GENERAL ORDERS, 
No. 88. 
WAR DEPARTMENT, 
adjutant General’s Office, 
Washington, October 7, 1861, 
I. -It is observed that many officers of the army pay postage on 
official communications addressed to the Adjutant General, and that 
others address their communications to the Assistants in the Adjutant 
General’s Office. Both of these practices are wrong and must cease. 
The Adjutant General is authorized to frank and receive letters by post, 
free of postage. They should therefore be left unpaid, and addressed, 
in all cases, to “The Adjutant General of the Army.” 
II. -The attention of officers, having part in the discharge of soldiers 
for disability, is called to paragraphs 167 and 168, Revised Regulation 
of the Army, to the instructions for the commander of the company 
contained in the form of the Certificate of Disability, (page 325 
Revised Regulations,) and to Note 1 attached to that form, which is 
in the following words: “When a probable case for pension, special care 
must be taken to state the degree of disability. ’ ’ 
The neglect of company commanders to state the cause, when known, 
and other facts connected with the disability; and of the Surgeon to 
state its degree, may deprive worthy men of the pensions to which 
they arc entitled. 
order : 
L. THOMAS, 
Adjutant General. 
Official ; 
Assistant Adjutant Gtnereral.