GENERAL ORDERS, 
* No. 242. 
WAR DEPARTMENT, 
ADJUTANT GENERAT,"S OFFICE, 
Washington, August 8, 1864. 
Relating to the Amnesty to Insurgent Enemies. 
1.. attention of commanding officers of departments, districts, 
military posts, and detachments, is called to the following paragraph 
in the Proclamation of the President, dated the 26th of March, 1864, 
defining the cases in which insurgent enemies are entitled to the 
benefits of the Amnesty Proclamation of the 8th of December, 
1863: 
“It (the Amnesty) does apply only to those persons who, being 
yet at large and free from any arrest, confinement, or duress, shall 
voluntarily come forward and take the said oath, with the purpose 
of restoring peace and establishing the national authority.'" 
From various departments and districts information has been 
received by this Department, that insurgent enemies in the States of 
Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri have endeavored fraudulently 
and treacherously to obtain the benefits of the President’s Amnesty, 
by taking the prescribed oath, without any “purpose of restoring 
peace and establishing the national authority,” but with the pur- 
pose of preserving their property from the penalty of their crimes, 
or of screening themselves from punishment for the commission of 
arson, robbery, treason, and murder. All commanders of depart- 
ments, districts, posts, and detachments, and all officers in the mili- 
tary service, are directed to use the utmost diligence in detecting 
and bringing to punishment all insurgent enemies who have been or 
may be guilty of fraudulently and treacherously taking the oath pre- 
scribed by the President’s Proclamation for any other purpose than 
that of “ restoring peace and establishing the national authority,” 
and they will treat such oath, when fraudulently and treacherously 
taken, as not entitling the guilty parties to any clemency, but as 
being in itself a substantive offense against the Government, and as 
affording no protection to the individuals by whom it has been or may 
be taken, either in their persons or property, and as depriving them of 
all claim to immunity, protection, and clemency. 
11.. Commanders of departments and districts are also authorized 
to prescribe such rules and regulations in respect to the administra- 
tion of said oath in future, as may be needed to prevent the improper 
administration of said oath to persons taking it for any other than the 2 
“purpose of restoring peace and establishing the national authority."’ 
To all persons who have or shall voluntarily come forward and take the 
oath, “with the purpose of restoring peace and establishing the 
national authority,” full protection, and all the benefits of the Am- 
nesty Proclamation will be extended. 
III...Commanders and all military officers will exercise strict vigi- 
lance within their respective commands, in order to detect and 
bring to punishment any officers, civil, military, or naval, who 
knowingly and wilfully have administered or shall administer the 
said oath to any person or persons except the insurgent enemies, 
who are, by the Proclamation of the 26th of March, entitled to the 
benefits of said Amnesty Proclamation, by reason of their taking 
the oath for “the purpose of restoring peace and establishing the 
national authority.” 
By order of the Secretary of War : 
E. D. TOWNSEND, 
Assistant Adjutant General. 
Official : 
Assistant Adjutant General.