grounds of public and private necessity? General Orders, No. 77, series of 1864, revokes all such details, and impliedly forbids any such to be granted. It is understood that a recent law, which has never been published in orders, authorizes the Executive to grant details to men between forty and forty-five years of age on the grounds mentioned.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. L. KEMPER,

Major-General.

[APRIL 4, 1865. - For address of Jefferson Davis to the people of the Confederate States of America, see Series I, VOL. XLVI, Part III, p. 1382.]


HEADQUARTERS RESERVE FORCES, MISSISSIPPI,
Enterprise, April 5, 1865.

Lieut. Gen. R. TAYLOR,

Comdg. Dept. of Mississippi and Alabama, Macon, Miss.:

GENERAL: I have this day forwarded to you the application for the return of 107 men belonging to the different companies of the reserve forces who have deserted their colors and joined other commands. This is a growing evil and is very detrimental to discipline and order, tending to demoralize the whole force and render it worthless as a separate organization. I have not the slightest objection to assign or transfer to the general service the youths now over eighteen years, and as they pass that age, but cannot do so without instructions from the Honorable Secretary of War, for which I have applied. The general orders against officers receiving deserters knowingly are very stringent, and I have unofficial notice of a captain of the reserves being cashiered under that charge, at which I was rejoiced. I feel that it is due to the good of the service that the same rule should govern or prevail in regard to the officers of the general service. I have the honor, general, most respectfully to ask your especial attention to this gross breach of discipline. If you deem it advisable, and have these papers returned, I will charged preferred.

I have the honor to be, with great regard, your obedient servant,

W. L. BRANDON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.


Page 1179 CONFEDERATE AUTHORITIES.