ARTICLE XXXVIII. COURTS-MARTIAL.

880. In appointing a general court-martial, as many members will be detailed, from five to thirteen inclusively, as can be assembled without manifest injury to the service.

881. The decision of the officer appointing the court, as to the number that can be assembled without manifest injury to the service, is conclusive.

882. A President of the court will not be appointed. The officer highest in rank present will be President.

883. Form of Order appointing a general court-martial; the last paragraph omitted when the court can be kept up with thirteen members. 

884. In the detail the members will be named, and they will take place in the court, in the order of their rank. A decision of the proper authority in regard to the rank of the members cannot be reversed by the court.

885. The place of holding a court is appointed by the authority convening it.

886. Application for delay or postponement of trial must, when practicable, be made to the authority convening the court. When made to the court, it must be before plea, and will then, if in the opinion of the court well founded, be referred to the authority convening the court, to-decide whether the court should be adjourned or dissolved, and the charges reserved for another court.

887. Upon application by the accused for postponement on the ground of the absence of a witness, it ought distinctly to appear on his oath, 1st. that the witness is material, and how; 2d. that the accused has used due diligence to procure his attendance; and, 3d. that he has reasonable ground to believe, and does believe, that he will be able to procure such attendance within a reasonable time stated.

888. The President of a court-martial, besides his duties and privileges as member, is the organ of the court, to keep order and conduct its business. He speaks and acts for the court in each case where the rule has been prescribed by law, regulation, or its own resolution. In all their Deliberations the law secures the equality of the members.

889. The 76th Article of War does not confer on a court-martial the power to punish its own members. For disorderly conduct, a member is liable as in other offenses against military discipline; improper words are to be taken down, and any disorderly conduct of a member reported to she authority convening the court.

890. The Judge Advocate shall summon the necessary witnesses for the trial; but he shall not summon any witness at the expense of the United States, nor any officer of the army, without the order of the court, unless satisfied that his testimony is material and necessary to the ends of justice.

891. Every court-martial shall keep a complete and accurate record of its proceedings, to be authenticated by the signatures of the President and Judge Advocate; who shall also certify, in like manner, the sentence pronounced by the court in each case. The record must show that the court was organized as the law requires; that the court and Judge Advocate were duly sworn in the presence of the prisoner; that he was previously asked whether he had any objection to any member, and his answer thereto. A copy of the order appointing the court will be entered on the record in each case.

892. Whenever the same court-martial tries more prisoners than one, and they are arraigned on separate and distinct charges, the court is to be sworn at the commencement of each trial, and the proceedings in each case will be made up separately.

893. The record shall be clearly and legibly written; as far as practicable, without erasures or interlineations. The pages to be numbered, with a margin of one inch on the left side of each page, and at the top of the odd and bottom of the even pages; through this last margin the sheets to be stitched together; the documents accompanying the proceedings to be noted and marked in such manner as to afford an easy reference.

894. No recommendation will be embraced in the body of the sentence. Those members only who concur in the recommendation will sign it.

895. The legal punishments for soldiers by sentence of a court-martial according to the offense, and the jurisdiction of the court, are-death; confinement; confinement on bread and water diet; solitary confinement; hard labor; ball and chain; forfeiture of pay and allowances; discharges from service; and reprimands, and, when non-commissioned officers, reduction to the ranks. Ordnance Sergeants and Hospital Stewards, however, though liable to discharge, may not be reduced. Nor are they to be tried by regimental or garrison courts-martial, unless by special permission of the department commander. Solitary confinement, or confinement on bread and water, shall not exceed fourteen days at a time, with intervals between the periods of such confinement not less than such periods; and not exceeding eighty-four days in any one year.

896. The Judge Advocate shall transmit the proceedings, without delay, to the officer having authority to confirm the sentence, who shall state, at the end of the proceedings in each case, his decision and orders thereon.

