Adjutant and Inspector General’s Office, 
GENERAL ORDERS. ) 
No. 104. $ 
Richmond. July 28, 1863. 
I- Officers of engineer troops having been selected for appointment, 
with special reference to their qualifications as engineers, will be respected 
as such, and their duties, when serving in the field, camp or cantonment, 
will embrace all that are enumerated in paragraph 111, General Orders, 
No. 90, current series, “as the duties of officers of engineers serving with 
armies of the Confederate States.” 
11. On the march engineer troops will serve as pioneers, constructing 
and repairing roads and bridges, and removing impediments to the ad- 
vance of our forces, or delaying the enemy, by breaking up roads, de- 
stroying bridges, and otherwise obstructing his communications. They 
will also be employed in making rapid reconnoissances and surveys of 
the country occupied or marched over by the army; preparing sketches 
and maps of the roads and topographical features ; .laying out camps, and 
entrenching military positions. During battle they will be held in re- 
serve, and used as circumstances may demand, either in their special 
duties, or as infantry. Under the command of their officers, thev mav 
be employed in the construction of ovens for baking bread, and other 
works requiring mechanical skill, but not on mere police duty, or the like 
unless connected immediately with their own organization: nor are they 
to be employed altogether on mere fatigue service—but, once instructed 
in the duties of the engineer soldier, they will be frequently employed in 
laying out works, and also in aiding and directing the labors of. other 
troops detailed for their construction. 
111. Whenever practicable, engineer troops will be drilled and in- 
structed in the duties of engineer soldiers, by Imitations and regiments— 
and to this end, all the companies serving with an army will be habitually 
kept together: but such temporary assignments of companies to divisions 
or otherwise, will be made by the Commanding General, as will, in his 
judgment, best comport with the interests of the service. The Ordnance 
department will furnish light arms to these troops; but until they can be 
supplied, infantry muskets will be used. Entrenching tools and other • 
implements will be issued by the Engineer department, 2 
IY. Each company of the engineer troops shall be provided by the 
Quartermaster’s department with at least two wagons and teams of four 
animals each, for transportation of company equipage, entrenching tools 
and other implements; one ambulance or other light vehicle, with a team 
of two horses, for carrying surveying instruments, stationery, maps, 
drawing boards and other fixtures; and twelve additional horses, with 
saddles, bridles and harness, to be used by the officers and non-commis- 
sioned officers in making rapid examinations of country, or for hauling 
materials needed for prompt repair and construction of bridges, roads and 
other works. 
V. When officers of the Corps of engineers and of engineer troops are 
engaged on the same service, the senior officer present shall control in 
all questions relating to the location and construction of defences, and to 
engineering works generally connected with the army, unless for special 
reasons it be decided otherwise by the commanding officer: but should 
the recommendations and plans of a junior officer be adopted, the direc- 
tions of the commander will not be communicated through him to the 
senior engineer officer, whether of the corps or troops, but through the 
usual channel of orders. Officers of the corps of engineers will not 
assume the command of engineer troops. In all cases they will be 
under the command of their own officers. 
order. 
S. COOPEE, 
Adjutant and Inspector General.