African Americana

Book of General Orders for 1 Jan. to 29 Dec. 1864, Nos. 1 to 172 plus 16 Circulars. This was kept by an officer in the Department of the South. Headquarters were initially at Folly Island before being moved to Hilton Head, SC. The Department of the South had more opportunities to recruit African Americans than most other Departments and the General Orders reflect this. Thus, many of the Courts Martial, the reports of which make up the majority of this group of orders, will involve African-American soldiers. Examples include:

General Order No. 6 (1 Jan. 1864): "Ordered: - That Major General Gilmore, commanding the Department of the South, be and he is hereby authorized: - First: To enlist and organize all the colored troops that can be recruited in his Department, the said enlistments to be in accordance with the rules and regulations of the service and of the War Department, relating to the organization of colored troops..."Second: General Gilmore is authorized to appoint a Board for the examination of white persons to officer the regiments and companies so raised by him and to make provisional appointments of the persons passed by said Board..."

General Order No. 34, 8 March: "Pursuant to section 24, of the Act approved February 24, 1864, amendatory of the Act of March 3, 1863, Boards of Enrollments in districts in which there are any colored persons held to service, will, without delay, proceed to enroll all such persons as are liable to military duty...."

General Order No. 44, 26 March: "In accordance with orders from the War Department, the 1st and 2d Regiments South Carolina, and the 1st Regiment North Carolina Volunteers (Colored), will, hereafter, be known and designated, respectively, as the 33rd, 34th, and 35th Regiments US Colored Troops."

General Order No. 39, 19 March: Prohibits employment of anyone in military service by civilians unless approved by the commanding officer or while the soldier is on approved leave of absence.