March 3, 1863, The Charleston Mercury
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE ARREST OF SOLDIERS ABSENT FROM THEIR COMMANDS WITHOUT LEAVE, AND PROVIDING COMPENSATION TO THEIR CAPTORS.
SECTION 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That from and after the passage of this Act, it shall be the duty of every commander of a company in the armies of the Confederate States, as soon as he knows that any private or non-commissioned officer of his company is absent without leave, to send up a certificate of the fact to the commander of his brigade, who shall forthwith employ such responsible person or persons as he may think proper, to arrest and bring back to his command such absent private or non-commissioned officer.
SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That whenever the delinquent absentee, together with the certificate above mentioned of his company commander, to the fact of his absence without leave, shall be delivered to the commanding officer of a military post or camp, such commanding officer shall give a receipt for the delivery of such absentee to the person or persons so delivering him.
SEC. 3. Be it further enacted, That upon the presentation of the receipt above mentioned to the Quartermaster of the post or camp, it shall be the duty of the said Quartermaster to pay to the person or persons presenting such receipt the sum of fifteen dollars, for which this law shall be his warrant and authority.
SEC. 4. Be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the commanding officer of the post or camp who receives the private or non-commissioned officer so delivered, to send as speedily as practicable such private or non- commissioned officer back to the company to which he belongs, together with a copy of the receipt which he has given to the person or persons delivering him.
SEC. 5. Be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the commanding officer of the company to which the returned private or non-commissioned officer belongs, upon the delivery of the man and the copy of the receipt above mentioned, to enter on the muster and pay rolls of the company, opposite the name of such private or non-commissioned officer, the full sum of fifteen dollars, in order that the said sum may be deducted from the pay of such private or non-commissioned officer.