Adjutant and Inspector General’s Office, 
WAR DEPARTMENT, 
Richmond, July 23v 18G2. 
GENERAL ORDERS, \ 
No. 52. 5 
I. It will be the duty of t’io Commanding Generals of separate Armies 
to cause to be entered, in some conspicuous place on the standards of 
regiments, battalions, and separately organized squadrons of their com- 
mands, the names of the several battles in which their regiments, bat- 
talions and separate squadrons have been actually engaged. 
11. With a view to carry into effect so much of the act of April 21, 
1862, as provides, N“ that the President may, when in his opinion it is 
proper, fill any vacancy, by the promotion of any officer from any com- 
pany, battalion, squadron or regiment in which the same may occur, 
who shall have been distinguished in service, by the exhibition of extra- 
ordinary valor or skill, and that when any vacancy shall occur in the 
lowest grade of commissioned officer of any company, the same may be 
filled by selection, by the President, of any non-commissioned officer or 
private from the company in wrhich said vacancy may occur, who shall 
have been distinguished in the service by the exhibition of extraordinary 
valor and skill,” it will be the duty of the several Commanding Officers 
herein referred to, to furnish reports, setting forth the facts and circum- 
stances of the “ extraordinary valor and skill” displayed by such officers, 
non-commissioned officers and privates as may be by them 
for promotion, agreeably to the provision of ibis act. These reports will 
be passed through the ascending channel of communication, provided 
by the Army Regulations, to the Commanding General, who will forward 
the same, with such remarks as he may do3m necessary, to the Adjutant 
and Inspector General, for the action of the Secretary of War. 
111. The employees of rail road companies are authorized and re- 
quested to examine the passes and furloughs of soldiers passing over 
their roads, and to arrest all deserters and persons absent without leave 
from the army, whenever they may be found on said roads, and to de- 
liver them to an officer of the army at the most convenient post or station, 
or to lodo-e them in jail, and report their names and regiments to the 
Adjutantoand Inspector General, Richmond. Thirty dollars wifi be paid for all deserters delivered to an officer, and fifteen dollars for each de- 
serter Ipdged in jail. No allowance will be made for the expenses of 
apprehension and transportation. All jailors receiving deserters are re- 
quested to detain them. The usual allowance for prisoners will be made. 
By command of the Secretary of War, 
S. COOPER, 
Adjutant and Inspector General