known, cause of absence and authority therefor, and deliver the same to the mustering officer charged with the muster out of the regiment, to whom he will report on arrival as assistant. In all matters pertaining to their duties as mustering officers, officers and men of organizations to be mustered out will be guided by the instructions of these officers, who are acting under the authority conferred by the Secretary of War. 3. The names of all officers and enlisted men who belonged to the organization prior and subsequent to the preparation of the organization roll must be accounted for on the muster-out roll, which is required to be a complete record of all the officers and enlisted men who ever belonged to the organization. Attention is especially invited in this respect to the printed instructions on the muster-out roll. 4. When the muster-out rolls have been prepared they will be carefully examined by a board of officers, to be appointed by the regimental commander, which will be furnished with the retained copy of the organization roll, with copies of all the muster rolls of the organization and other necessary data. Under the supervision of the mustering officer the board will compare rolls and other data with the muster-out rolls to insure their absolute correctness in all respects. 5. Discharge certificates will be prepared for every officer and enlisted man present, and for such officers and enlisted men absent from the command (sick, on leave, er on furlough) whose discharge from the service is not ordered herein to be executed by officers under whose immediate control such absentees may be at date of muster out. Under the head of "Remarks" on the discharge certificate and the muster-out rolls record will be made as to whether or not the service of the soldier was honest and faithful. In this particular attention is invited to paragraph 148 of the Regulations as amended by General Orders, No. 10, of 1897, from this office. 6. Discharge certificates will be signed by the regimental commander for the noncommissioned staff and band and for all officers of the regiment, by company commanders for the enlisted men of their companies, and all will be countersigned by the mustering officer, who will deliver them to the paymaster for the purpose required in paragraph 1383 of the Regulations. The chief mustering officer will sign the discharge certificates of regimental commanders. 7. The discharge from the United States Volunteer service in the cases of all absentees will take effect upon the muster out of the organizations to which they belong, except only in cases of officers and men held in captivity and such others as may be retained in the service under special authority granted by the Secretary of War. 8. When an organization is under orders to proceed to the United States for muster out, the commanding general, Division of the Philippines, will take the necessary steps to cause the return to it of all absentees except such as may be absolutely unable to join on account of illness or capture by the enemy, and such officers as may be necessary to be retained in the service under authority to be obtained from the Secretary of War. Officers and men unable to join on account of illness will be discharged by the chief mustering officer, Division of the Philippines, on the date of the muster out of their organizations in the United States, which date will be cabled to him by the mustering officer charged with the muster out of the regiment. Officers and enlisted men unable to join their commands on account of being in the hands of the enemy will, after coming under the control of the Government, be discharged on the date of the muster out of their organizations if practicable, or on the date of arrival from captivity at Manila, if the organizations to which they belong have been mustered out. The descriptive lists, with full statement of action taken in the above-mentioned cases, will be sent by the chief mustering officer to the Adjutant-General of the Army. All descriptive lists must contain a complete history of allotments of enlisted men, their duration, their discontinuance, either voluntary or imposed by court-martial forfeitures, their resumption, and any other facts necessary to arrive at a proper settlement on discharge or muster out. 9. In the cases of enlisted men absent at muster out, either in the Philippines or in the United States, discharge certificates and final statements will be carefully prepared from descriptive lists by officers under whose control they may be at the time, and the physical examination required will be made immediately prior to date of discharge, but when for sufficient reasons the physical examination can not be made prior to date of discharge it will be waived and notation thereof made on the descriptive lists, as neither officers nor men will be held in service for that purpose. 10. In the cases of officers absent at muster out, discharge certificates will be furnished them by the officers under whom they may be serving after the required physical examination has been made, if such examination is practicable, and they will be notified to apply to the Paymaster-General of the Army for settlement of their accounts. 