The men were ignorant of the manual of arms, and even of the facings. I have made some progress in instructing the officers and men, but am of the opinion that with the present set of officers, the regiment can be made efficient only by great exertions by a set of intelligent, well qualified, and strict field officers. I herewith submit a roster of the officers, with my opinion of their qualifications and capacity. The regiment is numerically weak.

I herewith send a field return.* The 58 absent without leave are deserters. I have ordered 5 officers to arrest them. The absent, sick, are many of them permanently unfit for duty. I consider the maximum of the efficient strength of enlisted men below 400. From an acquaintance with both organizations, I would recommend a consolidation of this regiment with the Seventh South Carolina Battalion. This battalion has eight companies, two of which are very weak, one having only 2 commanding officer. The maximum of the efficient enlisted men is about 500.

I herewith send an ordnance report.*

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES H. RION,

Major, 7th S. C. Battalion, Commanding 22nd Regiment S. C. Vols.

Synoptical inspection report of the brigade of Brigadier General N. G. Evans.

Date of Organization, and commander Present Absent

inspection. at the time of inspection. of without

duty. leave.

October 1. 18th South Carolina 433 36

Infantry, Colonel W. H.

Wallace

2 Holcombe Legion, Lieutenant- 383 30

Colonel Crawley.

5 17th South Carolina 432 34

Infantry, Colonel F. W.

McMaster.

6 23rd South Carolina 297 22

Infantry, Major M. V.

Bancroft.

Date Absent Aggrega Officer Remarks.

of without te s

insp leave. present absent.

ecti and

on. absent.

Octo 28 657 7 The company officer do

ber not attend to the

1 position of the men in

the ranks. In drill the

regiment shows want of

exactness, and there is

evident want of practice.

The adjutant's office is

not up to the mark; camps

not clean; sinks not

properly conducted; in

the hospital want of

management; a hospital

steward in medical charge

of the regiment; arms

tolerable; men in the

ranks without the

authorized amount of

ammunition; the putting

on of uniform not

attended to; the men

standing in the ranks

with unbuttoned coats.

2 30 566 6 Want of discipline in

this regiment evident; in

drill want of practice

and attention; btu little

drill has been enforced

in this regiment, or the

others in the brigade;

the adjutant's office

only tolerably kept;

company books not as they

ought to be; the use of

sinks not enforced;

considerable deficiencies

in arms; some of the men

in the ranks not supplied

with the regulated amount

of ammunition.

5 20 573 9 Drill not up to mark;

want instruction very

much; discipline

tolerable; adjutant's

office not well kept; no

consolidated morning

report book kept; sinks

not provided or enforced

as they ought to be.

6 25 522 19 Discipline defective:

drill tolerable;

adjutant's office very

imperfectly kept; camp

very dirty; sinks not

used; ammunition

defective. (The colonel

of the regiment has been

since tried and relieved

from duty for six

months.)

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*Not found.

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