r3*i a.4   C ;*  %  » vt \ ?* x  "ii^. 1.
                      ( Circular No. 2.)



              Sttrpffu  §ntx*Vs  fffiu,
                         Washington, D. C, January 23, 1863.

  I..By order of  the War Department, the first sentence of paragraph
3, General Orders No. 36, is modified to read as follows:  "The final
statements and all the discharge papers will be made out under  the
supervision of the Military Commander, and  signed by him, when the
soldier is not in a U. S. hospital or under the charge of a U. S. Surgeon.
But if he is under a U. S. Surgeon or in a U. S. hospital, the Surgeon
will, in either case, make out and sign the discharge and final state-
ments, after the  Military Commander has endorsed the authority to
discharge the soldier upon the usual certificates of disability."
  II..Paragraph I, Circular No.  1, of 1863, from this office, is revoked,
in consequence of the foregoing modification.

                                  WM. A. HAMMOND,
                                              Surgeon General.

                     INVALID  SOLDIERS.

                          Surgeon General's Office,
                            Washington, January 31, 1863.
         It being  reported  that various  parties have  obtained
       money from invalid soldiers under the pretence of assisting
       them to their discharge from the service, notice is hereby
       given that certificates of disability for discharge to soldiers  !
       in general  hospitals  and camps are only given by the sur-
       geon in charge of such hospital or camp, and the obtrusive
       efforts of  persons claiming to be special agents  retard in-
       stead of hasten the preparation of discharge papers.  All
       soldiers are warned  against giving  money on such plea to
       any person whatever.
         By order of th« Surgeon General:
                    Joseph R. Smith, Surgeon U. S. Army.