New Era Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas March 5, 1864 Head Quarters District of the Frontier, Department of Arkansas, Fort Smith, Ark., March 4, 1864. General Orders, No. 5. Stealing, pillaging and burning fence rails must and shall be stopped. It is demoralizing to the army, injurious to the government, and disastrous to peaceable citizens. The farms must be tilled, and crops raised. A commander is justified in taking that which is necessary to sustain his men and animals, but it must be done by his order only, and he must give receipts, and account for what he takes, so that loyal people may receive a just compensation. If troops destroy fences, plunder houses, kill or take away stock, the value of the property taken or destroyed shall be stopped against such troops on their respective pay rolls. Wagon Masters shall be held accountable for the conduct of the teamsters and all others under them, and if either are guilty of the outrages named, they shall be discharged from the service without pay. If officers do not use all means in their power to prevent these evils, stoppages of their pay shall be made against them for the value of the property taken or destroyed, equally with the men, in proportion to their salary; and furthermore, such officers will be recommended to Department Head Quarters for dismissal from service. In order to ascertain more fully who commit these outrages, every commander of an escort or of an expedition shall furnish to these Head Quarters in writing immediately on his return, a full and accurate account of each day’s march, give the date of the month, stating on whose plantation he camped at night, what depredations were committed, if any, what property was brought in, if any, and what property was taken by his order, and will hand in his report in person. Each officer will, before starting on an expedition, call at these Head Quarters and procure a copy of these orders. By order of Brigadier General Thayer, Wm S Whitten, Captain and Assistant Adjutant General. Fran Alverson Warren e-mail: [email protected] 479-369-2703 http://www.crawfordcountyarkansas.net/