11. Officers and enlisted men absent on leave or furlough in the United States, and not under the immediate control of post or other commanders, will be notified by the mustering officer by letter of the date on which they will be discharged from the service on account of the muster out of their organizations, and the date of such notification will be placed on the muster-out rolls. The mustering officer will cause discharge certificates to be prepared for officers and discharge certificates and final statements for the enlisted men, and the final statements must show the place from which travel allowances are due. In the case of officers the necessary notation of the place from which travel allowances are due will be made on the discharge certificates under the head of "Remarks;" in both cases travel allowances will be paid only from the places where the discharge certificates were received by the persons concerned. The discharge certificates and final statements will be sent to officers and men by registered mail, and the receipts therefor will be filed with the muster-out rolls, on which rolls will be entered the date when such papers were registered and mailed. Soldiers on discharge will be advised to apply in person or by mail to the nearest paymaster (whose station will be given) for final payment, and the paymasters will be notified, as required by paragraph 150 of the Regulations. Officers will apply to the Paymaster-General of the Army for payment. 12. When volunteer organizations serving in the Philippine Islands receive orders to proceed to the United States for muster out of service, officers and enlisted men of such organizations whose service has been honest and faithful, who desire to remain in those islands, may be discharged by department commanders upon written application approved by company and regimental commanders. 13. Officers honorably discharged in the Philippines will be entitled to travel allowances for the land travel involved from place of their discharge to the place of actual residence at the time of appointment, and enlisted men to places of enlistment. For the sea travel officers are entitled to free transportation and actual expenses, and enlisted men to free transportation and subsistence of the kind furnished enlisted men in the service on any transport leaving the islands for the United States, on presenting their discharge certificates to the chief quartermaster of the division, who will furnish the same and cause the fact that transportation and subsistence have been furnished to be indorsed on said certificates. The discharge certificates and the final statements in such cases must show clearly the place from which land travel allowances are due, if any, to port of embarkation and from port of debarkation in the United States to the place of residence or enlistment, as the case may be. 14. The physical examination of all officers and enlisted men prior to discharge in the Philippine Islands will be conducted as provided for in Paragraph II of this order, under the supervision of the chief mustering officer, who will also be charged with the examination of final statements before they are delivered to the men. The physical examination of officers and men absent from their commands in the United States will be made in accordance with Paragraph II, and as directed in General Orders, No. 130, October 25, 1900, from this office. 15. Attention is invited to section 2, act of Congress approved January 12, 1899 (published in G. O. 13, 1899): "SEC. 2. That officers who at any time were accountable or responsible for public property shall be required, before final payment is made to them on discharge from the service, to obtain certificates of nonindebtedness to the United States from only such of the bureaus of the War Department to which the property for which they were accountable or responsible pertains, and the certificate from the chief of the Division of Bookkeeping and Warrants, Treasury Department, and such certificates, accompanied by the affidavits of officers, of nonaccountability or nonresponsibility to other bureaus of the War Department, certified to by the commanding officer of the regiment or independent organization, shall warrant their final payment: Provided, That officers who have not been responsible at any time for public property shall be required to make affidavit of that fact, certified to by their commanding officers, which shall be accepted as sufficient evidence to warrant their final payment on their discharge from the service: Provided further, That mustering officers are empowered to administer oaths in all matters pertaining to the muster out of volu 1teers." 16. Officers having in their possession funds of the United States who are ordered discharged or mustered out of the service or relieved from duty will turn over their balances of public funds to an officer of the staff department to which the funds pertain, taking his receipt therefor, or deposit the funds in a United States depository to the credit of the Treasurer of the United States, close their accounts and transmit them to the chief of the proper bureau of the War Department without unnecessary delay, accompanied by the proper vouchers and other papers relating thereto. This will greatly facilitate the final settlement of their accountability. Where funds are on deposit to their credit in a designated depository or in the Treasury of the United States, all unused checks will be turned over and accounted for as required by Army Regulations, 605 and 606, also 607 (as amended by General Orders, No. 181, Adjutant-General's Office, 1899), and Circular, No. 51, Ådjutant-General's Office, October 19, 1899, and by regulations of the Treasury Department as per printed instructions in each book, retaining only the stubs of the checks issued by them. Officers of the volunteers who at any time were accountable or responsible for public property will on discharge from the service be paid only the travel allowances due them, and no other payments will be made to them until they shall have satisfactorily accounted for the public property for which they were accountable or responsible. They will not be retained in the service beyond the date of muster out of their organizations for the purpose of completing their accounts and returns. 