GENERAL ORDERS, 
No. 86. 
WAR DEPARTMENT, 
Adjutant General’s Office, 
Washington, April 2, 1863. 
I..Under the authority Contained in Sections 19 and 20 of the act 
“for enrolling and calling out the national forces, and for other pur- 
poses,’’ approved March 3, 1863, it is ordered that for each and every 
regiment of the volunteer army now reduced, or that may be reduced here- 
after, as set forth in said sections, consolidation shall he made in accord- 
ance with the following rules: 
Infantry. 
1. Each regiment will he consolidated into five, or a less number of 
companies, and the Colonel, Major, and one Assistant Surgeon, mus- 
tered out. 
2. Each regiment will be consolidated into six, or a less member of 
companies, and the Colonel, two Majors, and one Assistant Surgeon, 
mustered out. 
Cavalry. 
Artillery 
3. Each regiment will be consolidated into six, or a less number of 
batteries, and the Colonel, two Majors, and one Assistant Surgeon, 
mustered out. 
4. The companies and batteries formed by consolidation will be of 
the maximum strength, and will be organized as now directed by 
law and regulation. The first letters of the alphabet will be used to designate 
the companies. 
5. The company officers—commissioned and non-commissioned— 
rendered supernumerary, with those enumerated in the foregoing, will 
be mustered out of service at the date of consolidation. All other 
officers and non-commissioned officers will be retained. 
6. The officers to be retained will be selected by the Division and 
Corps Commanders, under the instructions of the Commanding General 
of the Army or Department, from among the most efficient officers of 
the respective regiments. 11.. After the consolidations, as herein directed, the reduced pro- 
portion of officers will be maintained, and no appointments to 
vacancies will be made, except upon notification from the Adjutant 
General of the Army. To this end, Commanders of Armies and De- 
partments will report, weekly, to the Adjutant General, the vacancies 
to be filled. The said reports will be separate for each State, and 
must embrace the name, rank, and regiment of the party creating the 
vacancy, with date and cause thereof. If an order has issued in the 
case, its number, date, and source must be given. 
Commissaries and Assistant Commissaries of Musters will closely 
observe this paragraph, and make no musters in excess of the propor- 
tion herein fixed. 
111.. The following are the sections of the act referred to, and under 
which the foregoing is ordered : 
Sec. 19. And be it further enacted, That whenever a regiment of vol- 
unteers of the same arm, from the same State, is reduced to one-half 
the maximum number prescribed by law, the President may direct the 
consolidation of the companies of such regiment: Provided, That no 
company so formed shall exceed the maximum number prescribed by 
law. When such consolidation is made, the regimental officers shall 
be reduced in proportion to the reduction in the number of companies. 
Sec. 20. And be it further enacted, That whenever a regiment is reduced 
below the minimum number allowed by law, no officers shall be ap- 
pointed in such regiment beyond those necessary for the command of 
such reduced number. 
By order of the Secretary of War : 
E. D. TOWNSEND, 
Assistant Adjutant General.