General Orders – No. 254, 12 September 1864

2015.002.051b

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General Orders No. 254, issued from the War Department in Washington D.C., stating all deserters who come into the city are to return to their regiments, if they do not report their regiment they are to be sent to the front to work on the trenches.

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GENERAL ORDERS, WAR DEPARTMENT,

No. 254. ADJUTANT GENERALS OFFICE,

Washington, September 12, 1864

Deserters from the United States troops arriving in Washington, who report themselves as belonging to any particular Regiment, and are sent to it, shall be permanently assigned to the Regiment of which they thus report themselves members. Deserters now in the prisons of the District, or who may hereafter arrive, whose Regiments are unknown, shall be sent immediately to the front, with instructions to the Commanding Generals of the Armies to employ them at work upon the trenches.

BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR:

E. D. Townsend,

Assistant Adjutant General.

OFFICIAL:

Assistant Adjutant General