| Engineer Bureau |
| 17 March 1864 |
| |
| Capt. L. P. Grant C. S. Engrs, In charge &c |
| Atlanta Ga. |
| |
| Captain, |
| Your letter of the 8th Inst., asking
authority to impress negro-labor for the defenses of Atlanta, has been
received & submitted to the Hon. Secretary of War. |
| A general impressment, just of free
negroes and, in case of need, of slaves also, has been authorized by the
Act of Congress, approved 17 February 1864, and it is hoped that, under
this law, a number of negroes sufficient for Military purposes can be
provided without the necessity of having recourse to special acts of
impressment. |
| You will please therefore inform the
Bureau of the numbers which you require, and efforts will be made to
supply your wants from the negroes to be collected by the Conscript
authorities under the recent law. This law, entitled "An Act to increase
the efficiency of the Army by the employment of free negroes & slaves in
certain capacities" has been published by the Adjt. & Insp. Genl., in
Genl. Orders No.32, current series, & referred to the Bureau of
Conscription for execution. |
| Yours Very Resp'y |
| A. L. Rives |
| Lt Col & Acting Chf. Bu. |
|