CIRCULAR
WAR DEPT., ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 49.
Washington, June 28, 1864.

When a vacancy occurs in the grade of field officer in any colored regiment the commanding general of the department in which the regiment is serving will assemble a board of competent officers to examine and report upon the qualifications of the field officers and captains of said regiment who may present themselves as candidates for appointment to the existing vacancy.

If no officer of the regiment whose examination is herein provided for shall be found competent to fill the vacant position, the department commander will then authorize officers from other colored regiments under his command to appear for examination.

When the board shall have found a candidate who possesses the requisite qualifications for the position to be filled, it will immediately forward, through the commanding general of the department, to the Adjutant-General of the Army, a report giving the names, rank, and regiment of all persons examined for the vacant position. A detailed report in the case of the successful candidate, showing the line of examination and his general qualifications, will be made.

No officer will be placed upon the board who is a candidate for the vacant position.

By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

June 28, 1864.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL OF KENTUCKY,

Frankfort, Ky.:

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of June 20, instant, in relation to a discrepancy of 1,716 men between the returns received from your office and those from the chief mustering officer for the States. In order that the matter may be properly adjusted I would most respectfully request that the combined reports already forwarded may be separated, so that the number enlisted in the field may appear distinct from those enlisted in the States.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOMAS M. VINCENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

LOUISVILLE, KY., June 29, 1864.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

General Chetlain and myself arrived here yesterday. I leave to- morrow for Lexington to see General Burbridge and shall proceed to Camp Nelson, where the negroes are coming in rapidly. As soon as I can station detachments at the places indicated in my order to protect the negroes and afford them facilities for coming to these camps recruiting will go forward rapidly. The artillery regiment at Paducah is entirely full. A regiment of 1,000 has just been organized