GENERAL ORDERS, ^ WAR DEPARTMENT, Adjutant General's Office, No. 130. ) Washington, May 15, ],-G:i. In executing the provisions of General Orders, No. 105, from this Department, in regard to the selection of men for the Invalid Corps, Medical Inspectors, Surgeons in charge of Hospitals, Camps, Regiments, or of Boards of Enrolment, Military Commandeis, and all others required to make the physical examination of men for the Invalid Corps, will he governed in their decisions by the following list of qualifications and disqualifications for admission into this Corps: Physical infirmities (hat do not disqualify enlisted men for service in the "Invalid Corps.'' 1. Paralysis, if confined to the left upper extiemity, and the man's previous occupation fit him for the duty of clerk, orderly, &c. 2. Simple hypertrophy of the heart unaccompanied by valvular lesion; functional derangement of the stomach, idyspepsia;) mild chronic diarrhoea; simple enlargement of the liver or spleen ; a temporary ail- ment of the kidneys or bladder. 3. Chronic rheumatism, unless manifested by positive change of structure, wasting of the affected limb or pnfriness or distortion of the joints. 4. Pain, unless accompanied with manifest derangement of the general health, wasting of a limb, or other positive sign of disease. 5. Myopia, unless very decided or depending upon structural change of the eye. 6. Stammering, unless excessive and confirmed. ". Loss of teeth or unsound teeth. S. Porticollis. 9. Reducible hernia. 10. Hemorrhoids. 11. Stricture of the urethra 12. Incontinence of urine. 13. Loss or complete atrophy of both testicles from any cause ; per- manent retention of one or both testicles within the inguinal canal. o 14. Varicocele and cirsocele. 15. Loss of left arm, left forearm or left hand, if the man be quali- fied for duty of clerk or orderly. 16. Loss of leg or foot, provided the man have the inclination and aptitude for service in a general hospital, and is recommended for that duty by a medical officer, or if qualified for the duty of clerk or or- derly. 17. Old and irreducible dislocation of shoulder and elbow in which the bones have accommodated themselves to their new relations. 18. Muscular and cutaneous contraction of left arm, provided the man may be employed as clerk, orderly, or messenger. 19. Loss of left thumb; partial loss of either thumb. 20. Loss of first and second phalanges of all the fingers of the left hand. 21. Total loss of any two fingers of the same hand. 22. Total loss of index finger of right hand. 23. Permanent extension of any finger of the right hand; perma- nent extension or contraction of any finger of the left hand. 24. Adherent or united fingers 25. Loss of any toe or toes except the great toe; all the toes joined together. 26. Deformities of the toes, if not sufficient to prevent walking. 27. Large, flat, ill-shaped feet that do not come within the designa- tion of talipes valgus. 28. Varicose veins not accompanied with ulcerations. 29. Gunshot wounds or injuries not involving loss of function. 30. None of the foregoing informities disqualify officers for service in the Invalid Corps. In all cases where the physical infirmities of officers or enlisted men come within the provisions of the above list, they will be recommended for transfer to, or enlistment in, the Invalid Corps; but no one will be admitted into this Corps, whose previous record does not show that he is meritorious and deserving, and that he has complied with the provi- sions of General Orders, No. 105, War Department, Adjutant General's Office, 1863, authorizing an Invalid Corps. 3 Physical infirmities that disqualify enlisted men for service in the Invalid Corpi 1. Manifest imbecility or insanity. 2. Epilepsy, if the seizures occur more frequently than once a month, and have obviously impaired the mental faculties 3. Paralysis or chorea. 4. Acute or organic diseases of the brain or spinal chord; of the heart or lungs; of the stomach or intestines; of the liver or spleen; of the kidneys or bladder, sufficient to have impaired the general health, or so well marked as to leave no reasonable doubt of the man's inca- pacity for military service. 5. Confirmed consumption ; cancer; aneurism of important arteries. 6. Inveterate and extensive disease of the skin. 7. Scrofula, or constitutional syphilis, which has resisted treatment and seriously impaired the general health. 8. Habitual or confirmed intemperance, or solitary vice, sufficient in degree to have materially enfeebled the constitution. 9. Great injuries or diseases of the skull, occasioning impairment of the intellectual faculties, epilepsy, or other serious nervous or spas- modic symptoms. 10. Total loss of sight, or other serious diseases of the eye, affecting its integrity and use. 11. Loss of nose, or deformity of nose, if sufficient seriously to ob- struct respiration; ozcena, if dependent upon caries. 12. Deafness. 13. Dumbness ; permanent loss of voice. 14. Total loss of tongue, partial less, a,nd hypertrophy or atrophy of tongue, if sufficient to make the speech unintelligible and prevent mastication or deglutition. 15. Incurable deformities of either jaw, whether congenital or pro- duced by accident, which would prevent mastication or greatly injure the speech. 