General Orders #28 – On Reckless and Shameful Waste of Ammunition

CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, AND RETURNS RELATING TO OPERATIONS IN MARYLAND, PENNSYLVANIA, VIRGINIA, AND WEST VIRGINIA FROM APRIL 16 TO JULY 31, 1861

CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. – CONFEDERATE

O. R. – Series I – VOLUME 2 [S #2] CHAPTER IX, p. 943

General Orders,
No. 28.

Headquarters of the Forces,
Richmond, Va., June 20,1861.

On several occasions bodies of our troops have been surprised by the enemy under circumstances highly discreditable to the service, and the general commanding is therefore compelled to notice these occurrences in a public manner, and to enjoin upon all a more careful attention to the subject of outposts and vedettes. It is impossible that a surprise can take place if a due vigilance is exercised, and outposts and sentries are well established on the approaches to any given point and strictly perform their duty. From some of the camps information is received that the troops have wasted their ammunition in the most reckless and shameful manner. Such intelligence is almost incredible, yet it is nevertheless true. One man has been killed and a number wounded by this abominable practice. The general hopes that there are not instances of this nature other than those which have been reported to him, and that the troops generally will pay regard to the importance of carefully handling their arms and economizing their ammunition, so vitally important at all times.

By command of General Lee:

GEO. DEAS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.