#?3? ■UHHHN OIIRCTTILAIR confederate states of america, Bureau of Conscription, Richmond. Va.. Sept. 10, 1868. It is believed by the Superintendent, that the agencies of conscription now in operation are. sufficient for the prompt, energetic and complete administration of General Orders, No. A. & I. G. CP. , and all subsequent orders and instructions strictly concerning the enrollment, assignment and forwarding of conscripts. While cases of doubtful in terpretation or application of the law will continually arise, and must necessarily be referred for adjudication to this bureau, it is confidently assumed that commandants of conscripts are now provided with due au- thority, and force sufficient to meet all demand.- of conscription. More fully to ascertain this, the circular of August lUth, 1803, was issued, and a system of inspection has been instituted, by mean.< of which all deficiencies will be supplied. Commandants are expected and required to use all tbeir agencies with the utmost vigor. The conscription must be pushed to its full legal scope, and with in- creased activity. Enrolling officers must be kept up to the work. The country looks to this department to furnish fresh material to meet the constant depletion of its armies. In no case and under no circumstances will the commandants be per- forming their duties, if they retain, without reporting, inefficient enrolling officers. Assuming theu that the organization for conscription is complete, and that every officer will do his duty in that department, your attention is now specially directed to those other grave functions imposed upon you. The chief one is that of arresting and returning absentees from the armies. This now is the great duty of every officer in this department, of every state authority, and of every citizen of the Confederacy. I. You will forthwith proceed to organize a mounted military force of such material as you can obtain, to be composed of non-conscripts, ex- empts, and other persons not liable to military service, who may volun- teer for twelve months' Bervice under tin- orders of this bureau, to aero in the state in which they are raised. The principal duty will be that of L r abseutees, and in repelling local invac Ymu w ill, as tar as practicable, enlist men who will furnish their own h«rses. The <■■ i p .1,;, a w i,i be allowed in elect their ow n offieera. ! i battalion will be trader the command of an officer assigned by this bureau. You will, as early as practicable, report your opinion on the probabili- ties of racing this force, li will be mustered in and armed as cavalry, with sabies and earhines. ConaoBfptfl will not he admitted into the organization,' but may hero- after be assigned to that service by special order from this bureau. Prompt attention to, and activity is demanded in this matter. When the organization is complete and reported, special instructions will be given. IT You will require the local enrolling officers to engage actively in their respective districts in efforts to procure men for tin- service, and to forward them forthwith to your camp of instruction, giving transporta- tion. When reported at camp, you will instantly put them on some duty until sufficient numbers arrive for the organization of a cavalry company, According to Regulation's. On receiving that number, you will order the organization, and report to the bureau the names in lull of the officers t lected. III. Under this order, you- are authorized to raise six companies,' not to exc ed one hundred, rank and file, ea