897. The original proceedings of all general courts-martial, after the decision on them of the reviewing authority, and all proceedings that require the decision of the President under the 65th and 89th Articles of War, and copies of all orders confirming or disapproving, or remitting, the sentences of courts-martial, and all official communications for the Judge Advocate of the army, will be addressed to "The Adjutant-General of the Army, War Department," marked on the cover, "Judge Advocate."

898. The proceedings of garrison and regimental courts-martial will be transmitted without delay by the garrison or regimental commander to the department head-quarters for the supervision of the department commander.

899. The power to pardon or mitigate the punishment ordered by a court-martial is vested in the authority confirming the proceedings, and in the President of the United States. A superior military commander to the officer confirming the proceedings may suspend the execution of the sentence when, in his judgment, it is void upon the face of the proceedings, or when he sees a fit case for executive clemency. In such cases, the record, with his order prohibiting the execution, shall be transmitted for the final order of the President. When a court-martial - or court of inquiry - adjourns without day, the members will return to their respective posts and duties unless otherwise ordered.

901. When a court adjourns for three days, the Judge Advocate shall report the fact to the commander of the post or troops, and the members belonging to the command will be liable to duty during the time.

ARTICLE XXXIX. WORKING PARTIES

902. When it is necessary to employ the army at work on fortifications, in surveys, in cutting roads, and other constant labor of not less than ten days, the non-commissioned officers and soldiers so employed are enrolled as extra-duty men, and are allowed twenty-five cents a day when employed as laborers and teamsters, and forty cents a day when employed as mechanics, clerks, storekeepers, &c., at all stations east of the Rocky Mountains, and thirty-five and fifty cents per day, respectively, at all stations west of those mountains. But no man shall be rated and paid as a clerk or mechanic, who is not skilled in his particular employment; nor any man as a storekeeper, &c., whose trust is not of sufficient importance. Mere strikers, inferior workmen, &c. shall be rated as laborers Commanding officers will particularly see to this; nor shall any soldier be rated at the higher pay, except by their order.

903. Enlisted men of the Ordnance and Engineer Departments, and artificers of artillery, are not entitled to this allowance when employed in their appropriate work.

904. Soldiers will not be employed as extra-duty men for any labor in camp or garrison which can properly be performed by fatigue parties.

905. No extra-duty men, except those required for the ordinary service of the Quartermaster, Commissary, and Medical Departments, and saddlers in mounted companies, will be employed without previous authority from department head-quarters, except in case of necessity, which shall be promptly reported to the department commander.

906. Extra-duty men should attend the weekly and monthly inspections of their companies, and, if possible, one drill in every week.

907. Extra-duty pay of the saddler in a mounted company will be charged on the company muster-roll, to be paid by the Paymaster and refunded by the Ordnance Department. Extra-duty pay of cooks and nurses in the hospital service will be paid by the quartermaster, in the absence of a medical disbursing officer, and refunded by the Medical Department.

908. The officer commanding a working-party will conform to the directions and plans of the engineer or other officer directing the work, without regard to rank.

909. A day's work shall not exceed ten hours in summer, nor eight in winter. Soldiers are paid in proportion for any greater number of hours they are employed each day. Summer is considered to commence on the 1st of April, and winter on the 1st of October. 910. Although the necessities of the service may require soldiers to be ordered on working-parties as a duty, commanding officers are to bear in mind that fitness for military service by instruction and discipline is the object for which the army is kept on foot, and that they are not to employ the troops when not in the field, and especially the mounted troops, in labors that interfere with their military duties and exercises, except in case of immediate necessity, which shall be forthwith reported for the orders of the War Department.

ARTICLE XL. RECRUITING SERVICE.

911. The recruiting service will be conducted by the Adjutant-General under the direction of the Secretary of War.

912. Field officers will be detailed to superintend the recruiting districts, and lieutenants to take charge of the recruiting parties. The Adjutant-General will select the field officers, and announce in orders the number of Captains and Lieutenants to be selected for this duty from each regiment by the Colonel.

913. A recruiting party will consist generally of one lieutenant, one non-commissioned officer, two privates, and a drummer and fifer. The parties will be sent from the principal dep6ts, and none but suitable men selected.

