RICHMOND, VA., February 11, 1865.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General:

GENERAL: Thoroughly impressed with the necessity of improving the discipline of our Army, it has been a question of much thought with me as to the manner of effecting it. The great difficulty with us is due to the fact that our company organizations have been sadly defective. The captains and lieutenants, being responsible to the communities in which they reside and of which their commands are composed, have never had the moral courage to perform their duties in a fearless and manly way, in consequence of the dread of becoming unpopular at home, and it is impossible for a regimental or brigade commander to enforce discipline unless company officers are good and reliable; and it is useless to prefer charge against men or officers, especially if they are well connected, because the courts (the permanent ones)-being composed of politicians and men who have seen no service, or, if any, so little that they have no conception of the relation between superior and inferior officers, and regard every act of firmness as one of tyranny-always acquit the accused. The men who compose these courts were once (as a general thing) officers of the Army who were thrown out of office on account of incompetency, and have a very imperfect idea of the duties of a soldier, and we can never have discipline in our Army as long as these courts are in existence, and I most earnestly recommend that they be either abolished or that some provision be made by which we can be enabled to bring delinquents before a court composed of officers who know something of the wants of the service and appreciate the duties and obligations of the officers and men who compose our armies. This change made in our military tribunals and we will soon get rid of our bad and indifferent officers.

And the next most important thing that we want (more essential in the cavalry than in the infantry) is the assignment of at least one good officer of the Regular Army, young and energetic and well informed, to each brigade as drill-master whilst in camp, and when on the march or field of battle to act as provost-marshal to prevent straggling; to remain just in rear of the column of attack, to keep the files closed (having a small guard detailed for that purpose) and to take charge of the prisoners, and in that way prevent a superfluous guard going to the rear with every batch of prisoners, and also in this way prevent a rapid decrease in the strength of the command upon the battle-field. As a young officer eminently qualified for the position I take pleasure in recommending Lieut. F. H. Wigfall. He is gallant, energetic, and a strict disciplinarian; served with me in the beginning acquainted with his merits and I regard him as one of the best young officers in the service. Lieutenant Wigfall holds a commission in the regular service and is at this time serving on the staff of General Hood, from which I suppose he can readily be spared. I am, general, greatly in want of the services of such an officer as Wigfall and I hope he will be assigned to duty with me at once. And as additional rank would give him more authority, it would be well to give him temporary rank of captain or major, in accordance with act approved May 21, 1865.

Most respectfully, yours, &c.,

T. L. ROSSER,

Major-General.