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Office Commissary General of Subsistence
Washington City, Aug 29th 1866.

Circular Letter.
Sir:

Your attention is called to the importance of reducing the issues of rations to civillians employed by the Staff Department of the Army, and discontinuing them where practicable.

Under paragraph 1201, Revised Regulations, "one ration per day may be issued to each person employed with the Army, when such are the terms of his engagement." Before making such "terms" the officer engaging the employes should be convinced that the issue of rations to them by the Government is a necessity, for the reason that they cannot otherwise obtain subsistence and perform the services required of them-and when this necessity ceases other terms of engagement should be made.

The issue of rations to employes as  an emolument, or for the purpose of indirectly increasing their compensation is inadmissible. 

The issue of rations to clerks and other civillians employed in the Subsistence Department will be at once
over