GENERAL ORDERS, 
No. 32. 
WAR DEPARTMENT, 
Adjutant General’s Office, 
Washington, April 2, 1862. 
The following Regulations are published for the information of all 
concerned : 
ADDITIONAL PARAGRAPHS ON THE SUBJECT OF PRISONERS OF WAR. 
(Vide paragraphs 745 to 747, Revised Regulations for the Army, 1861.) 
1. A General commanding in the field, or a Department, will make 
arrangements for the safe-keeping and reasonable comfort of his 
prisoners. 
2. For this purpose he will place them under a guard already on 
duty, or detach a guard for the special service. 
3. The General will give no order exchanging prisoners, or releasing 
them, except under instructions from the Secretary of War. 
4. In emergencies admitting of no delay, the General will act 
upon his own authority, and give any order in relation to his prisoners 
the public interest might require, promptly reporting his proceedings 
to the War Department through the Adjutant General. 
5. In time of war, a Commissary General of Prisoners will be 
announced, whose general duties will be those of an Inspector. 
6. A General Depot for Prisoners will be designated by the Secretary 
of War, which shall he under the command of the Commissary General 
of Prisoners, with a body of troops as a guard under his orders. The 
Depot shall be the Headquarters of the Commissary General, to which 
communications may be sent. 
7. Generals commanding Departments, or in the field, may, at their 
discretion, send their prisoners to the General Depot—furnishing proper 
rolls with them, showing when and where captured, &c. ; after which 
their charge of them will cease. 
8. The Commissary General of Prisoners is empowered to visit 
places at which prisoners may be held, and will recommend to the 
General, whose guards are responsible for them, whatever modification 
in their treatment may seem to him proper or necessary, and report 
the same to the War Department. 2 
9. Generals sending prisoners to the depots, or to special localities, 
will furnish the Commissary General of Prisoners with lists or rolls of 
all prisoners so sent, which the Commissary General of Prisoners will 
cause to be entered in a proper book, showing the name and designa- 
tion of each prisoner, the time and place when and where taken. Any 
special information of importance will be added from time to time in a 
column of remarks. When disposed of, by exchange or otherwise, 
the fact, and the authority for it, and the name of the person for 
whom exchanged, should be noted in this record. 
10. The Commissary General of Prisoners shall have authority to 
call for such reports from officers in command of guards over prisoners 
as may be necessary for the proper discharge of his own duties. 
11. He will make reports monthly, or oftener, if required, to the 
Adjutant General, showing where and in what numbers prisoners are 
held, and be in readiness at all times to answer specific questions as to 
persons. 
12. The duties of the Commissary General of Prisoners do not extend 
to prisoners of State. 
By order of the Secretary of War : 
L. THOMAS, 
Official : Adjutant General. 
Assistant Adjutant General.