914 Officers on the general recruiting service are not to be ordered on any other duty, except from the Adjutant-General's office.

DUTIES OF SUPERINTENDENTS.

915. As soon as a recruiting station is designated, the superintendent sends estimates for funds to the Adjutant-General, and requisitions on the proper departments (through the Adjutant-General) for clothing, camp equipage, arms, and accoutrements.

916. Subsequent supplies for the station in his district are procured by the superintendent on consolidated estimates; these are made quarterly for funds, and every six or twelve months for clothing, equipage, arms, and accoutrements Estimates for funds will be in the following form:

917. Funds and supplies of clothing, camp and garrison equipage, arms and accoutrements, when ordered, will be sent direct to each station.

918. For subsistence to recruiting stations, see regulations of the Subsistence Department. When army rations are issued for recruits, savings on the rations shall be applied for their benefit, as in companies.

919. The superintendents will transmit to the Adjutant-General consolidated monthly returns of the recruiting parties under their superintendence, according to directions on the printed blanks, accompanied by one copy of the enlistment of each recruit enlisted within the month.

920. When recruits should be sent to regiments, a superintendent will report to the Adjutant-General for instructions in reference thereto.

921. When recruits are sent from a dep6t or rendezvous to a regiment or post, a muster and descriptive roll, and an account of clothing of the detachment, will be given to the officer assigned to the command of it. And a duplicate of the muster and descriptive roll will be forwarded to the Adjutant-General by the superintendent, who will note on it the names of all the officers on duty with the detachment, and the day of its departure from the dep6t or rendezvous.

922. The superintendent will report all commissioned or non-commissioned officers who may be incapable or negligent in the discharge of their functions. Where a recruiting party fails to get recruits from any cause other than the fault of the officer, the superintendent will recommend another station for the party.

923. When a rendezvous is closed, the superintendent will give the necessary instructions for the safe-keeping or disposal of the public property, so as not to involve any expense for storage.

924. Tours of inspection by superintendents will be made only on instructions from the Adjutant-General's Office. Officers on the recruiting service will not be sent from place to place without orders from the same source.

DUTIES OF RECRUITING OFFICERS.

925. Success in obtaining recruits depends much on the activity and personal attention of recruiting officers, and they will not entrust to enlisted men the duties for which themselves only are responsible. They will in no case absent the themselves from their stations without authority from the superintendent.

926. They will not allow any man to be deceived or inveigled into the service by false representations, but will in person explain the nature of the service, the length of the term, the pay, clothing, rations, and other allowances to which a soldier is entitled by law, to every man before he signs the enlistment.

927. If minors present themselves, they are to be treated with great candor; the names and residences of their parents or guardians, if they have any, must be ascertained, and these will be informed of the minor's wish to enlist, that they may make their objections or give their consent.

928. With the sanction of superintendents, recruiting officers may insert, in not exceeding two newspapers, brief notices directing attention to the rendezvous for further information.

929. Any free white male person above the age of eighteen and under thirty-five years, being at least five feet three inches high, effective, ablebodied, sober, free from disease, of good character and habits, and with a competent knowledge of the English language, may be enlisted. This regulation, so far as respects the height and age of the recruit, shall not extend to musicians or to soldiers who may "re-enlist," or have served honestly and faithfully a previous enlistment in the army.

930. No man having a wife or child shall be enlisted in time of peace without special authority obtained from the Adjutant-General's Office, through the superintendent. This rule is not to apply to soldiers who "re-enlist."

931. No person under the age of twenty-one years is to be enlisted or re-enlisted without the written consent of his parent, guardian, or master. The recruiting officers must be very particular in ascertaining the true age of the recruit.