16 Tumors of the neck impeding respiration or deglutition; fistula of larynx or trachea. 17. Deformity of the chest, sufficient to impede respiration, or to prevent the carrying of arms and military equipments; caries of the ribs ; gunshot wound of the lung, if complicated with fracture of a rib. 4 18. Artificial arms ; severe stricture of the rectum. 19. Total loss, or nearly total loss, of penis; epispadia, or hypos- padia, at the middle or nearer the root of penis; stone in the bladder. 20. Confirmed or malignant sarcocele; hydrocele, if complicated with organic disease of the testis. 21. Excessive anterior or posterior curvature of spine; caries of the spine ; lumbar abscess. 22. Loss of a thigh. 23. Wounds, fractures, tumors, atrophy of a limb, or chronic diseases of the joints or bone that would prevent marching or any considerable muscular exertion. 24. Anchylosis, or irreducible dislocation of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, or ankle joint. 25. Muscular or cutaneous contractions from wounds or burns in degree sufficient to prevent useful motion of the right arm or of the lower extremities. 26. With the exception of those paragraphs which refer to the total or partial loss of an extremity, the foregoing disabilities disqualify officers as well as enlisted men for service in the Invalid Corps. In all cases where the physical infirmities of an officer or enlisted man come within the provisions of this list, or where his previous record shows that he is not entitled to be received into the Invalid Corps, he will, if in service, be discharged, and if an applicant to re- enter, his application will be disapproved. Whilst the government is most anxious to provide for and employ, to the best of their abilities, those faithful soldiers who, from wounds or the hardships of war, are no longer able to perform active duty in the field, yet it can, upon no account, permit men, undeserving or to- tally disabled, to re-enter its service Those faithful soldiers whose physical infirmities are too great to admit of their being of any use in the Invalid Corps will, neverthe- less, receive the pensions and bounties provided by law. It is further announced that no officer or enlisted man shall be en- titled to or receive any pension, premium, or bounty, for enlistment, re-enlistment, or service in the Invalid Corps. They will receive all other pay and allowances now authorized by law for the U. S. Infantry 0 except the increased pay for re-enlistment. Claims for pensions or bounties which may be due for pievious service will not be invalidated by enlistment in the Invalid Corps. But no pensions can be drawn or accrue to the benefit of any man during his service in said Corps. The officers and men will be organized into Compauies of Infantry, of the same strength as is now authorized by law for the U. S. Infantry. No organized Brigades, Regiments, Companies, or parts of Companies. will be accepted as such. Enlistments in this Corps will be for three years, unless sooner discharged. By order of the Secretary of War . E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant General. HEADQUARTERS 13th ARMY CORPS, Battle Field ix rear of Vickkhum;, May 30th, 186:!. GENERAL ORDERS, I No. 72. / Comrades ! As your Commander, 1 am proud to congratulate you on your constancy, valor and success. History affords no more brilliant example of soldiery qualities. Your victories have followed in such rapid succession that their echos have not yet reached the country. They will challenge its grateful and enthusi- astic applause. Yourselves striking out a new path, your comrades of the army of Tennessee followed, and a way was thus opened for them to redeem previous disappointment. Your march through Louisiana, from Milliken's Bend to New Carthage and Perkin's Planta- tion on the Mississippi River, is one of the most re- markable on record. Bayous and miry roads threatened with momentary inundation obstructed your progress. All these were overcame by unceasing labor and unflag- ging energy. The two thousand feet of bridging which was hastily improvised out of material created on the spot, and over which you crossed, must long be remem- bered as a marvel. Descending the Mississippi still lower, you were the first to cross the river at Bruin's Landing and to plant our colors in the State of Missis- sippi. Resuming the advance the same day you pushed on until you came up with the enemy at Port Gibson. Only restrained by the darkness of night you hastened to attack him on the morning of the 1st of May, and by vigorously pressing him at all points, drove him from his position, taking a large number of prisoners and small arms and five pieces of cannon. (Jen. Logan's Division came up in time to gallantly share in consum- mating the most valuable victory since the capture of Fort Donelson. Taking the lead on the morning of the 2d, you were the first to enter Port Gibson and to hasten the retreat of the enemy from that place and vicinity. During the ensuing evening, as a consequence of the victory at Port Gibson, the enemy spiked his guns at Grand Gulf and evacuated that place, retreating upon