that, if there was any part of my conduct needing investigation, I might before leaving be informed, so that I might make the necessary preparations to defend myself. But as it is now you can perceive the disadvantages I am laboring under. I must therefore demand that the charges be investigated at an early day by a court of inquiry or court-martial, or they be withdrawn and I restored to duty at once.

Very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

L. McLAWS,

Major-General.

[Inclosure.]

HEADQUARTERS, Russellville, Tennessee, December 30, 1863.

General S. COOPER,
Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose herewith charges and specifications against Major General L. McLaws and against Brigadier General J. B. Robertson.* I have no authority to order courts, and have therefore to ask that a court be ordered for the trial of Brigadier-General Robertson. General McLaws was not arrested when he was relieved from duty, for the reason that it was supposed that his services might be important to the Government in some other position. If such is the case, I have no desire that he should be kept from that service or that his usefulness should be impaired in any way by a trial.+

I remain, general, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

JAMES LONGSTREET,

Lieutenant-General, Commanding.

[Sub-Inclosure.]

CHARGE AND SPECIFICATIONS PREFERRED AGAINST Major General L. M'LAWS.

CHARGE.-Neglect of duty.

Specification 1.-In this, that Major General L. McLaws, being in command of a division of the Confederate forces near Knoxville, Tennessee, and being ordered by his commanding officer (Lieutenant General J. Longstreet) to advance his line of sharpshooters at dark on the night of November 28 to within good rifle range of the enemy's works, so as to give his sharpshooters play upon the enemy behind his works (it being part of a plan of attack that the sharpshooters should engage the enemy behind his works along our entire line while an assault was made upon one of the enemy's forts), did fail to arrange his line of sharpshooters so as to meet this view, and did allow a portion of the rifle-pits to be sunk about 200 yards from the point to be attacked under a hill entirely out of view of the fort aforesaid, thus failing to give his assaulting columns the protection of the fire of his sharpshooters at this point during their advance and attack.

Specification 2.-In this, that the aforesaid Major General L. McLaws,

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*See p. 470.

+See Confederate Correspondence, etc., McLaws to Cooper, December 29, 1863, and Cooper to Longstreet, January 5, 1864, Part III, pp. 881, 893.

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