the cause of our country for such an evil to occur. I will prevent it if in the power of man in the exercise of a prudent action with a clear foresight of the evils. General Burbridge has not capacity to comprehend the evils which he is prompted to provoke. He is instigated by men who do comprehend and intend them, and who work upon his weakness through his vanity to accomplish them. He is wholly unfit for any command where there is anything at stake which requires either intellect, prudence, firmness of purpose, justice, or the manliness of the soldiers to accomplish. Fearing that Major- General Sherman may not get my communication in time to save as from much injury, I earnestly beseech you to interpose you authority and arrest the malevolent act which through the weakness and vanity of General Burnbridge have been and are being inflicted upon the loyal citizen of your native State.

Respectfully,

THOS. E. BRAMLETTE,

Governor of Kentucky.

[Indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
City Point, Va., November 14, 1864.

Respectfully forwarded to the Secretary of War.

I do not know how far Governor Bramlette ought to be conciliated. But I have from the start mistrusted General Burbridge's ability and fitness for the place he now occupies. I had selected General Ammen for the command of Kentucky and placed him there in orders. At the time, however, General Ammen was engaged as member of a court-martial which was likely to hold for some weeks. General Burbridge being available at the time was assigned to the temporary command and has managed to retain it ever since. I have had many unofficial complaints of General BurBridges' course, and to think that the best interests of the service require that a sensible soldier, one perfectly free from prejudice and party influence, should be sent to relieve him.

General Dodge, if not on other duty, would make a suitable commander for Kentucky. I sent a staff officer to Kentucky last week to investigate complaints, and before knowing that the Governor of the State found Burbridge objectionable.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Nashville, November 9, 1864-9 a. m.

Major-General BURBRIDGE,

Lexigton, Ky.:

Your dispatch of yesterday received. If mounted men sent by you to Tennessee or the front have been dismounted it was done by General Sherman's order. So also is it General Sherman's order that neither horses nor horse equipments sent to Louisville for the mounted troops of the Military DIVISION of the MISSISSIPPI shall be diverted to any other purpose. By order of General Sherman I am placed in command of all the troops of the Military DIVISION of the MISSISSIPPI not immediately under his command. I have, therefore, to request that you will comply with the above instructions in future.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding.