St Louis Mo. June 3^d 1864

 

To the Adjutant General U.S.A.

                        Sir:

                                    I desire to submit to you my present situation as regards the service and to ask for information which I trust you may find time to answer. I am 1^st Lieut. and Adjutant of the 4^th Michigan Infantry, whose original term of service will expire on the 20^th of the present month. The regiment has been very much reduced in numbers, and only about from 150 to 200 men have reenlisted—and these not as an organized regiment, but as individuals. For upwards of a year I have been detached from my regiment as an Aide upon the staff of Maj. Gen. Pleasonton and for the past few months have been unable to communicate with my regiment, now serving with the Army of the Potomac. I desire to be in/formed as to what will be my status after the expiration of the term of service of my regiment. Will I be mustered out, or will I, as Adjutant of the regiment, be continued on the staff of such portion as continues in the service? If I am to be mustered out, what shall I do to be continued in the service? I am very much attached to General Pleasonton, and he desires that I may remain with him. What will it be necessary for me to do to continue in my present position after the 20^th inst. I entered the service as a private with a desire to continue in it so long as the war should last—I still desire to serve to the best of my ability so long as there is an armed Rebel in the land, and shall feel very much chagrined if mustered out at what appears to be the crisis of our troubles. Will you please inform me upon the above points, and instruct me as/to what it is necessary for me to do to enable me to retain my position, and much oblige

                                                            Yours, most respectfully

                                                                        Geo. W. Yates,

                                                            1^st Lieut & A.D.C. to

                                                                        Maj. Gen. Pleasonton

Adjt. Gen. U.S.A.

 

[overleaf]

Y.75./vs/.64

St. Louis, Mo., June 3/64

Geo. W. Yates

1^st Lt. 4^th Mich. Vols., & A.D.C.

Inquires as to his Mil’y status after the muster out of his Regt., and whether he will be able to retain his present position as A.D.C to Maj. Genl. Pleasonton, and how to do so.

Recd. (AGO) June 8, 1864.

E.B.

1334.                           War Depart

v.7.                              Adjutant General’s Office

                                    June 10.1864.

Respectfully returned with copy of Circular. No. 36. current series of this Office, furnishing full instructions as to the muster out of Officers of Regiments when 3/4th^s have not reenlisted.

            The regulation^s of the Department require all Officers whose commands are to be mustered out by reason of expiration of term of service, to be mustered out at the same time, except Prisoners of War. Parties retained in service without commands corresponding to their rank, cannot legally receive pay.

                                                            By Order of the

                                                            Secretary of War.

                                                            Thomas M Niecent

                                                            Asst. Adjutant General

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