GENERAL ORDERS, 
NO. 206. 
WAR DEPARTMENT, 
Adjutant General’s Office, 
Washington, June 3, 1864. 
Sentence of Deserters. 
To avoid misconstruction, General Orders, No. 76, of February 26, 
and No. 196, of May 12, 1864, are hereby republished. 
No. 76. 
The President directs that the sentences of all deserters who have 
been condemned by Courts Martial to death, and that have not been 
otherwise acted upon by him, be mitigated to imprisonment, during the 
war, at the Dry Tortugas, Florida, where they will be sent, under 
suitable guards, by orders from Army Commanders. 
The Commanding Generals who have power to act on proceedings 
of Courts Martial in such cases, are authorized, in special cases, to 
restore to duty deserters under sentence, when, in their judgment, the 
service will be thereby benefitted. 
Copies of all orders issued under the foregoing instructions, will be 
immediately forwarded to the Adjutant General and to the Judge 
Advocate General. 
No. 196. 
General Orders, No. 76, War Department, Adjutant General’s Office, 
February 26, 1864, commuting the capital sentences of deserters to 
imprisonment, during the war, at the Dry Tortugas, Florida, are so 
amended as to direct the discharge from the service of the United States, 
with forfeiture of pay and allowances due, of all persons to whose 
cases the provisions of the General Orders apply. 
By ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR: 
E. D. TOWNSEND, 
Assistant Adjutant General. 
NOTE.—It is not the intention of the last Order to remit the penalty of imprison- 2 
ment, at the Dry Tortugas, during the war; but to add thereto discharge, with loss 
of pay and allowances due. 
The Order applies to soldiers convicted only of desertion, and does not relate to 
persons convicted of other crimes. The latter class will be punished according to their 
respective sentences. 
Official : 
Assistant Adjutant General.