ORs: (US) Message of Maj. Gen. G. H. Thomas- December 17, 1862

War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies
Series 1, Volume 20, Part 2 Page 182

HEADQUARTERS CENTER, FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS, DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Nashville, [TN]
December 15, [1862]—11.20 p. m.

Major-General CRITTENDEN,
Commanding Left:

GENERAL:
The general commanding desires you to instruct your outguards hereafter not to receive a flag of truce from the enemy unless
the officer in charge of it produces an order or other written authority from the general commanding the enemy’s army, or his lines in front, acerediting him a bearer of the flag; and these credentials must be forwarded by the officer commanding the outpost to the general commanding that portion of our front; for General Orders, No. 16, from these headquarters are so far modified as to permit corps commanders, or detached division commanders commanding portions of corps, to receive flags and dispatch officers of their own staff for this purpose, thereby avoiding the delays which would ensue from a reference to
these headquarters.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. P. GARESCHE,
Assistant Adjutant-General and Chief of Staff.

(Copies sent to Generals Thomas, McCo ok, Rousseau, Negley, and Stanley.)