1861 July 6 Martinsburg, Va.

Headquarters, Department of Pennsylvania

GENERAL ORDERS NO. 31}

I. The following articles of war will be read to each command, and be posted in a conspicuous place in each camp and quarters. All officers and good soldiers are required to check with a firm hand, any violation of these regulations, and to arrest and report the offenders forthwith, in order that they may be brought to punishment, and the good name of this army and of the American people protected from dishonor.

ARTICLE 49. "Any officer belonging to the service of the United States, who by discharging of firemarms, drawing of swords, beating of drums, or by any other means whatsoever shall occasion false alarms n camp, garrison , or quarters, shall suffer death, or shuch other punishment as shall be ordered by the sentence of a court-martial."

ARTICLE 51. "No officer or soldier shall do violence to any person who brings provisions or other necessaries to the camp, garrison, or quarters of the forces of the United States, employed in any parts out of the said States, upon pain of death or such other punishment as court-martial shall direct."

ARTICLE 52. "Any officer or soldier who shall misbehave himself before the enemy, run away, or shamefully abandon any fort, post, or guard which he or they may be commanded to defend, or speak words inducing others to do the like, or shall cast away his arms and ammunition, or who shall quit his post or colors to plunder and pillage, every such offender, being duly convicted thereof, shall suffer death or such other punishment as shall be ordered by the sentence of a general court-martial."

ARTICLE 54. "All officers and soldiers are to behave themselves orderly in quarters and on their march, and whoever shall commit any waste ot spoil, either in walks of trees, parks, warrens, fish-ponds, houses, or gardens, corn-fields, inclosure of meadows, or shall maliciously destroy any property whatsoever, belonging to the inhabitants of the United States, unless by the order of the then commander-in-Chief of the armies of the said States, shall (besides such penalties as they are liable to by law,) be punished according to the nature and degree of the offence, by the judgment of a regimental or general court-martial."

ARTICLE 56. "Whosoever shall relieve the enemy with money, victuals or ammunition, or who shall knowlingly harbor and protect an enemy, shall suffer death, or such other punishment as shall be ordered by the sentence of a court-martial."

ARTICLE 57. "Whosoever shall be convicted of holding correspondence with, or giving intelligence to, the enemy, either dirrectly or indirrectly, shall suffer death or such other punishment as shall be orderred by the sentence of a court-martial."

II. The names and officers of all persons engaged in pluindering or wantonly destroying property, and of officers conniving at such disgraceful practices, will, on detection, be published to the army and the country.

III. The Commanding General has assured the citizens of protection, while peacefully following their ordinary avocations; and no one worthy of association with honorable men, will disturb them. He relies upon the loyal men of his command, who are here to assert the supremacy of the laws of the country, to see that they are not violated with impunity by wretches who assume the garb of the soldier only to disgrace it.

IV. All officers will be held responsible for the enforcement of these regulations, within their respective commands.

By oreder of MAJOR GENERAL PATTERSON.

F.J. PORTER,
Assistant Adjutant General

Two weeks after these orders were issued Major General Robert Patterson, 1792-1881, a Mexican War veteran, was unable to prevent Joseph Johnston's army from reinforcing the Confederate forces at Bull Run/Manasses and was mustered out of the army.

A veteran of both the Mexican War and the Expedition against the Mormons, as well as a West Point instructor, Fitz-John Porter, 1822-1901, served as chief of staff and assistant adjutant general for the Department of Pennsylvania, was promoted to colonel of the 15th Infantry on May 14, 1861, and in August to brigadier general. He was promoted to major general after the Seven Days Battle in 1862. In 1863 he was court-martialled and found guilty of disobedience and misconduct at Second Bull Run. Years after the war he was exonerated by a special commission.

Broadside
1861
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