932. After the nature of the service and terms of enlistment have been fairly explained to the recruit, the officer, before the enlistments are filled up, will read to him, and offer for his signature, the annexed declaration, to be appended to each copy of his enlistment: I, ___________, desiring to enlist in the Army of the United States for the period of five years, do declare that I am years and - months of age; that I have neither wife nor child; that I have never been discharged from the United States service on account of disability, or by sentence of a court-martial, or by order before the expiration of a term of enlistment; and I know of no impediment to my serving honestly and faithfully as a soldier for five years. - Witness: __________________

933. If the recruit be a minor, his parent, guardian, or master must sign a consent to his enlisting, which will be added to the preceding declaration, in the following form: I,_______, do certify that I am the (father, only surviving parent, legal master, or guardian, as the case may be) of; that the said is - years of age; and I do hereby freely give my consent to his en listing as a soldier in the Army of the United States for the period of five years. Witness: _______

934. The forms of declaration, and of consent in case of a minor, having been signed and witnessed, the recruit will then be duly examined by the recruiting officer, and surgeon if one be present, and, if accepted, the 20th and 87th Articles of War will be read to him; after which he will be allowed time to consider the subject until his mind appears to be fully made up before the oath is administered to him.

935. As soon as practicable, and at least within six days after his enlistment, the following oath will be administered to the recruit: "I, A- B-, do solemnly swear or affirm (as the case may be) that 1 will bear true allegiance to the United States of America, and that I will serve them honestly and faithfully against all their enemies or opposers whatsoever, and observe and obey the orders of the President of the United States, and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to the rules and articles for the government of the armies of the United States." (See 10th Art. of War.)

936. Under the 11th section of the act of 3d August, 1861, chap. 42, the oath of enlistment and re-enlistment may be administered by any commissioned officer of the army.

937. It is the duty of the recruiting officer to be present at the examination of the recruit by the medical officer. (See par. 1261.)

938. Recruiting officers will not employ private physicians without authority from the Adjutant-General's Office, for the special purpose of examining the recruits prior to their enlisting.

939. If it be necessary, as in case of sickness, to employ a physician, the recruiting officer may engage his services by contract on reasonable terms, "by the, visit," or by the month. If by the month, the examination of the recruits must be stated in the contract as part of his duty. In vouchers for medical attendance and medicines, the name of each patient, date of, and charge for, each visit, and for medicine furnished, must be given, and the certificate of the physician added, that the rates charged are the usual rates of the place. The physician/will be paid from the recruiting funds.

940. Enlistments must, in all cases, be taken. in triplicate. The recruiting officer will send one copy to the Adjutant-General with his quarterly accounts, a second to the superintendent with his monthly return, and a third to the depot at the time the recruits are sent there. In cases of soldiers re-enlisted in a regiment, or of regimental recruits, the third copy of the enlistment will be sent at its date to regimental head-quarters for file.

941. When ordnance sergeants re-enlist, the recruiting officer will immediately send the second copy of the enlistment direct to the Adjutant-General, and the third copy to the station of the ordnance sergeant for file.

942. Enlistments must, in no case, be ante-dated so as to entitle a soldier who applies after the period for "re-enlisting" has expired, to any additional pay therefor.

943. The recruiting officer will see that the men under his command are neat in their personal appearance, and will require the permanent party to wear their military dress in a becoming manner, especially when permitted to go abroad.

944. Only such articles of clothing as are indispensable for immediate use will be issued to recruits at the rendezvous. Their equipment will not be made complete till after they have passed the inspection subsequent to their arrival at the depot.

945. The instruction of the recruits will commence at the rendezvous from the moment of enlistment. The general superintendent will see that all recruiting officers give particular attention to this subject.

946. Recruits will be sent from rendezvous to dep6ts every ten days, or oftener if practicable, provided the number disposable exceeds three The detachments of recruits will be sent from rendezvous to depots under charge of a non-commissioned officer.

947. Before recruits are sent from recruiting depots to regiments or companies, the amounts due by them to the laundress and sutler, having been verified and audited, will be entered on a roll made for the purpose, and will be paid by the paymaster on his next visit at the post, the receipts of the laundress and sutler to the amounts paid being the voucher: Provided the recruits have a clear amount of pay due them, over and above their dues to the government, equal to the claims of the laundress and sutler. The same amounts will be entered on the muster and descriptive roll of the recruits as "amount paid laundress, or sutler," (naming them,) to be deducted from the pay of the soldiers at their first subsequent payment.

