BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. A PROCLAMATION. Respecting Soldiers absent without leave. EXECUTIVE MANSION, March 10, 1863. In pursuance of the twenty-sixth section of the act of Congress, entitled "An act for enrolling and calling out the National Forces, and for other purposes," approved on the third day of March, in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, I, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, do hereby order and command, that all soldiers enlisted or drafted in the service of the United States, now absent from their regiments without leave, shall forthwith return to their respective regiments. And I do hereby declare and proclaim, that all soldiers now absent from their respective regiments without leave, who shall, on or before the first day of April, 1863, report themselves at any rendezvous designated by the General Orders of the War Department number fiftyeight, hereto annexed, may be restored to their respective regiments without punishment, except the forfeiture of pay and allowances during their absence; and all who do not return within the time above specified shall be arrested as deserters, and punished as the law provides. And whereas evil-disposed and disloyal persons at sundry places have enticed and procured soldiers to desert and absent themselves from their regiments, thereby weakening the strength of the armies and prolonging the war, giving aid and comfort to the enemy, and cruelly exposing the gallant and faithful soldiers remaining in the ranks to increased hardships and danger, I do therefore call upon all patriotic and faithful citizens to oppose and resist the aforementioned dangerous and treasonable crimes, and to aid in restoring to their regiments all soldiers absent without leave, and to assist in the execution of the act of Congress "for enrolling and calling out the National Forces, and for other purposes," and to support the proper authorities in the prosecution and punishment of offenders against said act, and In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. Done at the city of Washington, this tenth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-seventh. I..The following is the twenty-sixth section of the act "For enrolling and calling out the National Forces, and for other purposes," approved March 3, 1863: Section 26. And be it further enacted, That, immediately after the passage of this act, the President shall issue his proclamation declaring that all soldiers now absent from their regiments without leave may return, within a time specified, to such place or places as he may in-. dicate in his proclamation, and be restored to their respective regiments without punishment, except the forfeiture of their pay and allowances during their absence; and all deserters who shall not return within the time so specified by the President, shall, upon being arrested, be punished as the law provides. II..The following places are designated as rendezvous to which soldiers absent without leave may report themselves to the officers named, on or before the first day of April next, under the proclamation of the President of this date: At Augusta, Maine, to Major F. N. Clarke, U. S. A. At Concord, New Hampshire, to Major J. H. Whittlesey, U. S. A At Trenton, New Jersey, to Major L. Jones, U. S A. At Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Lieutenant Colonel C. F. Ruft, U. S. A. At Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to Captain R. J. Dodge, U. S. A. At Baltimore, Maryland, to Major H. W. Wharton, U. S. A. At the city of Washington, District of Columbia, to Major General S. P. Heintzelman, U. S. V. At Wheeling, Western Virginia, to Major B. H. Hill, U. S. A. At Louisville, Kentucky, to Colonel W. Seawell, U. S. A. At Nashville, Tennessee, to Major W. H. Sidell, U. S. A. At St. Louis, (Benton Barracks.) Missouri, to Colonel B. L. E Bonneville, U. S. A. At Columbus, (Camp Chase,) Ohio, to Lieutenant Colonel H. Brooks, U. S. A. At Indianapolis, Indiana, to Lieutenant Colonel J. V. Bomford, U. S. A. At Springfield, Illinois, to Colonel P. Morrison, U. S. A. At Fort Snelling, Minnesota, to Captain T. M. Saunders, U. S. A. At San Francisco, California, to Brigadier General George Wright, U. S. V. At Fort Randall, Dakota Territory, to the Commanding Officer. At Omaha, Nebraska Territory, to Lieutenant J A. Wilcox, U. S. A. At Denver City, Colorado Territory, to Captain J. W. Alley, U. S. A. At Santa Fe, New Mexico Territory, to the Commanding Officer. At Fort Vancouver, Washington Territory, to the Commanding Officer. At Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, to the Commanding Officer. III..Commanding Officers at the above-named places of rendezvous, or in the absence of Commanding Officers, superintendents of recruiting service, recruiting officers, and mustering and disbursing officers, rected, and cause their names to be enrolled. and copy of said roll will, on or before the tenth day of April, be sent to the Adjutant General of the Army. The soldiers so reporting themselves will be sent without delay to their several regiments, a list of those sent being furnished to the commanding officer of the regiment, and a duplicate to the Adjutant General of the Army. The commanding officer of the regiment will immediately report to the Adjutant General of the Army the receipt of any soldiers so sent to him. BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR: OFFICIAL: L. THOMAS, Adjutant General. Assistant Adjutant General. |