General Orders, Army of the Potomac, No. 53, May 12, 1863
GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Numbers 53.
Camp near Falmouth, Va., May 12, 1863.
I. Commanding officers will forward with their reports of the recent battles separate lists containing the names of officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates of their respective commands deserving of brevets or medals, or honorable mention in orders, for distinguished and gallant services in the face of the enemy. It is not expected that these lists will mention those who simply do their duty, but those only whose gallantry or merit was conspicuous and worthy of especial notice. The lists should set forth the number and nature of wounds received, if, any and the previous battles in which the officer or soldier has been honorably mentioned, engaged, or wounded, &c.
II. The non-observance in many cases, of the regulations prescribed in General Orders, Nos. 10 and 30,* for the government of purveyors requires the attention of all commanding officers, and of the officers of the provost-marshal-general's and inspector-general's departments.
Hereafter whenever it shall be found that improper uses have been made of the facilities granted to purveyors, the offending party will be sent immediately beyond the lines of the army, not to return, his name published in orders, and the command permitting the unauthorized traffic will be denied transportation or passes for private stores.
III. The officers of the inspector-general's department are, by virtue of their official position, required to see that all orders are strictly enforced.
IV. Division ordnance officers will be held responsible that all arms and equipments of sick and wounded men, and all captured arms or equipments are brought off the field in time of action. Corps and other commanders will hold them to a strict accontability therefor.
V. Paragraph II, of General Orders, Numbers 35, of April 2, 1863, from these headquarters is amended so as to read as follows:
Accounts for company savings, accompanied by a letter of advice, stating the regiment, brigade, division, corps, and army to which the writer belongs, should be forwarded to the Commissary-General of Subsistence, U. S. Army, at Washington, D. C.
When such accounts are made out as required by the regulations, and the commissaries signing the certificates to them have taken up the stores on their returns, payment will be made.
The envelopes containing the accounts, besides having the usual direction, must be indorsed, "Company Savings."
VI. Prisoners sentenced by general courts-martial in this army to hard labor upon public works will be sent to the provost-marshal-general with copies of the order promulgating the sentence and of the descriptivelist of the soldier in each case.
The provost-marshal-general will dispose of these prisoners in such manner as may, from time to time, be indicated to him from these headquarters.
VII. The flag for the headquarters of the Cavalry Corps will be of the same size and shape as heretofore prescribed for headquarters infantry corps, yellow, with cross-sabers white.
The flag for the headquarters of the Artillery Reserve will be of the same size and shape as heretofore prescribed for headquarters infantry corps, red, with cross-cannon white.
The flags for the divisions of the different corps of this army will be as follows:
For the first division of each corps, a white rectangular flag, with the symbol of the corps in red.
For the second division of each corps, a blue rectangular flag, with the symbol of the corps in white.
For the third division of each corps, a white rectangular flag, with the symbol of the corps in blue.
For the light division of the Sixth Corps, a white rectangular flag, with the symbol of the corps in green.
The brigades of the first division of each corps a white triangular flag, with the symbol of the corps in red in the center.
The first brigade, no other stripe or mark.
The second brigade, a blue stripe, 6 inches wide, next the lance.
The third brigade, a blue border, 4 1/2 inches wide, all round the flag.
The brigades of the second division of each corps, blue triangular flag; symbol of the corps in white in the center.
First brigade, no other stripe or mark.
Second brigade, red stripe, 6 inches wide, next the lance.
Third brigade, red border, 4 1/2 inches wide, around the flag.
The brigades of third division of each corps, white triangular flag: symbol of the corps in blue in center.
First brigade, no other stripe or mark.
Second brigade, red stripe, 6 inches wide, next the lance.
Third brigade, red border, 4 1/2 inches wide, all round the flag.
The chief quartermaster will furnish the flags upon requisitions approved by the corps commander.
VIII. General headquarters at night will be indicated by two red lights, one below the other.
Headquarters of corps, by white and red lights side by side, close to-gether.
Lights will not be thus displayed at any other place in camp.
IX. The badges worn by the troops, when lost or torn off, must be immediately replaced.
The officers of the staff on duty at these headquarters will wear a badge according to pattern in the assistant adjutant-general's office.
The only troops without badges are the cavalry, the Eighth Infantry, and Ninety-third New York Volunteers on duty at headquarters, and the Provisional Brigade at Aquia and on the railroad.
Provost-marshals will arrest as stragglers all other troops found without badges, and return them to their commands under guard.
By command of Major-General Hooker:
S. WILLIAMS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.