consistently with the good of the public service, detail a soldier from the army for this purpose. I believe it would be much better to have no correspondents of the press with the army.

In the appontment of officers I do not think there is any ground for complaint. The attempt has been as far as possible to have all the regiments from the same STate brigade together under officers from their own States, or old army officers. The cavalry regiments from North Carolina have been placed in a brigade to be commanded by General Baker. In a mixed brigade of Virginia and North Carolina regiments I some time ago removed a Virginia brigadier, on the representations of Governor Vance, and placed over the brigade an old army officer from Maryland. Shortly after the battle of Chancellorsville two brigadiers from North Carolina were promoted major-generals in this army, their former positions being filled at once by promotions from that State. Of one of these, the noble Pender, the casualties of battle, alas, deprived us; and the other, Genral Ransom, has been called to take charge of an important military department, succeeding another distinguished North Carolina, General Hill, of the Army of Northern Virginia, promoted and sent to the Department of the West. Another, the lamented Pettigrew, whose brigade, under his skillful leadership, emulated the deeds of veterans in the battles of Gettysburg, fell on the banks of the Potomac. He has been succeeded by the promotion of an officer from the same State. General Iverson, of Georgia, has been transferred from the North Carolina brigade which he commanded to a Louisiana brigade, and his place filled by the promotion of a North Carolina. You will perceive from this statement how far I have succeeded in arranging the brigades from North Carolina in conformity to the rule spoken of above, and though the accidents of war and the wants of the service in other departments have deprived this army of the services of many accomplished North Carolinians, they have been replaced almost entirely by promotions from that State.

I need not say that I will with pleasure aid Governor Vance in removing every reasonable cause of complaint on the part of men who have fought so gallantly and done so much for the cause of our country. And I hope that he will do all in his power to cultivate a spirit of harmony, and to bring to punishment the disaffected who use these causes of discontent to further their reasonable designs.

I am, with great respect, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

HEADQUARTERS,
Orange, September 15, 1863.

Brigadier General WILLIAM N. PENDLETON:

GENERAL: Your letter of the 8th instant, inclosing one from Major Page, reached me at a time when I was pressed by business that had accumulated during my absence. I cannot now give the matter much attention, and have only been able to read partially Major Page's letter. I think the report of my dissatisfaction at your conduct is given upon small grounds, the statement apparently of your courier, upon whom I turned my back. I must acknowledge I have no recollection of the circumstances, or of anything upon which it could have been based. The guns were withdrawn from the heights