confederate Desertion) interesting official copy of an Army of Northern Virginia field order concerning leaves lp Oblong 8vo., headquarters Dec. 20 1864 secretarially signed for Lees aide Walter H Taylor In part Applications of officers for leaves of absence are becoming numerous The General commanding desires to indulge them only to the same extent as enlisted men Please forward none but the most urgent cases At this point in the war wholesale desertion was the rule and even officers were hard pressed to remain with their commands Slight soiling