therefor. All musters and the organization must conform to existing regulations. Bounties will be allowed as per Circular Numbers 27, from this office.

JAMES B. FRY,

Provost-Marshal-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, INSPECTOR-GENERAL'S OFFICE,
September 14, 1864.

The ADJUTANT-GENERAL OF THE ARMY:

GENERAL: I have to-day for the first time seen the War Department letter of December 15, 1863, to Major-General Meade, respecting the "class of officers who are entitled to the benefit of the act of July 17, 1862 (to cavalry pay), as published in paragraph 373, page 72, Army Paymaster's Manual."

Without expecting or wishing to have the decision changed (for I think an officer whose duty requires him to be mounted in pecuniarily better off by having his horses and furniture supplied by the Government than when he receives cavalry pay), justice to the officers serving in my department constrains me to remark on the language in which their services are contrasted with those of light artillery and acting ordnance officers. It is expressed therein that the latter require to be constantly mounted in camp and on the field of battle, and the idea is conveyed that the officers acting as inspectors are not, their duties being "temporary." Moreover, they are classed with commissaries of musters, non-combatants, if there are such in the Army.

Now, the facts are that no officers are required to be mounted more frequently than inspectors (they are all acting except the Inspector-General and corps inspectors), and to prove that there could not be a greater mistake than the one cited above, I beg to refer the Department to my report of casualties (three in number, on file in the Adjutant-General's Office), in which it will be seen that there have been in the inspector-general's department of the Army of the Potomac alone, during the period embraced between 1st of May, 1863, and September, 1864, 59 casualties in battle, viz: Killed, 9; wounded, 38; prisoners, 12; a greater number, perhaps, than in any other department in the Army, in proportion to its numbers.

I hope it will be believed that this letter is not written in any captious spirit, but that it is put on file in justice to a meritorious class of officers.

Very respectfully, general, your obedient servant,

ED. SCHRIVER,

Inspector-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, September 14, 1864.

Bvt. Major General A. P. HOVEY,

Commanding, &c., Indianapolis, Ind.:

GENERAL: The Secretary of War directs me to inform you that $5,000 secret service money has been transmitted to you, and that this sum is found to be as large, in the present state of the Treasury, as can be devoted to that purpose.