17. Mustering officers are hereby designated to act as inspectors of property submitted to them for condemnation for which officers of organizations ordered to be mustered out of the service are responsible, and they are authorized to order, "by direction of the Secretary of War," final disposition to be made of condemned property, except that mentioned in paragraphs 888 and 1463 of the Regulations. 18. Officers of staff departments will be detailed for duty at rendezvous to receive public property and supervise the preparation of all returns and papers relating thereto under special instructions to be given by chiefs of the staff departments of the Army, and the Surgeon-General of the Army will designate for detail medical officers to assist in the physical examination of officers and men, to be made as indicated in Paragraph II of this order. 19. Officers of the Regular Army holding commissions in volunteer regiments will on muster out in the United States report by telegraph to the Adjutant-General of the Army for further orders. 20. Soldiers of volunteer organizations who at the time of the muster out of their organizations are in confinement under sentence of a general court-martial which does not provide for dishonorable discharge will be discharged without honor on the muster out of their commands, as provided for by paragraph 151, Army Regulations. 21. On arrival of the paymaster at the rendezvous the mustering officer will deliver to him the discharge certificates for the purpose indicated in section 6 of this order, and on the day of payment the organization will be paraded and the mustering officer will cause the names of all officers and enlisted men present and absent to be called out, requiring those present to answer and step briskly five paces in front of the line. As soon as the muster of a company has been completed the mustering officer will direct it to be marched to the pay table for payment and discharge, handing a copy of the muster-out roll to the company commander, which immediately after payment will be returned to the mustering officer. On completion of the payment of the organization the mustering officer will send one copy of the muster-out roll to the Adjutant-General of the Army and file the remaining copy with the records of the organization. Mustering officers and their assistants will keep correct records of all correspondence, properly indexed, and upon completion of their duties render to the AdjutantGeneral of the Army full reports of their work with such recommendations as to the solution of the problem involved in the muster out of service of United States volunteers as their experience may dictate. 22. The Porto Rico Regiment, United States Volunteer Infantry, will be mustered out of the service at its station on or before June 30, 1901, under the provisions of this order and such special instructions as may be given from this office. II. Physical examination of officers and men.—To facilitate the settlement of pension claims that may be made on account of disability incurred in the United States service and to protect the rights of persons who may be entitled to the benefits of the pension laws as well as to guard the interests of the Government, it is ordered that a thorough physical examination be made of all officers and enlisted men of volunteers, except general officers, officers of the general staff, and officers detached from the Regular Army immediately prior to their muster out of service or discharge. For this purpose a blank form will be supplied by the Adjutant-General of the Army. 1. When an organization is about to be mustered out of the service each officer and enlisted man will be required by his company or other commanding officer to answer the questions on the blank form "Declaration of person to be mustered out," which, when completed, will be signed by him and duly witnessed by said officer. This officer will then make the required certificate, which follows the declaration, based upon the official records of the organization and on his personal knowledge of the facts in the case. 2. When the physical examination papers of the officers and men of a company or other organization are so far completed, they will be given to the mustering officer, who will cause the physical examination to be made and said papers to be completed by a medical officer of the Army, Regular or Volunteer, detailed for this duty by proper authority. 3. Any officers or enlisted men under examination who claim to have a disability of which the medical officer can find no evidence, or claim to have a disability incurred in line of duty while the medical officer is of the opinion that the disability was not so incurred, will immediately be reexamined, without delaying discharge, by a board composed of not more than three medical officers, which will make a full report of the case in accordance with the terms of this order. If the medical officers fail to agree with regard to the case a separate minority report will be made by the dissenting officer. Should there be but one medical officer present the physical reexamination will be made by such other medical officer as may be available, otherwise the mustering officer will make such examination and express his opinion upon the merits of the case after inquiry and investigation of all pertinent information obtainable. 