18 December 1861

Wednesday, 18th Pleasant. Met with the court this morning. At noon I called upon Mr. Ely, a private of co. K who is very sick. In the eve we had a meeting of the officers at the Col.'s qrts. Requested Lieut. Weirick to resign. I have suffered some from sore throat to day. I took a remedy just before retiring.

[orders and circulars Loren would, or should, have seen concurrent with his diary entries...]

Genl Order No 43, Head Quarters US Forces, Paducah, Ky, Dec 18th, 1861
1 - It has been brought to the notice of the Cmdg. General that the Surgeon's report of sick in some of the Regt's differ materially from the number reported sick on the morning report of the Regt's. This arises from the great impropriety of Commanders of Companies placing them on the sick report with reference to the surgeons and in some instances when the surgeon has refused to recognize them as sick. Comdg. Officers of Regts will see that this irregularity is corrected at once. No one - Officer or Soldier - will be reported sick who is not so reported to the Surgeon. In this connection it is well to announce the well established usage that Commanders of Comps have no authority to excuse any one under their command from duty of any description or grant indulgence their duty is to instruct those under them and to enforce discipline. If any one seeks an indulgence the Capt. Or Commanders of the Company would approve or disapprove and forward it for action of the Regimental Commander. This principal applies to all executive Officers. The Officer of the Day for example they are to instruct and to enforce obedience to orders but not to grant indulgences.
2 - The attention of Regimental commanders is called to Paragraph 347 of Army Regulations (Revised Edition) which requires all field and comp. Officers and men to be present at Dress Parade.
3 - With the exception of such of the hospital attendants as the Surgeon may think necessary for his duties, every soldier on extra or daily duty in the different regiments will be required to attend the Sunday morning inspection of his company.
By order of Brig Genl C. F. Smith