Vicksburgand Edward's Station. The fall of Grand Gulf was solely the result of the victory achieved at Port Gibson. The armament and public stores captured there are but the just trophies of that victory. Hastening to bridge the south branch of Bayou Pierre at Port Gibson, you crossed on the morning of the 3d, and pushed on to Willow Springs, Big Sandy and the main crossing of Fourteen Mile Creek. Four miles from Edward's Station a detachment of the enemy was immediately driven away from the crossing and you ad- vanced, passed over and rested during the night of the 12th within three miles of the enemy in large force at that Station. On the morning of the 13th the objective point of the army movements having been changed from Edward's Station to Jackson, in pursuance ot an order from the Commander of the Department, you moved on the north side of Fourteen Mile Creek towards Raymond. This delicate and hazardous movement was executed by I a portion of your number under cover of Gen. Hovey's Division, which made a feint of attack in line of battle upon Edward's Station. Too late to harm you, the en- I emy attacked the rear of that Division, but were prompt- ly and decisively repulsed. ; Resting near Raymond that night, on the morning of the 14th you entered that place, one Division moving on to Mississippi Springs, near Jackson, in support of Gen. Sherman, another to Clinton in support of Gen. Mc- Pherson, a third remaining at Raymond, a fourth at old • Auburn to bring up the army trains. On the 15th you again led the advance towards Ed- ward's Station, which once more became the objective point. Expelling the enemy's pickets from Bolton, the same day you siezed and held important position. On the ltith you led the advance in three columns upon three roads against Edward's Station. Meeting the en- emy on the way in strong force you heavily engaged him, and after a sanguinary and obstinate battle, with the assistance of Gen. McPherson's Corps, beat and routed him, taking many prisoners and small arms, and severalpieces of cannon. Continuing to lead the advance you rapidly pursued the enemy to Edward's Station, capturing that place and a large quantity of public stores, and many prison- ers ; night only stopped you. At day dawn on the 17th you resumed the advance, and early coming upon the enemy, strongly entrenched in elaborate works both before and behind Big Black River, immediately opened with artillery upon him, fol- lowed by a daring and heroic charge at the point of the bayonet, which put him to rout, leaving eighteen pieces of cannon and more than a thousand prisoners in your hands. By an early hour on the 18th you had constructed a bridge across the Big Black and had commenced the advance upon Vicksburg. On the lUth and 20th and 21st you continued to re- connoitre and skirmish until you had gained a near ap- proach to the enemy's works. On the 22d, in pursuance of the order of the Com- mander of the Department, you assaulted the enemy's defences in front at 10 o'clock A. M., and within thirty minutes had made a lodgment and planted your colors upon two of his Bastions. This parcial success called into exercise the highest heroism, and was only gained by a bloody and protracted struggle, yet it was gained and was the first and largest success achieved any where along the whole line of our army. For nearly eight hours, under a scorching sun and a destructive fire, you firmly held your footing, and only withdrew when the enemy had largely massed their forces and concentrated their attack upon you. How and why the general assault failed, it would be useless now to explain. The 13th Army Corps, ac- knowledging the good intentions of all, would scorn in- dulgence in weak regrets and idle criminations. Ac- cording justice to all it would only defend itself. If while the enemy was massing to crush it assistance was asked for by a division at other points or by re-enforce- ments, it only asked what in one case Major-General Grant had specially and peremptorilv ordered, namely, simultaneous and persistent attack all along the lines until the enemy's outer works should be carried, and what in the other by massing a strong force in time upon a weakened point would have probably insured success. Comrades ! You have done much, yet something now remains to be done. The enemy's odious defeuces still block your access to Vicksburg. Treason still rules that rebellious city and closes the Mississippi River against rightful use by the millions who inhabit its re- sources and the great North West. Shall not the great ''Father of Waters" be opened to lawful commerce'.'1 Me thinks the emphatic response of one and all of you is, "it shall be so." Then let us arise to the level of a crowning trial. Let our common sufferings and glories, while uniting us as a band of brothers, rouse us to a new and surpassing effort. Let us resolve upon success, God helping us! I join with you, comrades, in your sympathy for the wounded, and sorrow for the dead. May we not trust, nay, is it not so, that history will associate the martyrs of this struggle for law and liberty and justice with the honored martyrs of Monmouth and Bunker Hill? By order of Maj. Gen. JOHN A. McCLERNAXD.