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 Communication f 
 Conf Pam #424 
 
 DTTOaEblDZ 
 
MESSAGE OF tHE PRESIDENT. 
 
 Richmond, Va., Feb. 5, 1864. 
 
 To the House of Representatives: 
 
 In response to your resolution of the 25th ultimo, T herewith 
 transait, for your informatiom, a communication from the Secretary 
 of War, relative to the steps tmken to carry out tire provisions of the 
 act of Congress " in relation to the arrest and disposition of slaves 
 who have been recaptured from the enemy." 
 
 • » * JEFFERSON DAVIS. 
 
 COMMUNICATION FROM THE SECRETARY OF WAR. 
 
 C. S. A,, War Department, ) 
 Richmond, Va., Feb. 3, 1864. > 
 
 To the President of tlie Confederate States: 
 
 Sir: Your letter of the 30th ultimo, referring to this Department 
 a resolution of the House of Representatives, requ?sting to be 
 informed " what steps have been taken to carry out tlie provisions of 
 the act of Congress of the 13th October, 1862, ch. Gi, in relation to 
 the arrest and disposition of slaves who have been recaptured from the 
 enemy, what number of depots for their safe-keeping have been estab- 
 lished, and whether public notice has been given in the newspapers of 
 their arrest, as provided in the said act," has been received. 1 have 
 the honor to enclose general orders. No. 25, of the current series, 
 which show the measures taken by the Department for the execution 
 of the act of Congress cited. There has beon no return to this 
 Department by the commandants of the camps of iiistruction of their 
 proceedings under these orders. Some instances of publications under 
 the third paragraph of the orders have come to the nocice of tho 
 Department, and the orders themselves have been <luly promulgated 
 through all the departments and districts of the army. 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 JAMES A. SEDDON, 
 Secretary of War. 
 
Adjutant and Inspector's Gfneral's Office, 
 Richmond, March 6, 1863. 
 
 GENERAL ORDERS, 
 
 No. 25. 
 
 I, The following act of Congress and regulations to enforce the 
 same, aie published for the information of all persons concerned: 
 
 Chap. LXII. — An cnt to prolrct the rights -f <tW7urs of slaves taken by 
 or employed in the army. 
 
 7*he Congress of the Conf derate States of America d'^ enact. That 
 every per.-on connected with the a*rmy or navy of^the Confederate 
 States, arresting or coming into possession of any slave, by capture 
 from the enemy, or otherwise than by lawful authority, shall imme- 
 diately repoit the saiiie to the commanding officer of the post or bri- 
 gade or station to which he may be attached. The said commanding 
 officer shiill, Avith as little delay as practicable, send the slaves so 
 reported to the nearest depot described in the next section, with a 
 regif^ter of the place and date of their arrest : Provided, tiow(ver. That 
 the said slaves, or any of them, may at once be delivered to their 
 respective owners, if claim is made and established on satisfactory 
 evidence. 
 
 Sf.c. '2. The Secretary of War shall establish depots for recaptured 
 slaves, at convenient places, not more than five in number, in each 
 State; and all slaves captured in such State shall be kept in such 
 depot;.!. Public notice shall bo given of the places so selected. 
 
 Sec. 3. Lists of the slaves in each of such depots, showing the 
 name and color of such slaves, the place and time of their an est, and 
 the names of their owners^ as given by themselves, or otherwise 
 asccrtMiiied, shall be regularly advertised in each State, in one or 
 more newspapers of general circulation. 
 
 Sf.c 4. Wliiie such slaves are in depot, they may be employed, 
 iin<ler proper guard, on public works; but no slave shull be removed 
 fiom the depot to \vhich he is first carried, for at least one month after 
 the first advertisem'.-nt of his being there, nor then, unless an exacc 
 registfrJs made of th;- removal, and due advertisement made in the 
 newspapers af! .-iforesaid. 
 
 Skc. 5. Free access shall be permitted to all persons desiring to 
 inspect the said slaves for the purpose of identifying them and estab- 
 lishing ownership; and upon due proof, they shall be immediately 
 restored to the persons claiming them. 
 
 Six. C. Ic shall further be the duty of 1h:: Secretary of War to 
 r^ '.ire the names of all slaves in the employment of an officer or 
 - . lier of the Confederate army or navy, with the names and residence 
 'A their owners, and of the person by whom hired out, and of the 
 . liecr or soldier hiring, to be refortpd to his department, and a full 
 legister thereof to be kept for public inspection. 
 
Sec. 7. The President shall prescribe regulations for carrying this 
 act into effect, and provide for the subsistence of said slaves while in 
 such depots. [Approved October 13, 1862.] 
 
 11. Depots for recaptured slaves are hereby established at the fol- 
 lowing places, viz : 
 
 At the Camp of Instruction at Richmond, in the State of Virginia. 
 '' " «* Petersburg, " *« 
 
 *' Dublin Station, " •=♦ 
 
 Raleigh, «' N. Carolina. 
 
 Columbia, " S. Carolina. 
 
 " *' " Macon, ' " Georgia. 
 
 ** " " Decatur, " " 
 
 " *' " Notasulga, " Alabama. 
 
 ,** " Talladega, " *' 
 
 Tallahassee, '' Florida. 
 
 *' " •' Brookhaven, •' Mississippi. 
 
 *' " " Entcrprize, •' ** 
 
 " '* " Monroe, " Louisiana. 
 
 " • " Camp Moore, •* " 
 
 *• " New Iberia, " " 
 
 " " Houston, *' Texas. 
 
 "■ '* " Knoxville, *' Tennessee. 
 
 '• '* " McMinnsville, " " 
 
 " - ** " Little Rock, " Arkansas. 
 
 III. The commandants of the several camps of instruction will 
 provide necessary quarters for all negroes sent to the depots ; will 
 detail sufficient guards for their safe keeping; provide for their cus- 
 tody, employment and subsistence ; require full and accurate registers 
 to be kept, and advertisements, as prescribed by the act of Congress, 
 to be regularly made, and afford all ficilities to claimants to establish 
 their ownership, and on due proof, surrender the slaves to their 
 owners. / 
 
 IV. Commanding generals will require all persons connected with 
 the army to make immediate report of all slaves arrested or coming 
 into their possession; and if claim is not promptly made and estab- 
 lished by the owner, will send such slaves, with a register of the place 
 and date of their arrest, with as little delay as practicable, to the 
 nearest depot in the State wherein the capture is made. They will 
 also require all oflicers and soldiers now employing slaves, forthwith 
 to report the same, and those hereafter employing them, within ten 
 days thereafter, with the names and residence of their owners, and of 
 the person by whom they were hired out, and of the officer or soldier 
 hiring, and return such reports as soon as received, to this office; and 
 will, in all other respects, enforce from the officers and men under 
 their command a strict and prompt observance of the requirements of 
 the above recited act of Congress. 
 
 By order. 
 
 S. COOPER, 
 Adjutant and Inspector General. 
 
H', 
 
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