GENERAL ORDERS, i WAR DEPARTMENT, > Adjutant Genkral's Office, No- 105- ) Washington, April 28, 18(53. The organization of an Invalid Corps is hereby authorized. This Corps shall consist of Companies, and if it shall hereafter be thought best, of Battalions. The Companies shall be made up from the following sources, viz: First. By taking those officers and enlisted men of commands now in the field (whether actually present or temporarily absent) who, from wounds received in action or disease contracted in the line of duty, are unfit for field service, but are still capable of effective garrison duty, or such other light duty as may be required of an Invalid Corps. Regi- mental Commanders shall at once make out, from information received from their Medical and Company Officers, and from their own knowl- edge, rolls (according to the Form furnished) of the names of all the officers and enlisted men under their commands who fulfill the following conditions, viz: 1. That they are unfit for active field service on account of wounds or disease contracted in the line of duty; this fact being certified by a Medical Officer in the service, after personal examination. 2. That they are fit for garrison duty; this fact being likewise cer- tified by the Medical Officer, as above, after personal examination 3. That they are, in the opinion of their Commanding Officers, meritorious and deserving. These rolls shall be certified by the Examining Surgeon and Regi- mental Commander, and transmitted, through the regular channels of military correspondence, to the Provost Marshal General of the United States. The Regimental Commander shall enter in the column of remarks, opposite each officer's name on the roll, a statement as to the general character of the officer for intelligence, industry, sobriety, and atten- tion to duty; and all intermediate Commanders shall endorse thereon such facts as they may possess in the case, or if they have none, they 2 shall state how far they are willing to endorse the opinion of the officer or officers making the recommendation. Similar rolls shall be for- warded from time to time, whenever the number of men fulfilling the conditions enumerated or the exigencies of the service may render it expedient. Second. By taking those officers and enlisted men still in service and borne on the rolls, but who are absent from duty, in Hospitals or Con- valescent Camps, or are otherwise under the control of Medical Officers. In these cases the Medical Officer in attendance shall prepare the rolls according to Form, entering the names of officers and men from the same Regiment on a roll by themselves, and send them, with the cer- tificate of the Surgeon, duly signed, to the proper Regimental Com- mander, who will forward them, as heretofore specified, subject to the same conditions and requirements. If, in any case, the Regimental Commander shall think an officer unfit, in point of character, to con- tinue in the service of the Invalid Corps, though disabled and certified by the Surgeon, he will state his objection in the column of remarks, and note the exception before signing the certificate. If any officer or enlisted man now in the service, but absent and beyond the reach of a Medical Officer in charge of a Hospital or Convalescent Camp, desires to enter this Corps, he will take the course indicated below for those who have been honorably discharged the service. Third. By accepting those officers and enlisted men who have been honorably discharged on account of wounds or disease contracted in the line of duty, and who desire to re-enter the service. In the case of an officer, application for appointment must be made to the Provost Mar- shal General of the United States through the officer detailed as Acting Assistant Provost Marshal General of the State. No application of this kind will be considered unless the following conditions are completely fulfilled: 1. That the applicant produce the certificate of the .Surgeon of the Board of Enrollment for the District in which he resides, that he is unfit for active field duty on account of wounds or disease, and is not liable to draft, but is fit for garrison duty. 2. That he furnish evidence of honorable discharge on account of wounds or disability contracted in the line of duty. 3 3. That he produce recommendations from the Regimental, Brigade, and Division Commanders under whom he formerly served, that he is worthy of being thus provided for and capable of returning adequate service to the Government. In case it shall be impracticable to get this last evidence, he may, having established the first two points above, satisfy the Board of Enrollment that he is deserving, and pre- sent its ceitificate of the fact. This evidence must all be obtained by the applicant, and must be transmitted with his application for ap- pointment. If there be no Acting Assistant Provost Marshal General for the State, the application may be forwarded through the Adjutant General of the State, who is desired to endorse thereon such facts in the mili- tary history of the applicant as he may know, or as are afforded by his records, and forward the same to the Provost Marshal General of the United States. Enlisted men, honorably discharged on account of disability, desiring to re-enlist in this Corps, will present themselves to the Board of Enrollment for the District in which they reside, for examination by the Surgeon thereof, who shall examine them and report the result to the Board of Enrollment. The Board shall then consider each case, and if the applicant is found to fulfill the conditions specified below, the Board shall give him a certificate to that effect, viz: 1. That he is unfit for service in the field. 2. That he is fit for garrison duty. 3. That he is meritorious and deserving. 4. That he was honorably discharged from the service. The Provost Marshal for the District shall then send the application, with this certificate of the Board, to the Acting Assistant Provost Marshal General of the State, who shall procure such evidence of ser- vice and character as the records of the Company to which he be- longed, on file at the Headquarters of the State, may show, and if satisfied that it is a meritorious case, and that the man is deserving, he will enlist him in accordance with such special rules as the Provost Marshal General may establish. Medical Inspectors, Surgeons in charge of Hospitals, Military Com- manders, and all others having authority to discharge, under existing laws and regulations, are forbidden to grant discharges to any men under their control who may be fit for service in the Invalid Corps. 4 The Provost Marshal General is charged with the execution of this order, and the troops organized under it will be under the control of his Bureau. By order of the Secretary of War: E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant General. Official : Assistant Adjutant General.