The question now arises-

First. Whether one three-years" man will under the present call be credited in the quota of a district the same as three one- year's men? In other words, if District A shall be required to furnish 300 one-year men, will the requirements of law and the President's call be satisfied if it should furnish 100 three- years" men?

In considering this question it will be observed that one man engaged to serve three years has been deemed the unit on which military service has been calculated and equalized in administering the former acts of Congress.

It is not material what unit is taken as the basis of equalization if that unit is uniformly the same. It is on the assumption that the mode of calculation heretofore adopted will be continued by the Provost-Marshal-General that the present call has been based.

The call of the President is for the number of individuals actually required, making allowance in the call only for those districts which under the call will be liable to furnish comparatively few troops, by reason of their having previously placed in the field more than their share under all former requisitions.

Each man furnished under the present call, whether his period of enlistment be longer or shorter, should count only one in the quota now required, and each district should furnish the full number of men which shall finally be determined on and called for as its quota.

But if one district shall fill its quota with one-year men, and if another district shall fill its quota three-years" men, the amounts of service of these districts will not be equal. On making up quotas under a new call one of these districts should be credited with three times the amount of service which should be credited to the other, and the quota of the deficient district should be increased or the quota of the district furnishing the three-years" men should be diminished accordingly under such new call.

At each successive call all accounts of service preceding that call are made up, and the call for quotas should be such as shall equalize the amount of service required from each district in proportion to the persons therein liable to military service.

That district which in the present draft furnishes one-year men cuts up its burden into three parts and shoulders only one part at the present year and leaves the rest to be met at the next call.

That district which furnishes three-years" men now gains at once in its account with the Provost-Marshal-General the same benefit on the quota of the next draft as though it had furnished three times as many men for one year's service.

It is the duty of each district to furnish the full number of men designated as its quota. These men should be received, whether for one, two, or three years" service. Those districts who furnish three-years" men now will be entitled to the full benefit thereof on all future calls.

WILLIAM WHITING,

Solicitor of the War Department.

CIRCULAR
WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 60.
Washington, August 1, 1864.

In pursuance of section 4 of the act of Congress making appropriations for the support of the Army for the year ending 30th of June,