948. Every officer commanding a recruiting party will procure the necessary transportation, forage, fuel, straw, and stationery, taking the requisite vouchers.

949. The transportation of recruits to depots, and from one recruiting station to another, will be paid from the recruiting funds; transportation of officers and enlisted men on the recruiting service will be paid in the same manner, except when first proceeding to join that service, or returning to their regiments after having been relieved.

950. No expenses of transportation of officers will be admitted that do not arise from orders emanating from the Adjutant-General's office, except they be required to visit branch or auxiliary rendezvous under their charge, when they will be allowed the stage, steamboat, or railroad fare, porterage included.

951. Whenever an officer is relieved or withdrawn from the recruiting service, he will pay over the balance of any unexpended recruiting funds in his possession to the officer appointed to succeed him, or to the paymaster, if no officer be so designated; and if there be no paymaster or other proper officer convenient to receive such balance, the amount will be deposited to the credit of the Treasurer of the United States, with the most convenient Assistant Treasurer, or other depositary of public moneys. In either case the officer will forward to the Adjutant-General the evidence of the disposition he may make of the funds, and report the fact to the superintendent, or to his Colonel, if on regimental recruiting service.

RENDEZVOUS, QUARTERING AND SUBSISTING RECRUITS.

952. Written contracts will be made by recruiting officers for the rent of a rendezvous upon the most reasonable terms possible. The rent will be paid from the recruiting funds. The terms of the contract will be immediately reported to the Adjutant-General.

953. For the manner of subsisting recruits, see regulations of the Subsistence Department.

BLANKS.

954. Officers on recruiting service will make timely requisitions for printed blanks, direct, as follows: To the Adjutant-General.-For enlistments; re-enlistments; forms for medical inspection of recruits; muster-rolls; muster and descriptive rolls; Accounts, Returns, &M. monthly returns; tri-monthly reports; recruiting accounts current accounts of clothing issued; posters or handbills. To the Quartermaster-General.-For estimates of clothing, camp and garrison equipage; clothing receipt rolls; quarterly returns of clothing, camp and garrison equipage.

955. Of the blanks above named, none but the printed forms furnished will be used. Other blanks, when required, must be ruled.

956. Blanks for the regimental recruiting service are furnished to the company commanders.

FURNITURE AND STATIONERY.

957. The articles of furniture and police utensils which may be absolutely necessary at a recruiting station may be procured by the officer in charge of the rendezvous, on the special authority of the superintendent.

958. Necessary stationery will be purchased monthly or quarterly, not to exceed, per quarter at each station, six quires of paper, twenty-four quills, or twenty-four steel pens and two holders, half an ounce of wafers, one paper of ink-powder, one bottle of red ink, four ounces of sealingwax, one quire of cartridge paper, or one hundred envelopes, one-fourth quire of blotting-paper, and one piece of tape. If necessary, an additional supply of one-fourth of these rates will be allowed to the recruiting officer having charge of one or more auxiliary rendezvous distant from his permanent station. At the principal dep6ts the allowance must be fixed by the wants of the public service.

959. To each office table is allowed one inkstand, one wafer stamp, one Wafer box, one paper-folder, one ruler, and as many lead-pencils as may be required, not exceeding four per annum.

960. Such blank books as may be necessary are allowed to the general superintendent and at permanent recruiting depots; also, one descriptive book for the register of recruits at each permanent station. Blank books will be purchased by recruiting officers, under instructions from the superintendent.

961. When a recruiting officer is relieved, the blanks, books, and unexpended stationery, with all the other public property at the station, will be transferred to his successor, who will receipt for the same.

ACCOUNTS, RETURNS, ETC.

962. The following are the accounts, returns, &c. to be rendered by officers on recruiting service: 

To the Adjutant-General. 

