15, of January 16, 1865, very carefully.

The secretary made some verbal modifications, when it was approved by him in all its details, I published it, and it went into operation at once.

It provided fully for the enlistment of colored troops, and gave the freedmen certain possessory rights to land, which afterward became matters of judicial inquiry and decision.

Of course, the military authorities at that day, when war prevailed, had a perfect right to grant the possession of any vacant land to which they could extend military protection, but we did not undertake to give a fee-simple title; and all that was designed by these special field orders was to make temporary provisions for the freedmen and their families during the rest of the war, or until Congress should take action in the premises.

All that I now propose to assert is, that Mr.
Stanton, Secretary of War, saw these orders in the rough, and approved every paragraph thereof, before they were made public: [Special Field Orders, No.