WAR DEPT., PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, D. C., September 15, 1864.

[TO ALL ASSISTANT PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL: ]

Orders having been issued for the draft to commence on the 19th instant, you will yourself, and by your under your charge, adopting such measures as will secure the speedy notification of drafted men, and their prompt report for examination.

For this purpose, and in order to insure an effective execution of the draft in every respect, you will see that each district provost-marshal provides himself with such number of special officers and employes, if he has not already done so, in accordance with orders heretofore issued from this office, as the service in his district may require.

You will direct district provost-marshals to cause drafted men to report within three days after the receipt of the notice informing them of their having been drawn in the draft.

Enrolling officers will, perhaps, from their experience, be the most suitable persons to serve these notices. If so, provost- marshals will employ such number as may be necessary; and if the number of enrolling officers is not sufficient, they will employ such number of other proper agents a swill complete the notification in each of the sub-districts without delay, and assign them to duty without waiting for approval at this office, each of whom will be paid at the rate of $3 per day for the time actually and necessarily employed, the accounts to be certified by the provost-marshal and approved by the acting assistant provost-marshal-general of the State or division.

Each district provost-marshal will forward to the Provost- Marshal-General the name and oath of office of every person employed to serve such notices immediately upon making the appointment.

You will see that drafted men arriving at district headquarters are immediately directed where to report; that they are properly cared for; that they are promptly and fairly examined by the Board; that immediately thereafter, of not exempted, their names be entered on descriptive rolls of drafted men; that they be at once placed in uniform, and furnished with articles prescribed in paragraph 4, Circular Numbers 11, series of 1863, from this office; and that as soon as this is done they be sent forward to the general rendezvous in squads of convenient size.

You will see that clothing, knapsacks, haversacks, canteens, blankets, knaves, forks, spoons, tin cups, and tin plates are provided and on hand at the headquarters of each district in advance of the draft.

Let such number of drafted men be notified as will secure an average of 120 examinations per day in each district, as near as practicable.

Strict account will be kept with the several sub-districts, and the notices will be arranged in such manner as to commence the examinations after the drawing has been completed, so that no time may be lost.

After having made the primary draft for the quota of a sub- district (and the 100 per cent additional), no draft for the remaining deficiency will be made in it until the examination of men drawn in the primary drafts, under these instructions, has been completed in all the sub-districts of the district in which a draft has been, or may be, necessary to fill the quota.