Secretary of War is "directed to inform this House whether any privileges have been granted to the preachers of any denomination of professing Christians which have been denied to others, and if so, what denomination these persons belonged to, and also their names and place of residence, with the reasons for making such distinction."

In reply I have the honor to state that I know of no instance in which boards of enrollment have exempted preachers of the gospel belonging to churches "whose religious tenets do not bring them within the scope of the act of February, 1864, for enrolling an calling our the national forces," nor do I know of any "privileges having been granted to the preachers of any denomination of professing Christian which have ben denied to others."

I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES B. FRY,

Provost-Marshal-General.

SPRINGFIELD, ILL., February 7, 1865.

J. B. FRY:

I am now distribution the quota of the State, 32,892, direct to subdistricts, on the basis of the figures of the adjutant- general's office of the States and of this office. The distribution will be completed in two or three days.

J. OAKES,

Lieutenant-Colonel, &c.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, February 7, 1865.

His Excellency Governor BRAMLETTE,

Frankfort, Ky.:

Your telegram of this date had been received and communicated to the President and by hid direction General Order, Numbers 5, has been revoked, because issued upon a subject under his consideration. The President directs me to say that measures which be things will prove entirely satisfactory to the State authorities and people of Kentucky are nearly matured, and he hopes, therefore, that on your part your will abstain from any action that may have a tendency to embarrass his efforts to maintain the peace and security of your State. Within two days at farthest the conclusions of the President upon the subjects referred to him by your letter and by the resolutions of the Legislature will be transmitted to you.*

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

GENERAL ORDERS,
WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 16.
Washington, February 8, 1865.

Paragraph 158 (Article XVIII) of the Revised Army Regulations is hereby amended to read as follows:

Deserters shall make good the time lost by desertion, unless discharge by competent authority. Non-commissioned officers or soldiers who have absented themselves without authority from their companies, regiments, or posts of duty, shall also, in fulfillment of

---------------

*For other correspondence on this subject see Series I, Vol. XLIX, Part I, p. 667.

---------------