WAR DEPARTMENT, 
Adjutant and Inspector General’s Office, 
Richmond, July 11, 1862. 
GENERAL ORDERS, \ 
No. 48. i 
I. The appointments of General Officers, and Officers of the General 
Staff in the Provisional Army, being made under special authority, and 
for specific objects, terminate with their commands, except in case of 
assignment to other appropriate duties. 
11. General Orders No. 17, A. & I. G. 0. November 7th, 1861, autho- 
rizing discharges from the service and furloughs by Brigade Comman- 
ders, are hereby revoked. 
111. Paragraphs 160 and 161, Regulations for the Army, published 
March*l3, 1862, are revoked, and the following Regulations are sub- 
stituted : 
160. When a Non-commissioned Officer or Soldier shall be unfit for 
military service in consequence of wounds, disease or infirmity, bis Cap- 
tain shall forward to the Commandant of the Department, or of the Army 
in the field, through the Commander of the Regiment or Post, a state- 
ment of the case, with “Certificates of Disability,” signed by the Se- 
nior Surgeon of the Regiment or Post, according to the form prescribed 
in the Medical Regulations. If the recommendation for the discharge of 
the invalid be approved, the authority therefor will be endorsed on the 
“Certificates of Disability,” which will be sent back to be complied, 
and signed by the Commanding Officer of the Regiment or Command 
to which the invalid’s Company belongs, who will also sign the discharge, 
and cause the Final Statements to be made out, and forward the Certifi- 
cates of Disability to the Adjutant and Inspector General. 
161. When a Non-commissioned Officer or Soldier is absent from Ins 
Regiment or Company, in hospital, and shall be unfit for military ser- 
vice, for the reasons set forth in the preceding paragraph; the Senior 
Surgeon of the hospital will make out “ Certificates of Disability,” and 
forward them, through the Commander of the Company or Regiment, to 
the Commander of the Department or of the Army in the field, whose 
approval being given, the Commanding Officer will complete and for- 
ward the Certificates of Disability to the Adjutant and Inspector Gene- 2 
ral, and send the papers of discharge to the Surgeon. But when access 
to Commanders is difficult, and attended with great delay, the Certifi- 
cates of Disability may, in urgent cases, be forwarded by the Surgeon* 
to the Surgeon General for approval; which being given, the discharge 
will be authorized from the Adjutant and Inspector General’s Office; and 
the Surgeon will make out Final Statements. 
IY. Medical Officers are prohibited from recommending leaves of ab- 
sence and furloughs to sick and wounded Officers and Soldiers, except 
when it is absolutely necessary for them to go home to be restored to 
hesdth; in which case, the Soldier only will be entitled to transportation, 
to bo given in kind. 
command of the Secretary of War. 
Adjutant and Inspector General, 
S. COOPEE,