1. Recruiting accounts current, quarterly, with abstract, (Form C,) vouchers, (Form D,) and one set of enlistments. An account will be rendered by every officer who may receive funds, whether he makes expenditures or not during the quarter. 

2. A quarterly return of stationery, books, fuel, straw, and such other property as may have been purchased with the recruiting funds. 

3. A monthly summary statement of money received, expended, and remaining on hand, (Form E) to be transmitted on the last day of each month. 

4. A muster-roll of all enlisted men at the rendezvous, including the names of all who may have joined, died, deserted, been transferred or discharged, during the period embraced in the muster-roll. 

5. Tri-monthly reports of the state of the recruiting service, according to the prescribed form. 

To the Superintendent. 

6. A monthly return of recruits and of the recruiting party, accompanied with one copy of the enlistment of every recruit enlisted within the month. 

7. Duplicate muster-rolls for pay of the permanent recruiting party, which may be sent direct to the nearest paymaster, when authorized by the superintendent. A triplicate of this roll will be retained at the station. 

8. Muster and descriptive rolls and an account of clothing of every detachment of recruits ordered to the principal depot. If the recruits be ordered to proceed from the rendezvous direct, to join any regiment or post, these rolls and accounts of clothing will be delivered to the officer in command of the detachment, a duplicate of each muster and descriptive roll only being then made and sent to the superintendent. 

9. Copy of the quarterly abstract of contingent expenses; to be forwarded within three days after the expiration of each quarter. 

10. Quarterly estimates for funds. 

11. Estimates for clothing, and camp and garrison equipage, and for arms and accoutrements, for six or twelve months, or for such times as may be directed by the superintendent. 

12. Copy of the return No. 13. 

To the Quartermaster-General. 

13 A quarterly return of clothing and camp and garrison equipage, and of all quartermaster's property in his possession, not including such as is purchased with the recruiting funds. 

14. A quarterly return of arms, accoutrements, ammunition, and of all ordnance stores.

RULES FOR MAKING ACCOUNTS AND PAPERS.

963. The following rules must be observed in making out and forwarding accounts and papers: 

1. Letters addressed to the Adjutant-General "on recruiting service," will be so endorsed on the envelopes, under the words "official business." 

2. Each voucher must be separately entered on the abstract of contingent expenses, (Form C,) and only the gross amount of the abstract must be entered on the account current. 

3. No expenditure must be charged without a proper voucher to support it. (See Form D.) 

4. The receipt to the voucher must be signed, when practicable, by a principal. When this is not practicable, the recruiting officer will add to his own certificate a statement that the agent is duly authorized to sign the receipt. 

5. When an individual makes "his mark" instead of signing his name to the receipt, it must be witnessed by a third person. 

6. Expenditures must be confined to items stated in the Regulations. In an unforeseen emergency, requiring a deviation from this rule, a full explanation must be appended to the voucher for the expenditure; and, if this be not satisfactory, the account will be charged in the Treasury against the recruiting officer. 

7. In all vouchers, the different items, with dates, and cost of each, must be given. To vouchers for transportation of officers, a copy of the order under which the journey was performed, must be appended. 

8 In vouchers for medical attendance and medicines, the name of each patient, date of, and charge for, each visit, and for medicine furnished, must be given, and the certificate of the physician added, that the rates charged are the usual rates of the place. 

9. To each voucher for notices inserted in newspapers a copy of the notice will be appended. 

10. Quarterly accounts current must exhibit the numbers of Treasury drafts and dates of their receipt; and when funds are transferred, the names of officers from whom they are received, or to whom they are turned over, with the dates of transfer. 

11. Fractions of cents are not to be taken up on accounts current. 

12. Enlistments must be filled up in a fair and legible hand. The real name of the recruit must be ascertained, correctly spelled, and written in the same way wherever it occurs; the Christian name must not be abbreviated. Numbers must be written, and not expressed by figures. Each enlistment must be endorsed as follows: No.______. 

A B — 

enlisted at January-, 186-, 

By Lt. C________ D__________ 

- Regiment of —. 

The number in each month to correspond with the names alphabetically arranged. 