4. Upon completion of the medical examination the papers in the case will be turned over to the mustering officer, who will forward them with the muster-out rolls to the Adjutant-General of the Army. 5. The physical examination having been completed, the regimental and company records and blanks and the colors will be packed and marked, showing the organization to which they pertain, and forwarded to the Adjutant-General of the Army the day the muster out and payment takes place, as required by General Orders No. 128, series 1898, from this office. On the same day, or earlier, as may be deemed advisable by the mustering officer, the ordnance and other public property in possession of the organization will be turned over to the proper officers of the supply departments to be disposed of in accordance with the special instructions received by them. By command of Lieutenant-General Miles: GENERAL ORDERS, No. 22. H. C. CORBIN, HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, The following orders of the Secretary of War are published for the information and government of all concerned: Under the requirements of section 11 of the act approved February 2, 1901, "To increase the efficiency of the permanent military establishment of the United States," which provides that the enlisted force of the Corps of Engineers shall consist of one band and three battalions of four companies each, etc., the following organization is prescribed and will be effected without unnecessary delay: The first battalion, to consist of Companies A, B, C, and D, will be organized at Manila, Philippine Islands, under the command and direction of such officer of the Corps of Engineers on duty in the Division of the Philippines as the commanding general of the division may designate. The band and the second battalion, consisting of Companies E, F, G, and H, will take station at Fort Totten, Willets Point, N. Y.; the band will be organized and the battalion reorganized under the command and direction of the commanding officer of that station. The designations of the present Companies E, C, and D of the Battalion of Engineers will be changed as follows: Company E to Company C. The third battalion, to consist of Companies I, K, L, and M, will, with the exception of Company M, be organized at Fort Totten, Willets Point, N. Y., under the direction of the officer commanding that station as soon as a sufficient number of men shall be available to effect an organization of the companies. Company M will be immediately organized at West Point, N. Y., with the detachment now there as a basis. Recruiting will be at once commenced for the new companies to be organized and battalion commanders are authorized to transfer to them enlisted men of the old companies when in their opinion such transfers would be in the interests of the service. All such transfers will be promptly reported to the Adjutant-General of the Army. The companies composing the first and second battalions will by authority of the President consist of the maximum strength authorized by the act, viz, 1first sergeant, 1 quartermaster-sergeant, 2 musicians, 2 cooks, 12 sergeants, 18 corporals, 64 firstclass privates, and 64 second-class privates, each. The new companies composing the third battalion will be organized with the minimum strength authorized, viz, 1 first sergeant, 1 quartermaster-sergeant, 2 musicians, 2 cooks, 8 sergeants, 10 corporals, 38 first-class privates, and 38 second-class privates. Officers will be assigned to the battalions in orders hereafter. H. C. CORBIN, Adjutant-General. GENERAL ORDERS, No. 23. HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, I. By direction of the Secretary of War, the third provisional battalion of infantry now organizing at the Presidio of San Francisco is assigned as the First Battalion, Twenty-eighth U. S. Infantry, and will proceed to the Division of the Philippines on the transport Indiana, sailing from San Francisco about March 5, proximo. The commanding general, Department of California, will complete the equipment and organization of the battalion, attach such officers as may be necessary for duty with it while en route to Manila, and arrange all other details of the organization and movement. The Quartermaster's Department will furnish the transportation, the Subsistence Department suitable subsistence, and the Medical Department proper medical attendance and supplies. II. By direction of the Secretary of War, the first provisional squadron of cavalry now organizing at the Presidio of San Francisco is assigned as the First Squadron, Fifteenth U. S. Cavalry, and will be prepared under the direction of the commanding general, Department of California, for early service in the Division of the Philippines. By command of Lieutenant-General Miles: GENERAL ORDERS, No. 25. H. C. CORBIN, HEADQUARTERS OF THF ARMY, The following orders of the Secretary of War are published for the information and guidance of all concerned: I. Under the provisions of section 9 of the act approved February 2, 1901, which requires that not less than 20 per cent of the increase authorized by the act for the artillery arm shall be made before July 1, 1901, twelve companies of coast artillery, in addition to those now in service, will be organized with the commissioned officers and at the stations hereinafter designated: Fort Hamilton, N. Y., two companies: The Eighty-third Captain, Warren P. Newcomb, now at Fort Hamilton, N. Y. Second lieutenant, Gordon Robinson, now at New York City. The Eighty-fourth Captain, Oscar I. Straub, now at Fort Hamilton, N. Y. First lieutenant, Second lieutenant, Richard Furnival, now at Jersey City, N. J. Fort Wadsworth, N. Y., two companies: The Eighty-fifth Captain, George W. Gatchell, now at Fort Wadsworth, N. Y. First lieutenant, Malcolm Young, now at Key West Barracks, Florida. The Eighty-sixth Captain, Alfred M. Hunter, now at Fort Mott, N. J. First lieutenant, Second lieutenant, Henry M. Dougherty, now at Englewood, N. J. |