Editing Union army (section)

===Provost Marshal General's Bureau===
{{main|United States Army Provost Marshal General}}
The Provost Marshal General's Bureau (PMGB) was created to oversee the apprehension of deserters, conduct [[counterespionage]], and recover stolen government property.  Originally established as an office of the AGD in September 1862, it was made an independent department in May 1863 as part of the Conscription Act of 3 March 1863.  The Conscription Act also made it responsible for the administration of the draft system, with two other responsibilities added later that year: first with the management of the [[Invalid Corps]] in April, and then the recruitment of white volunteers in May.  Intended only as temporary organization for the duration of the war the PMGB was effectively terminated in August 1866, whereupon all records, funds and responsibilities were transferred to the AGD.<ref name="Eicher58"/><ref name="Newell106">Newell & Shrader, pages 104–106</ref>

Initially consisting of a single officer, the provost marshal general (PMG) himself, eventually the bureau was authorized fourteen additional officers split between several branches. However, a mix of officers from the regulars, volunteers, and Invalid Corps were also detailed to the PMGB to fulfill a number of rolls. Each congressional district was appointed a provost marshal who served on a "board of enrollment". The board included two other persons (one of whom was to be a licensed physician) and was charged with overseeing the enrollment of men for the draft. An enrolling officer could also be appointed per subdistrict (town, township or ward) on a temporary basis, as could special agents tasked with apprehending deserters.  Additionally, all provost marshals and special agents were empowered to arrest any stragglers and send them to the nearest military post. By November 1864 the PMGB (not counting the Invalid Corps) included 4,716 officers and employees.<ref name="Newell106"/>

In the aggregate, the PMGB was successful in the enrollment and maintenance of sufficient manpower for the Union army.  Over one million men were brought into the Union army at a cost of $9.84 per man (versus $34.01 per man prior to the bureau's formation) and the arrest and return to duty of over 76,500 deserters. The bureau was also able to raise $26 million to fully fund its enrollment and draft duties.<ref name="Newell106"/>

;Leadership
When originally created as an office of the AGD, Colonel Simeon Draper was named the Provost Marshal General, which he held from October 1862 to March 1863.  However, the PMGB did not live up to expectations under Draper's leadership.  When it was made an independent department he was replaced with [[James Barnet Fry]], who served as the PMG until the bureau's dissolution.<ref name="Newell106"/>