Today in History:

1151 Series I Volume XLVII-II Serial 99 - Columbia Part II

Page 1151 Chapter LIX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. -UNION.

the command. The list of absentees have not been habitually forwarded to the Bureau of Conscription, because the general orders on this and other matters have not in many instances been promulgated to the command. This brigade has been constantly on duty for several months. Many horses have been broken down and sent to the recruiting camps at Montgomery and in the rear of the division. There are 664 serviceable and 122 unserviceable animals in the command; many of them need shoeing.

The brigade seems to perform picket and outpost duty with great zeal and success. The company books and records are not generally complete, and there are no evidences of accountability for ordnance stores on the part of regimental commanders, nor do the men appear to be charged on the muster and pay rolls with losses of public property. The officers appear to be intelligent, but not as efficient as greater industry would cause them to be. Throughout the brigade spurs are deficient. The Fifty-third Alabama has ten companies. They appear attentive on inspection, but their bearing will not be called soldierly. They dress negligently, although their clothing is sufficient and good. Personally the regiment is cleanly. The animals look worn, and are not very well groomed; many are puny, and only held to retain their owners in cavalry service. The proportion of mules is large. Arms are not clean enough, and there is a deficiency; the caliber and kind are not entirely uniform. Ammunition is generally well cared for. There is a deficiency of accounterments. Horse equipments are in ordinary good condition; move are needed. Currycombs are deficient. Discipline appears to be somewhat better in this than order parts of the brigade. The regiment drills moderately well. Company descriptive lists of animals are correctly kept. The Twenty-fourth Alabama Battalion has three companies, was organized in February, 1864, and is chiefly composed of youths, who are healthy and robust, but lack a military air. They were inattentive at inspection, and do not appear to be under good discipline. There is not enough distinction between officers and men. Many men are unarmed, but expect to be supplied soon. Such arms as were inspected are of irregular calibers, indifferent in kind, and in bad order. Some are unserviceable. There is a great deficiency in the number of accounterments, especially of cap pouches. Horse equipments are in very bad condition; currycombs are much needed. Horses are not numerous or strong, mules being greatly in excess. The animals are not well groomed. The drill is indifferently executed. Spurs are needed. The Eleventh Georgia Regiment, originally the Thirtieth Georgia Battalion (seven companies), is reported to have been raised to a regiment of ten companies, by authority of the War Department, from such men as could be obtained in Northeast Georgia. Many deserters from other commands joined this regiment, and though some have been returned, others remains. Private Mitchell (properly of the Sixteenth Georgia, now a courier for Colonel Hannon) is one. The regiment was organized about October 25, 1864, near Athens, Ga., but when ordered from there to its present station many absented themselves. About ninety officers and men appeared on inspection. They are fine-looking youths, but do not present a military appearance. Discipline is lax; most of the captains are absent on detached service, and there is not enough distinction between officers and privates. The men are well clad and have a sufficiency of blankets, but are quite uncleanly. The regiment was at first armed with Cook's Enfield, which the men do not esteem, and say are easily broken. Many have been


Page 1151 Chapter LIX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. -UNION.