13. Whenever a soldier re-enters the service, the officer who enlisted him will endorse on the enlistment, next below his own name and regiment, "second (or third) enlistment," as the case may be, together with the name of the regiment and the letter of the company in which the soldier last served, and date of discharge from former enlistment. This information the recruiting officer must obtain, if possible, from the soldier's discharge, which he should in all cases be required to exhibit. (See 22d Art. of War.) 

14. Re-enlistments must be forwarded with recruiting accounts, al though the bounty due on them may not be paid. When the bounty is subsequently paid, the soldier's receipt is to be taken on a voucher showing date and place of re-enlistment, company and regiment, and by whom re-enlisted. 

15. The filling up of, and endorsement on, the enlistment, will be in the handwriting of the recruiting officer, or done under his immediate inspection. 

16. To facilitate the final settlement of accounts of discharged soldiers, the name of the State, as well as the town, where each recruit is en listed, will be recorded on all muster, pay, and descriptive rolls.

DEPOTS FOR COLLECTING AND INSTRUCTING RECRUITS.

954. The depots for recruits are established by orders from the Adjutant-General's Office.

965. To each depot there will be assigned a suitable number of officers to command and instruct the recruits; and, when necessary, such number of enlisted men as may be designated at the Adjutant-General's Office, will be selected for the permanent party, to do garrison duty and for drill-masters.

966. The number of recruits at depots to be assigned to each arm and regiment is directed from the Adjutant-General's Office.

967. The recruits are to be dressed in uniform according to their respective arms, and will be regularly mustered and inspected. They are to be well drilled in the Infantry Tactics, through the school of the soldier to that of the battalion, and in the exercise of field and garrison pieces. Duty is to be done according to the strict rules of service.

968. The general superintendent will cause such of the recruits as are found to possess a natural talent for music, to be instructed (besides the drill of the soldier) on the fife, bugle, and drum, and other military instruments; and boys of twelve years of age, and upward, may, under his direction, be enlisted for this purpose. But as recruits under eighteen years of age and under size must be discharged, if they are not capable of learning music, care should be taken to enlist those only who have a natural talent for music, and, if practicable, they should be taken on trial for some time before being enlisted.

969. Regiments will be furnished with field music on the requisitions of their commanders, made, from time to time, direct on the general superintendent; and, when requested by regimental commanders, the superintendents will endeavor to have suitable men elected from the recruits, or enlisted, for the regimental bands.

970. At every depot pains will be taken to form from the permanent party a body of competent cooks, some of whom will be sent with every large draft of recruits ordered to regiments.

971. To give encouragement to the recruits, and hold out inducements to good conduct, the commanding officer of the dep6t may promote such of them as exhibit the requisite qualifications to be lance corporals and lance sergeants, not exceeding the proper proportion to the number of recruits at the dep6t. These appointments will be announced in orders in the usual way, and will be continued in force until they join their regiments, unless sooner revoked. No allowance of pay or emoluments is to be assigned to these appointments: they are only to be considered as recommendations to the captains of companies and colonels of regiments for the places in which the recruits may have acted; but such non-commissioned officers are to be treated with all the respect and to have all the authority which may belong to the stations of sergeant and corporal.

972. Permanent parties at depots, and recruiting parties and recruits, will be mustered, inspected, and paid in the same manner as other soldiers. Recruits will be mustered for pay only at depots, and, when paid there, one-half of their monthly pay will be retained until they join their regiments.

973. When recruits are received at a garrisoned post, the commanding officer will place them under the charge of a commissioned officer.

974. Recruits are not to be put to any labor or work which would interfere with their instruction, nor are they to be employed otherwise than as soldiers, in the regular duties of garrison and camp.

975. The Rules and Articles of War are to be read to the recruits every month, after the inspection; and so much thereof as relates to the duties of non-commissioned officers and soldiers will be read to them every week.

INSPECTION OF RECRUITS AT DEPOTS AND POSTS.

