Circular.] …..Headquarters First Army Corps1
Near Richmond, Va., October 20, 1864.
…..The attention of the lieutenant-general commanding has been directed to the large number of irresponsible parties wandering about the rear and flanks of the Federal army, who claim to be scouts of the Army of Northern Virginia. They do us no good, but by their practice of violating General Order, Numbers 60, in the robbery and maltreatment of Federal deserters, and by robbing prisoners and citizens, they bring disgrace and detriment to the service.
…..By orders from headquarters Army of Northern Virginia, all parties claiming to be scouts will be arrested who are not authorized by the cavalry commander or whose names are not sent to General Hampton from army headquarters.
…..The lieutenant-general commanding desires you to give such orders as will at once put a stop to this independent scouting. He thinks that two good scouts will be enough for your division and he wishes when you shall have selected them, to send up their names for proper authorization. Let them be specially instructed in their duties, and warned against the malpractices above spoken of. We may thus hope to give some system, order, and responsibility to the performance of the important duty of procuring information of the enemy’s movements.
……………I am, general, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,
G. M. SORREL,
Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.
(To division commanders.)
- War of the Rebellion: Serial 089 Page 1155 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LIV.