Today in History:

1150 Series I Volume XLVII-II Serial 99 - Columbia Part II

Page 1150 OPERATIONS IN N. C., S. C., S. GA. AND E. FLA. Chapter LIX.

quarter of this division is mounted on them. Permit me strongly to recommend mounting all cavalry on public horses, and the retention of these mules for transportation purposes.

It is believed that division and brigade commanders do not give sufficient personal attention to the individuals and material of their commands. Morning reports are made but three times a mont. Books and records seem to be incomplete; soldiers do not appear to be charged on the muster and pay rolls with articles lost or injured. There are no recitations in army regulations. The health of the divsion is remarkably good. the brigade commanded by Brigadier General Jos. H. Lewis is composed of the Second, Fourth, Fifth, Siwth, and Ninth Kentucky Regiments Infantry, which were mounted, both men and officers, by order of General Hood, on public animals, mostly horses, but many of them mules, which have been receipted for by the acting brigade quartermaster. The brigade lacks about 200 horses to complete its mounting. The men who need these horses are acting as infantry. The horse equipments are generally in good order, and were mostly issued from Governments are generally in good order, and were mostly issued from Government wodshops; a detail of the men is making up the deficiency by constructing excellent saddles.

It is gratifying to report that there are but few absentees without leave from this brigade. General Lewis reports that he has never bveen able to effect the retirement of either officrs or men for want of action at superior headquarters. The brigade train was so far distant that it was impossible to examine the responsibility of the officers of the staff. The brigade has a sufficiency of clothing, which is kept clean, and is well supplied with blankets. There is a marked deficiency of spurs. There are 396 serviceable and 51 unserviceable animals in the brigade. They are in ordinary plight and ordinarily welycombs and brushes are much needed.

The arms of the brigade are with few exceptions uniform in kind and caliber, and nearly all serviceable, but there is a deficiency of about one-twelfth. The condition of the arms is generally dirty. Accouterments are in good condition, but a deficiency of about one-sixth exists. Ammunition is well preserved, but not uniformly distributed. The military bearing of the brigade may be said to be soldierly, but their appearance, mounted and dismounted, is indifferent. Discipline is lax; men are inattentive on parade and also at drill, which is indifferently performed; officers and men need instruction in cavalry tactiies. In the Second Kentucky Regiment there is a surplus of officers, but none are found to be elected sonce the promulgation of General Orders, Numbers 53. The Sixth Kentucky Regiment has eight companies, but originally numbered ten. The Ninth Kentucky has six companies, although it originally had ten. Two companies of Tennessee troops were transferred by General Bragg, at Murgreesborough, in December, 1862, under the order to aggregate troops into; regiments from their own States, and two others were detached by order from the Adjutant and Iinspector General's Office to form a battalion under Major Desha in Western Virginia. Colonel M. W. Hannon's command is composed of the Fifty-third Alabama Regiment, Twenty-fourth Alabama Battalion, Elevanth Georgia Regiment, and the Roswell (Georgia) Battalion. It has never been permanently brigaded, but was organized by General Roddey, under the orders of General Wheeler, and originally comprised the Fifty-third Alabama Regiment, Moreland's regiment, Williams' battalion, and the Twenty-fourth Alabama Battalion. No staff officers have been assigned to Colonel Hannon. As before mentioned, no inspection reports have been furnished. There were no blank forms found with


Page 1150 OPERATIONS IN N. C., S. C., S. GA. AND E. FLA. Chapter LIX.