976. The superintendent or commanding officer will cause a minute and critical inspection to be made of every recruit received at a depot, two days after his arrival; and should any recruit be found unfit for service, or to have been enlisted contrary to law or regulations, he shall assemble a Board of Inspectors, to examine into the case. A board may also be assembled in a special case, when a concealed defect may become manifest in a recruit, at any time during his detention at the depot.

977. Every draft of recruits ordered from a depot to any regiment or post, shall, immediately preceding its departure, be critically inspected by the superintendent or commanding officer, and surgeon; and, when necessary, a Board of Inspectors will be convened.

978. Recruits received at a military post or station shall be carefully inspected by the commanding officer and surgeon, on the third day after their arrival; and if, on such inspection, any recruit, in their opinion, be unsound or otherwise defective, in such degree as to disqualify him for the duties of a soldier, then a Board of Inspectors will be assembled to examine into and report on the case. (See paragraphs 979, 980, 981.)

979. Boards for the inspection of recruits will be composed of the commanding officer, the senior medical officer of the army present, and, if possible, the three senior regimental officers present on duty with the troops.

REJECTED RECRUITS.

980. In all cases of rejection, the reasons therefor will be stated at large in a special report, to be made by the board; which, together with the surgeon's certificate of disability for service, will be forwarded by the superintendent or commandant of the post direct to the Adjutant-General. In all such cases the commanding officer will cause the articles of clothing, which may have been issued to the recruit, with the price of each article, to be endorsed on the certificates of disability. If the recommendation of the board for the discharge of the recruit be approved, the authority therefor will be endorsed on the certificate, which will be sent back to be filled up and signed by the commanding officer, who will return the same to the Adjutant-General's Office.

981. The board will state in the report whether the disability, or other cause of rejection, existed before his enlistment; and whether with proper care and examination it might not have been discovered.

RECRUITS SENT TO REGIMENTS.

982. An officer intrusted with the command of recruits ordered to regiments, will, on arriving at the place of destination, forward the following papers: 

1. To the Adjutant-General and the Superintendent, each, a descriptive roll and an account of clothing of such men as may have deserted, died, or been left on the route from any cause whatever, with date and place; also, a special report of the date of his arrival at the post, the strength and condition of the party when turned over to the commanding officer, and all circumstances worthy of remark which may have occurred on the march. 

2. To the Commanding Officer of the regiment, or- post, the muster and descriptive roll furnished him at the time of setting out, properly signed and completed by recording the names of the recruits present. and by noting in the column for remarks, opposite the appropriate spaces, the time and place of death, desertion, apprehension, or other casualty that may have occurred on the route.

983. Should an officer be relieved in charge of a party of recruits en route, before it reaches its destination, the date and place, and name of the officer by whom he is relieved, must be recorded on the roll of the party. Without the evidence of such record, no charge for extra pay on account of clothing accountability of the party, where equal to a company will be allowed.

984. The "original muster and descriptive roll" of every draft, with remarks showing the final disposition of each recruit, and the regiment and letter of the company to which he may be assigned, will be signed and forwarded to the Adjutant-General by the commanding officer who makes the assignment. If the recruits embraced in one roll happen to be assigned to different posts, the -original roll is to continue with the last party to its destination, each commander completing it so far as concerns the recruits left at his post. When this is not practicable, extracts from the original roll are to be made by the authority which distributes the recruits, to accompany the several parties, and to be forwarded to the Adjutant-General as in case of the original roll.

REGIMENTAL RECRUITING SERVICE.

985. The regimental recruiting will be conducted in the manner prescribed for the general service.

986. Every commander of a regiment is the superintendent of the recruiting service for his regiment, and will endeavor to keep it up to its establishment; for which purpose he will obtain the necessary funds, clothing, &c., by requisition on the Adjutant-General.

987. At every station occupied by his regiment, or any part of it, the colonel will designate a suitable officer to attend to the recruiting duties; which selection will not relieve such officer from his company or other ordinary duties. The officer thus designated will be kept constantly furnished with funds, and, when necessary, with clothing and camp equipage.